My second start for January, also started on January 1, is Martha Walmsley by Hands Across the Sea Samplers.
This chart is so pretty and unlike anything I’ve ever stitched. I’m not real sure I’ll ever finish it but it’s a chart I’ll probably work on . . along with other charts and hopefully some day finish it.
This was at least two hours of work, though that included keeping two dogs out of trouble and watching football. It really is so, so pretty and I’ll be happy if I ever get it finished. Something to look forward to, right?
Tracy says
_This is so pretty, I’ll be watching for your progress over the next year. Do you ever wonder if the original maker/sewist used a chart? I can imagine some sort of chart, or guide line, but certainly not the color and gridded ones we have today. Was there even graph(ed) paper in 1847?
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I’ve thought about that. For sure they didn’t have great lighting and even though they may have used a lower count fabric, I can’t imagine working on ALL those colors with not so great lighting. Even children had chores then. You can imagine how much work most of the older girls and young moms had to get done and they still appear to have done it all. Not having the internet had to give them way more time but still . . it amazes me all they got done.
Marie L. says
I have seen paintings of women using these oval shaped water bottles for magnification for their sewing. The bottle with the water is on a table and the woman sewing is holding her stitching on the opposite side of the bottle and she is looking through the water in the bottle to magnify her stitches. You can sometimes see how water magnifies if you have water in the right shape of glass.
judy.blog@gmail.com says
I hope I never have to use that technique but it’s nice to have options.