Hands Across the Sea - Mary Clayton

If you would like to order the complete kit for this project including all threads and linen required, please contact me on 07 5546 0558 or [email protected].  We carry the complete range of Au Ver a Soie d’Alger. We carry most of the 100/3 threads with the remaining colours currently on their way to us. This shipment also includes all the Legacy Linen available for HATS Samplers. The threads and linens are due in the shop by mid July. If you require the kit before then, we have a wide range of other beautiful linens in stock.

Mary Clayton’s sweet sampler is a delightful example of a young child’s artwork. Mary tells us that she was aged 9 years when she stitched her sampler. She has given no year or location, however, we believe that the sampler is English and was stitched in the mid 1800’s.

An imposing building first catches the eye. Maybe this was a church run school or orphanage as the roof is topped by a cross. Above hovers two trumpeting angels signifying the word of God and reinforcing our first thought that the building is connected in some way to a church institution. The bottom section of the sampler is full of out of proportion trees, potted roses and a basket of fruit.

The sampler is stitched in cross stitch over two threads. There are a handful of cross stitches that Mary “squeezed” into her sampler that sit one thread wide and two threads high.  The sampler is suitable for beginners through to advanced needleworkers. The design area is 201 stitches (w) x 183 stitches (h).

The sampler has been reproduced using the mellowed colours found on the front of the sampler today.

Thread Legend

Mary’s sampler has been reproduced with Au Ver à Soie d’Alger silks and the skein quantities calculated based on 1 strand on 36ct fabric. We have provided conversions for DMC based on 2 strands and Needlepoint Inc. based on 1 strand. The original sampler was stitched on uneven weave measuring approximately 15 x 14 inches. It was very hard to match the linen to a DMC shade number, and although not exact the closest DMC shades were 612/613 .

The sampler has been reproduced using the mellowed colours found on the front of the sampler today.

Soie d’Alger  / DMC / NPI

4644 x 1 / 3861 x 1 / 711A x 1 ~ Cocoa ~ light

F09 x 1 / 422 x 1 / 901 x 1 ~ Hazel nut brown – light

3344 x 1 / 3790 x 1 / 184A x 1 ~ Beige grey ~ ultra dark

4535 x 1 / 611 x 1 / 952 x 1 ~ Drab brown ~ dark

F022 x 1 / 613 x 1 / 692 x 1 ~ Drab brown ~ very light

3835 x 1 / 640 x 1 / 335 x 1 ~ Beige grey ~ very dark

3342 x 1 / 648 x 1 / 962 x 1 ~ Beaver grey ~ light

4244 x 1 / 680 x 1 / 694 x 1 ~ Old gold ~ dark

2926 x 1 / 814 x 1 / 226 x 1 ~ Garnet ~ dark

4624 x 1 / 816 x 1 / 636 x 1 ~ Garnet

3745 x 1 / 869 x 1 / 913 x 1 ~ Hazel nut brown ~ very dark

2636 x 1 / 919 x 1 / 865 x 1 ~ Red copper

2216 x 1 / 935 x 1 / 348 x 1 ~ Avocado green ~ dark

2578 x 1 / 950 x 1 / 203 x 1 ~ Desert sand ~ light

4536 x 1 / 3031 x 1 / 957 x 1 ~ Mocha brown ~ very dark

3834 x 1 / 3032 x 1 / 982 x 1 ~ Mocha brown ~ medium

3416 x 1 / 3371 x 1 / 584 x 1 ~ Black brown

1736 x 1 / 3750 x 1 / 325 x 1 ~ Antique blue ~ very dark

4611 x 1 / 3778 x 1 / 854 x 1 ~ Terra cotta ~ light

1814 x 1 / 3813 x 1 / 522 x 1 ~ Blue green ~ light

LINEN SIZES

The design area is 201 stitches (w) x 183 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3” margin for finishing and framing.

28ct ~ Design: 14.36″ x 13.07″ Fabric: 20.36″ x 19.07″

30ct ~ Design: Design: 13.40″ x 12.20″ Fabric: 19.40″ x 18.02″

32ct ~ Design: 12.56″ x 11.44″ Fabric: 18.56″ x 17.44″

36ct ~ Design: 11.17″ x 10.17″ Fabric: 17.17″ x 16.17″

40ct ~ Design: 10.05″ x 9.15″ Fabric: 16.05″ x 15.15″

46ct  ~ Design: 8.74″ x 7.96″ Fabric: 14.74″ x 13.96″