Birthday Giveaway!!

It is my birthday at the end of next week, and I thought it would be nice to have a giveaway here on my blog to celebrate; to say thank you to everyone for reading my ramblings through this year and for taking the time to leave such lovely comments.

I am offering a Scarlet Letter chart of the fabulous Mary Hurst 1661 Sampler and a skein of Petite Treasure Braid to use for the metallic highlights. The SL charts are really well produced with a large good quality chart and detailed instructions for each of the sections. This is a photo of my chart but the draw will be for an original unopened chart.

The original sampler is held here in England in The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. This is the description from their website 'Band sampler, linen (yellowish), embroidered with linen, polychrome silks and silver metal threads in buttonhole, chain, cross, double running, plaited braid, satin and trellis stitch. The sampler comprises 16 horizontal bands which depict alphabets, 'boxers', repeat border patterns, flowering plants, a girl holding flowers, a crowned woman and the inscription which reads 'MARY HURST '.

There is a fabulous whitework section at the top which is actually worked in a pale blue

and lots of fun details in each of the bands

If you have ever wanted to stitch an heirloom sampler like this but have put it off, then now is the perfect time to start! Nicola is organising a stitch a long of this sampler starting in mid - January over on the 'Our Scarlet Letter Years' Blog she has very generously started providing tutorials for some of the more unusual stitches, and there will be lots of help available on both the blog and the FB page from more experienced stitchers and from members of the group who have already completed their versions of Mary. 

I will be stitching in silks probably on antique white linen, it will look just as stunning stitched in DMC threads on any pale linen.

Reminder the draw is for an original unopened chart of the Mary Hurst Sampler and a skein of Petite Treasure Braid. To be in with a chance of winning, leave a comment below - please make sure you are not a no-reply blogger! I am happy to post world wide. When he has finished guarding fabrics Jasper will help with the draw at the end of next week. Good Luck!