Catherine Elizabeth Buchanan 1798

Description

Catherine Buchanan was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, in 1786. She made, possibly, her first sampler- a simple alphabetic, numeric piece with verses- in 1796 when she was ten years old, and stitched this masterpiece two years later when she was twelve. Both sampler graphs are included in this booklet so that you can follow a girl’s progress through her needlework tutorials. The kit contains materials for only the 1798 sampler, but both charts are printed in full color.

The elaborate scene in the lower half of her later sampler is unprecedented. A suitor proffers a bouquet of flowers to his lady who stands demurely behind a Dutch door at the entrance to a red brick cottage. He appears to be standing on a bridge across a body of water where ducks and swans are swimming. In the background is a small island with a village, and a prominent church perched above the shore, with a sailing ship coming in to harbor. A very enthusiastic Brother Sun spreads bright clouds his way. The first verse reads:

From all that dwell below the skies
Let the Creator’s Praise arise
Let the Redeemer’s Name be sung
Thro every land and by every Tongue
Eternal are thy Miracles, Lord
Eternal Truth attends thy Word
Thy Praise shall sound from Shore to Shore
Till Suns shall rise and set no more

The verse to the right of the suitor is lovely, and reads:

Yonder comes the Powerful King of day
Rejoicing in the east
Together let us tread
The morning dews, and gather
in their prime: Fresh blooming
flowers.

Stitches used include cross over two and over one thread of linen, counted satin, back stitch, French knots, straight, and stem and satin filling. On 35 count linen the finished sampler will measure approximately 13-1/4″ x 17-1/4″, almost exactly the size of the original. The sampler is recommended for intermediate to advanced needle workers. Remember, two charts printed in full color are included in each booklet.

View the original antique sampler here