Favoured Shades : A Mystery Sampler
Towards the end of 2012 and most of the 2013 year,
hundreds of ladies throughout New Zealand participated in
“The Mystery Sampler” project -
that is, working a needlework sampler without knowing
what the finished piece of needlework would look like.
And this not knowing was the appeal.
Over a period of six months each participant
would receive a section of the sampler -
usually about five to six bands of different stitches.
hundreds of ladies throughout New Zealand participated in
“The Mystery Sampler” project -
that is, working a needlework sampler without knowing
what the finished piece of needlework would look like.
And this not knowing was the appeal.
Over a period of six months each participant
would receive a section of the sampler -
usually about five to six bands of different stitches.
This is my completed sampler -
All the ‘girls’ that met at my home
once a month were involved
with this project and loved it
- so much so that when
it was finished they missed
the excitement and enthusiasm
of seeing everyones progress
on their samplers
and so at the end of 2013
the decision was made
that in 2014
we would all participate
in another such project
using a sampler
I had originally designed
and stitched for myself in 2006
- the project beginning
on the 1st of April.
All the ‘girls’ that met at my home
once a month were involved
with this project and loved it
- so much so that when
it was finished they missed
the excitement and enthusiasm
of seeing everyones progress
on their samplers
and so at the end of 2013
the decision was made
that in 2014
we would all participate
in another such project
using a sampler
I had originally designed
and stitched for myself in 2006
- the project beginning
on the 1st of April.
My original sampler stitched in 2006 -
This sampler was also a little different
from most needlework designs in that no colours were given.
Instead, the needleworker had to choose their own colours -
The complete instructions for this design
are now available for purchase -
Of course, at the time
I stitched this piece in 2006
I never wrote any instructions
for working it
(as it was never intended
for anyone else)
and my working charts
were only roughly hand-drawn.
Definitely not suitable for others
to work from.
Thus, in January 2014
and over the following months
I had to begin writing instructions,
drawing stitch diagrams and
charting the design and to ‘check’
that everything I had written,
drawn and charted was correct,
I had to begin stitching
another piece for myself.
I stitched this piece in 2006
I never wrote any instructions
for working it
(as it was never intended
for anyone else)
and my working charts
were only roughly hand-drawn.
Definitely not suitable for others
to work from.
Thus, in January 2014
and over the following months
I had to begin writing instructions,
drawing stitch diagrams and
charting the design and to ‘check’
that everything I had written,
drawn and charted was correct,
I had to begin stitching
another piece for myself.
This time though I chose
a different colour to my original
and chose a 35 count fabric
rather than a 28 count.
a different colour to my original
and chose a 35 count fabric
rather than a 28 count.
We named this project the ‘Favoured Shades Sampler’.
This sampler was also a little different
from most needlework designs in that no colours were given.
Instead, the needleworker had to choose their own colours -
firstly, their favourite colour and then,
secondly, seven tones of that favourite colour
from light through to dark.
secondly, seven tones of that favourite colour
from light through to dark.
I worked a few sample stitches before I began my sampler
to ensure that all the colours worked well together
and they were all to my liking.
to ensure that all the colours worked well together
and they were all to my liking.
So often colours can look so different
when they are stitched
when they are stitched
than they do when they are in a hank.
The beginnings of my second sampler -
Throughout the year from January through to the 1st of September
I was often “hard-pressed” to have the instructions written,
the chart finished and the stitch diagrams drawn
and the stitching of that segment of my sampler worked
before the release date of the first of each new month.
I was often “hard-pressed” to have the instructions written,
the chart finished and the stitch diagrams drawn
and the stitching of that segment of my sampler worked
before the release date of the first of each new month.
This project as a ‘mystery’ has now come to a conclusion
but at the time of the journey over seventy ladies
were participating.
but at the time of the journey over seventy ladies
were participating.
The complete instructions for this design
are now available for purchase -
Favoured Shades : $45.00
That’s all for the moment.
