We're still rockin' ~ how's your voice doin'?

Hands Across The Sea Samplers

Ann Gardner 1723 Sampler - Little miss Ann doesn't specify her age on this sampler, but based on her random misspellings, we think she was quite young. I love that she had so many birds scattered all around the border!

A. Thomas 1882 Sampler - What a brightly colored fun sampler. Generally, samplers from this time featuring exotic animals indicate that either the stitcher or the teacher had travelled to someplace exotic. But as this sampler is Welsh, it is believed that the elephants are based on several circuses that travelled thru the area at that time!

Eliza Rule Sampler - Very little is known about Eliza, but she certainly had a good eye for symmetry, color & detail. I ADORE that border.

Sarah Howarth 1835 Sampler - This sampler, bordered with strawberries, features 2 carnations, a rose & 2 anemones. Flowers, particularly during the Victorian Era, carried very specific meanings & it's very interesting to read about them. If you are interested in that, there is a book called "The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh that is probably my favorite book of all time. Also, if you want more info about these particular flowers, check out the Hands Across the Sea website to read about anemones & the different colors of carnations.

Just Stitching Along

Mary Dickinson 1842 - Featuring a traditional border, but maybe not so traditional ~ I like how it's fat on the sides & skinny on the top & bottom. Wonderful traditional sampler colors & motifs.

Mary Barker 1834 - Those birds look like they could do some damage! I love the colors in this one.

E Dalton 1847 - This design was adapted from a piece of woolwork & originally stitched on perf paper. I love the one that's finished on the wood plaque.

MOUNTAIN AIRE HAND DYED FABRICS

This is a new fabric company to us, and we are looking forward to seeing all these fun hand-dyed colors! They come in 14, 16 & 18ct aida (both regular & opalescent), 28ct & 32ct Jobelan, 28 & 32ct Lugana (both regular & opalescent), and 28, 32, 36 & 40ct linens (both regular & opalescent).

Egyptian Sands - Neutral light browns with highlights.

Dreams of Spring - Soft lilac shade.

Arctic Ice - blend of blue with turquoise highlights.

Whispering Summer Sky - blend of soft blue & misty grey.

Earth n Sky - blend of blues & browns.

Woodland Halloween - blend of black with orange highlights.

Woodland Moss - blends of greens with black highlights.

Earth Fog - blend of browns & misty grey.

Well, it's Friday night & we would, in a perfect world, be heading back to our hotel and settle in for a long night of updating you with delightful new treats! But, life happens and in the grand scheme of things, this is not a big deal. And let me say again, the amazing messages from y'all confirm to us that you "get it". YOU are the rock stars!

Today, Molly & I worked "off-site" & got so much work done! Big shout out to the Chester County Library ~ WOW! It has so many stacks of books that, at one point, I was walking back to our table (which was about halfway down the length of the library), I found myself all the way at the other end...because I was completely entranced looking at the books! The temptation was strong, my friends.

Fortunately, we had fortified ourselves with appropriate market items to get us in the correct mindset.

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Yep. Once a Girl Scout, Always Prepared!

I've now given a quick tour of each floor, but don't for a minute think you've seen everything! Tomorrow starts our random, "check out all the things you haven't yet seen" newsletters! And there is SO MUCH MORE! For now though, I'm going to go snuggle up with my favorite pup ~ that is one of the few positives of being home this weekend.

Hugs & stitches ~

Beth, Molly & all the rock stars in the TSS Family