Time to pack up this amazing exhibition!
The intention was for this exhibition to be held
over three weekends in November
but the days had to be extended until Christmas
as those ladies who visited at the beginning of the exhibition wanted to tell their friends
and to come again and as news spread,
stitching and church groups also wished to visit.
Thank you. Thank you, to everyone who loaned
their pieces of needlework so that I could create the displays. Without you, this event would not have been possible.
And, thank you too, to everyone who visited.
Without you, the exhibition would not have been
a success.
Some days the house was crowded - other days it was quite quiet.
Prior to this exhibition there has been no charge to visit any exhibitions at the Needlework Gallery but visitors to this exhibition were asked for a donation of $10.00 on their initial visit as proceeds were being passed on to Cranford Hospice in Hastings. Each visitor was given a catalogue on their arrival and this catalogue was valid for all subsequent visits.
$1,250.00 was received and able to be donated to the Hospice. Awesome!
Over ninety - yes, 90 - samplers were on display and the catalogue contained pages and pages of images of many of the samplers with an explanation of the design title, the designer/design company and the name of the person who stitched the sampler and in which room of the house the samplers were displayed - Needlework Gallery : Hall : Front Entrance : Master Bedroom : Guest Bedroom : Third Bedroom : Dining Room : Breakfast Nook : Family Room : Library and the new needlework gallery (under construction).
The most significant samplers on display were the antique samplers. The majority of these amazing samplers (12) were a selection from the awesome collection owned by my friend, Jeanie of Hastings. These samplers dated from 1810 to 1917 and were stitched by young girls aged from seven to fourteen years of age and one by a gentleman.
Here is an image of the complete antique sampler display -
and a few images of the individual samplers -
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| Charlotte ? 1837 ? (Name, age and date difficult to read) |
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| Eliza Drake - London : 1810 |
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| Frank : 1917 (Stitched on perforated paper) Possibly stitched by Frank in France during WW1 and sent to his mum in England |
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| Francis ? : Aged 12 years : Undated Jeanie has graciously given her permission for me to chart the samplers in her collection and to follow is one sampler that has been charted. |
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| Original and reproduced sampler - Helen : 1864 |
Design Code: BARB 2005
Design Title: Helen's Sampler - 1864
Design Price: $22.50
The following sampler will be available soon -
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| Original sampler - S.A. Percival : God Is Love This pattern will provide the chart and instructions for stitching as a sampler to be framed and as an ornamental.  all pieces featuring needlework designs/patterns. China pieces were by the following companies - Royal Albert : Bovey Pottery Company : H & K : Masons : Royal Doulton : Royal Winton : L & Sons Ltd Thank you Jeanie for allowing us to enjoy these amazing pieces of needleart created so many years ago and to see so many needlework patterned pieces of china. Sincerely appreciated.
Apart from appreciating the beauty of these samplers and china, I was able to be thankful for my Heavenly Father's protection as only a couple of days after setting up the display, the devastating earthquake that so badly affected the South Island was experienced here in the Hawkes Bay. Doors and windows rattled, iron window weights in the window frames clanged, hanging ceiling lights swung wildly, closed drawers opened, open doors shut, etc. - but NOT ONE antique sampler fell from the wall or its easel and NOT ONE piece of china fell over or was broken! God is Good !!
Another antique sampler on display was kindly loaned by Margot of Hastings.
Mary Ann Crozier
Aged Seven Years
17 May 1823
Of this sampler, Margot says -
"My mother purchased this sampler during her first holiday without parents in Ireland (pre WW2). Mary Anne has no connection to our family but mother had a good eye for lovely things and this sampler is something that I really treasure".
Margot has also graciously given permission for me to publish this sampler.
To date it is charted and the thread colours have been chosen but as yet I have not stitched a model of it. I hope to do this very soon.
In addition to details of the samplers and their makers, the catalogue contained information about the four different Mystery Samplers that were on display and had been stitched in the previous three years and the one currently in progress.
The significant features for all mystery sampler were -
To follow are more particulars and images of some of the Mystery Samplers on display.
Favoured Shades Sampler (2014): In addition to the features listed above, this design
was to be worked with seven shades of one colour - the stitcher's favourite colour -
and two complementary Perle cotton threads.
Two versions - the original (on the left). The burgundy one stitched on a finer count fabric -
 
Joy - Havelock North
Linda - Christchurch (on the left) & Robyn - Hastings
Pam - Otane
Marilyn - Taradale
Ruth - Taradale
Sharon - Napier
Maryann - Waipawa
Elisabeth - Napier (on the left) & Janet - Hastings
Annette - Hastings
A Sampler of Stitches (2013): In addition to the features listed above,
this design was to be worked with one variegated thread
and five solid dyed complementary coloured threads
and two complementary Perle cotton threads.
Elisabeth - Napier
I love the verse that Elisabeth added to her sampler -
'The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary'
Don't you love it too ?!!
Linda - Christchurch
Marilyn - Taradale
Maree - Auckland
Framed Pieces :
Joy - Havelock North (Back)
Maryann - Waipawa (Front)
Bellpull : Dorothy - Waikanae
Well - it seems that I cannot finish my blog as drafted
as Blogger will not upload any more images.
And so ... this blog to be continued .......
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