CHART PACK: 12 color pages
BRS 1883 Reproduction Sampler* (adapted)
REPRODUCTION SAMPLER PATTERN, BY Couleur Tourterelle
When Meriem Chauvet of Couleur Tourterelle spotted this Cavalier King Charles spaniel (1), she decided it had to become part of her personal collection. It is always fascinating to discover the amount of research carried out by the author and the story she shares with us. Why this dog in particular? Why it is most probably of Dutch origin? Read the explanations provided with the chart including comparisons with other historical samplers.
(1) a favorite pet of the English aristocracy, this dog is named after King Charles II
*While this sampler strictly reproduces every stitch and matches the colors of main motifs of the original sampler (see photo comparing the two works side by side and original sampler, last photo), the author insists it is not strictly speaking a reproduction sampler. Indeed considering there are huge irregularities in the grid motif used for the border, errors which a stitcher would be at pain to reproduce without adding more of her own, the author decided to simplify the grid by making lines linear, albeit maintaining the irregular spacing of the original.
While dated 1883, the sampler is only signed with the stitcher's inititials, BRS. She did however put some emphasis on these letters since they are worked in Algerian eyelet stich, double the size of a regular cross stitch.
Practiced as a counted stitch, Eyelet stitches consist of many legs converging into a central hole, with the hole made larger if the thread is pulled. The bigger the size, the more legs converge towards the center hole. Eyelets come in many shapes and variations.
The Algerian eyelet stitch's specificity is that it consists of 8 legs, combining a + and an x, with a hole in the center where they meet.
Original Sampler (last photo) worked in cross stitch, using woolen yarn on canvas. It measures 18 x 17.7 inch (46 x 45 cm).
Reproduction Sampler stitched using DMC floss (or Soie d’Alger silk from Au Ver à Soie), in two options:
- with cross stitches worked over 1 fabric thread on 32ct linen. It measures 6.3 x 5.8 inch - 16 x 14.5 cm.
- with cross stitches worked over 2 fabric threads on 40ct linen. It measures 10 x 9.2 inch - 25 x 23 cm.
A cross stitch pattern by Couleur Tourterelle.
Chart info & Needlework supplies for the pattern:
BRS 1883 Reproduction Sampler
Chart size in stitches: 202 x 184 (wide x high)
Needlework fabric: 32 ct Belfast linen by Zweigart / col 52 (or 40ct 32 ct Newcastle if cross stitched over 2)
Stitches: cross stitch, Algerian eyelet stitch
Chart: Color and B&W, includes one-page chart for Digital stitching
Threads: DMC (or Soie d'Alger silk from Au Ver à soie -AVAS)
Number of colors: 19
Themes: Dutch, 19th century, dog, pet, cavalier King Charles spaniel
