Hands Across The Sea - Jane Fiddes 1835

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, over 625 colours! We also carry the entire range of 100/3 threads!! We recently received a shipment from Access Commodities that included all the popular Legacy Linen available for HATS Samplers. Please contact us for further information.

Jane’s sampler, a particularly beautiful one, is filled to bursting with motifs that vibrate with colour. The more you study the sampler the more you will see.

On first viewing the sampler, when it was listed in an auction catalogue, we thought that the sampler was Scottish. There are numerous sets of initials scattered throughout the sampler, together with a house with the lawn below executed in Turkey work, and both features are characteristic of Scottish samplers.

When the sampler arrived, in an old but not necessarily original frame, we discovered on the backing board a label that indicated that the sampler had been framed in Dublin, Ireland. Was Jane born in Ireland, did she or one of her descendants marry an Irishman, was the sampler acquired by a collector who took the sampler to Ireland? Regrettably, we shall never know as we cannot link the initials Jane diligently stitched to the Janes that appear in family history records.

This charming sampler has been mainly executed with cross stitch over two threads with a small amount of cross stitch over one thread for Patch the dog. Other stitches used are double running stitch, satin stitch, Algerian eyelet stitch, four-sided stitch, plait stitch and stem stitch.   Jane’s sampler has been rated as suitable for intermediate and advanced needle workers but is not beyond a confident beginner. The sampler is an ideal choice for those who wish to expand their repertoire of stitches.

Thread Legend

Jane’s stunning has been reproduced using Weeks Dyeworks 46ct Zweigart-based linen in straw with one strand of Au Ver à Soie silk from their d’Alger range. We have provided conversions for Au Ver à Soie 100.3 range together with DMC.  Weeks Dyeworks  Zweigart-based linen in cocoa would also work well for the sampler.

d’Alger /  100.3 /  DMC  –  Colour Description   

F18  x 1 /  425 x 1 /  676  x 1  –  Old gold ~ light

944 x 1 /  500 x 1 /  321  x 1  –  Christmas red

1434 x 1 /  356 x 1 /  931 x 1  –  Antique blue ~ medium

1436 x 1 /  510 x 1 /  3750 x 1  –  Antique blue ~ very dark

1745 x 1 /  486 x 1 /  3768  x 1  –  Grey green ~ dark

1814 x 1 /  621 x 1 /  927 x 1  –  Grey green ~ light

1845 x 1 /  654 x 1 /  501 x 1  –  Blue green ~ dark

2146 x 2 /  274 x 1 /  3011x 2  –  Khaki green ~ dark

2213 x 1 /  022 x 1 /  733 x 1  –  Olive green ~ medium

2234 x 1 /  303 x 1 /  3820x 1  –  Straw ~ dark

2645 x 1 /  107 x 1 /  347 x 1  –  Salmon ~ very dark

2914 x 1 /  741 x 1 /  760 x 1  –  Salmon

2926 x 1 /  2646  x 1 /  815 x 1  –  Garnet ~ medium

3026 x 1 /  524 x 1 /  150 x 1  –  Dusty rose ~ ultra very dark

3846 x 1 /  099 x 1 /  844 x 1  –  Beaver grey ~ ultra dark

4236 x 1 /  542 x 1 /  434 x 1  –  Brown ~ light

4524   x 1 /  634 x 1 /  3828 x 1  –  Hazel nut brown

4644   x 1 /  037 x 1 /  778 x 1  –  Antique mauve ~ very light

4645 x 1 /  376 x 1 /  3726 x 1  –  Antique mauve ~ dark

5384  x 1 /  072 x 1 /  598 x 1  –  Turquoise ~ light

LINEN SIZES

The design area is 201 stitches (w) x 246 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3″ margin for finishing and framing.

28ct ~ Design: 14.36″ x 17.57″ Fabric: 20.36″ x 23.57″

32ct ~ Design: 12.56″ x 15.38″ Fabric: 18.56″ x 21.38″

36ct ~ Design: 11.17″ x 13.67″ Fabric: 17.17″ x 19.67″

40ct ~ Design: 10.05″ x 12.30″ Fabric: 16.05″ x 18.30″

46ct ~ Design: 8.74″ x 10.70″ Fabric: 14.74″ x 16.70″

56ct ~ Design: 7.18″ x 8.79″ Fabric: 13.18″ x 14.79″