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Band Samplers by Prairie Schooler

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What is a band sampler?

band-sampler

Summer Sampler from Prairie Schooler

A Band sampler is a long narrow sampler, where designs are stitched in rows or bands across the width of the fabric. This type of sampler was popular in the 17th century.  Some of my favorites to stitch are those done by Prairie Schooler. This particular sampler hangs in our kitchen. It is from the Summer Samplers Book 77. All of them were worked on 14 cont Fiddlers Lite and use the brass bell pull hardware available from Nordic Needle.

I’ve worked a number of these as gifts for family and friends but failed to take pictures of them which is my loss. The ones I have stitched include:

Music and Books from Simple Samplers

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music-and-books

Little House Needleworks has a collection called Simple Samplers which are small projects that do not take forever to complete.  I’m working the Music and Books design on 28 count khaki Jobelan. The finished piece measures 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″  I’ve finished one and started on the 2nd one.  You can view and purchase any of the Little House Needlework designs from 123Stitch.

Enlarged area of Books & Music.

Enlarged area of Books & Music.

Fast forward to November 2023 when I pulled out a bunch of smalls and decided to finish them. I chose a simple black frame from Amazon to finish off these two pieces.

 

Cross Stitch Christmas

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Just a few of our cross stitch ornaments

Christmas is a special time of year. Part of the fun of Christmas is decorating the tree and the house. When Jim and I were first married in 1982, we had a real tree. We’d bundle up, head out to the local tree farm, pick out the perfect tree, bring it home and Jim would string the lights. Then it was my turn to add the various ornaments I had collected. It really was not until a couple of years later that I started adding cross stitch ornaments to the collection. Mom made some of them and I made others.

The tree we put up at Christmas has gotten smaller as we have gotten older but it is still decorated with our collection of cross stitch ornaments or ones we have collected in our travels.

Christmas Cardinal

Christmas Cardinal

Christmas Angel

Christmas Angel

Gingerbread Boy

Gingerbread Boy

Gingerbread Girl

Gingerbread Girl


Friendship Memories

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Friendship Memories Wall Hanging

Friendship Memories Wall Hanging

 

This pattern appeared in the May/June 1991 issue of CrossStitch & Country Crafts. It can be worked in shades of pink and green or red and blue and you have two choices for the bottom design. You could, of course, choose your own color scheme.

Reunions, farewells, graduations – wherever and whenever friends and relations gather to celebrate – beg to be recorded, and not just with cameras. How much more satisfying to inlcude handwritten sentiments from all involved, crowned by a friend’s loving stitches.

Friendship mini quilts in two color schemes breathe new life into the notion of “one of a kind.” Not only are they destined to become mementos, but they’ll be the “life of the party,” as well-wishers clamor for a choice spot to dash off a witty or heartfelt message.”

I stitched the Friendship Memories top and the bottom pineapple design and my good friend Beryl Lawson did the finishing work. The finished piece was presented to our good friends, Don and Elinor Fankhauser as they were leaving the area.

 

Detail on lower Pineapple Design.

Detail on lower Pineapple Design.

 

Home Sweet Away From Home Sampler

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Home Sweet Away From Home Sampler

Home Sweet Away From Home Sampler

I first stitched this sampler when Jim and I were traveling in our 21′ Sunline travel trailer. It hung in the trailer during all of our travels. When Jim’s daughter, Martha, and her husband, Paul, started using an old family farmhouse as a summer retreat, I thought this would make a nice gift. So I pulled our the chart again and made it for them as a Christmas gift (2007.)

The sampler is worked on 14 court khaki Aida and finished with red bell pull hardware.

NOTE: This pattern appeared in the April/May 1991 issue of Cross-Stitch Quick & Easy magazine. I am not sure if the magazine is still being published or not. I have had several people contact me about this pattern which I was finally able to locate again so please feel free to get back to me.

Narcissus and Myrtle Counted Cross Stitch

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Narcissus and Myrtle by Ginger & Spice

Picture of Narcissus and Myrtle Counted Cross Stitch.

Narcissus and Myrtle

Some time ago, I started on a beautiful floral piece from Ginger & Spice. It is called Narcissus and Myrtle and I am stitching it on white 28 ct Jobelen over 2 threads. It is coming along slowly as I have also been working on two baby samplers and a wedding sampler that need to get finished.

Baby Sampler Counted Cross Stitch

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Counted Cross Stitch Baby Sampler.

My niece, a brand new doctor, had her first baby in June, a little boy. This was stitched for him. I finally got it stretched, matted, and framed and will be delivering it over the Thanksgiving holiday.

It was stitched on 28 count cream Jobelan, one of my favorite fabrics to work on. The chart is one of the Heirloom Samplers from Vera K. Designs.

UPDATE: Delivered the baby sampler to my niece and her husband on Thanksgiving Day. They loved it.

NOTE: As of December 2008, I have not been able to locate anyone who still has this chart available and I have already given away my copy of it.

Why God Made Little Boys

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Photograph of Cross Stitch Why God Made Little Boys. This design “Why God Made Little Boys” from the Stoney Creek Collection was stitched for my grandson, Travis Lee Martin and given to him in 1990. The design is still available but it has changed considerably from this original one.

Why God Made Little Boys
Author: Unknown

God made the world out of His dreams
Of magic mountains, oceans and streams,
Prairies and plains and wooded land,
Then paused and thought “I need someone
to stand On top of mountains,
to conquer the seas, Explore the plains
and climb the trees. Someone to start out small
and to grow, Sturdy, strong as a tree…”
And so, He created boys,
full of spirit and fun, To explore and conquer, to romp and run.
With dirty faces and banged up chins,
With courteous hearts and boyish grins.
When He had completed the task He’d begun
He surely said “A job well done”.

Childhood Dreams – Little Girl’s Purses

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Photograph of Little Girl's Purses Counted Cross Stitch.Little girls’ purses hold magical things,
Cookies, paper dolls, and “diamond” rings.
But this treasure is nothing to the magic one finds
In little girls hearts and little girls minds.

This piece was stitched on white 14 count Aida and framed in a fire engine red frame. It was a gift to my brother and his family in May 1985. The colors are much more vibrant that what the picture shows.