Smith Sampler SAL

The Smith Sampler by The Scarlett House starts February 1. If I’m correct, that’s this coming Wednesday. There are several of us going to stitch this. Ready? I am. This is a chart I’ve wanted to stitch for so long and I’m excited to be stitching it.

Yesterday I cut the chunk of fabric I’ll need out of a larger piece. That meant calculating and measuring twice and pulling a thread to get it straight. I do not enjoy pulling a thread and it takes a while – but it’s so necessary.

See the puppy? He’s almost always there . . unless Vince is sitting in his chair next to me and then Oscar has been moving over to sit with him.

Can you see the little green thread marker above the floss on the right? That’s the starting point I’ve marked.

This is a kit I ordered not long after I first started stitching. It has all the called for silk floss. I’ve never used Dinky Dyes and maybe only once have I used Gloriana and Belle Soie. There has to be a better way to get these to a usable point for using. If I had opened up these skeins earlier and played around with them, I would have ordered Vikki Clayton’s silks. What a difference!

In the end, it will be beautiful. I’ve seen pictures of many Smith Samplers that were stitched using called for floss and they are just gorgeous so . . it will be worth the trouble.

NOTE: I’m pretty sure this is a chart I’ve heard other stitchers say that we need to pay close attention to the stitches in the border. Don’t get too comfortable with the border motifs repeating exactly because there’s some point where the numbers change. I’m not 100% sure but I think it’s near the middle top. Just count the stitches in the borders before stitching each motif.