It was difficult to stitch because, and apologies to Jane Greenhow, the instructions and charts were terrible. The reproduction of the charts was really poor too and at times it was impossible, even on this original chart, to distinguish one symbol from another.
It was a kit, by the way.
So - moaning over - this is The Strawberry Sampler Book.
It is stitched on double pages which are hemmed and then the double pages are stitched together to hide the 'workings'.
It really is a sampler book, with various embroidery techniques, making it interesting and challenging to stitch. It has pattern darning, hardanger, pulled stitches, blackwork and has ribbons and beads as embellishments. I bought separately the tiny scrimshaw strawberry to use as a bookmark.
I think the pages speak for themselves.
So here there are, chattering away.
So, stating the obvious, the book closed, tied with a ribbon bow.
The index page.
Bullion stitches!!
Two colours of linen were used in the book, as you can see here.
Darning.
I know, you can't hear what the pages are saying for the noise I'm making!
More darning.
And hardanger.
With red silk behind so that the finely wrought stitches show.
Oh, alright, not finely wrought, but they're not bad. They've got those birds eye fillings and everything.
Pulled stitches. These were new to me and enjoyable.
Beaded strawberry flower.
Are these pulled stitches too?
I think they might be. With beads and ribbons - to embellish!
And to finish - blackwork.
The front and back of the book.
So that's it.
It's nice isn't it?
My friend Anne stitched this at the same time, and to be honest, she was the pioneer. She worked it all out, page by page, in spite of the appalling instructions, and I just copied. If she hadn't, it would be languishing in the UFO drawer.
But hey, now it sits on my dresser and I take the praise.
Thanks for ploughing through, (plowing through?). If you can think of something to say, please do and I'll make sure these darn pages shut up long enough for me to hear it.
Lots of love,
Irene xxx
OK. So I've published the blog and the photos are not showing the full two pages which is, to put it mildly, a bother. I've had a fiddle and now the last picture is tiny and you still can't see the two pages. My life is fraught.
EDIT. My super friend Anne has pointed out two things in her comment. On the picture which says 'Strawberry Fields' they are drawn thread, not pulled stitches. You cut the thread and weave it back through at the side to hide it. We did panic!
Also, if you CLICK on the pictures you can see the whole thing.
Thank you. Xxx
