Mary Gail 1788

Description

This unusual embroidery embroidery combines fine silk petit point with a fine wool tent stitch background. It could have been made to commemorate a marriage between the maker’s parents, a sibling, or Mary herself. As such it is a unique example, as samplers were rarely worked to commemorate occasions such as this. The date worked on the piece – 1788 – might be the year in which it was made, or the year in which the betrothal took place. The naive style of the figures suggests an American origin, and it gives the appearance of having been made at an earlier date. The design itself is worked over one thread of linen with silk floss, while the background is filled in with tent stitch using fine Medicis wool. The finished piece, on 25 count linen will be nearly identical in size to the original work.

This sampler is now available with silk or cotton floss. The wool is no longer available, so we have supplied matches in DMC and AVAS soie d’alger with the kit.