CHART PACK: 10 color pages
B Brard 1893 Reproduction Sampler
REPRODUCTION SAMPLER PATTERN, BY Couleur Tourterelle
This late 19th century French sampler is part of the private collection of Meriem Chauvet of Couleur Tourterelle.
The word "souvenir", in a pretty two-tone slightly Art Nouveau lettering, is in central position, however there isn't the slightest clue to what it refers to. Probably the stitcher simply picked the letter motif in one of the pattern booklets that were starting to be widely available at the time, just in the same way she chose the beautiful central bird, and the small animal patterns to compose her sampler.
The "Brard B" signature is a little formal, with the inversion of the embroiderer's surname (Brard) and first name's initial, B, for Berthe or Bernadette maybe? Samplers would normally be signed the other way round, so it could possibly hint to a sampler made at school. In any case, it is probably not the stitcher's first piece of needlework and she had probably practiced stitching letters in earlier works.
Our stitcher worked using woolen yarn on canvas (see photo comparing the two works side by side and original sampler last photo). After completing the motifs, she juggled somewhat with the colors of the remaining yarn to finish the border, with one side in a different color scheme from the others. The border has a modern simplicity, with ribbon-like bands of color side by side.
The original sampler is square and measures 12.6 x 12.6 inch (32 x 32 cm).
The cross stitch chart created by Meriem Chauvet for Couleur Tourterelle is a faithful reproduction of the original sampler. Stitched on 40ct linen, it measures 7.9 x 7.7 inch (20 x 19.5cm). It is worked in regular cross stitch, over 2 fabric threads. You could alternatively stitch it over a single fabric thread or on Aida fabric, as there are only regular cross stitches.
A cross stitch pattern by Couleur Tourterelle.
Chart info & Needlework supplies for the pattern:
B Brard 1893 Reproduction Sampler
Chart size in stitches: 160 x 154 (wide x high)
Needlework fabric: 16ct Zweigart Newcastle linen, platinum (770)
Stitches: cross stitch,
Chart: Color and B&W, Color, includes one-page chart for Digital stitching
Threads: Soie d'Alger silk from Au Ver à soie (AVAS) or DMC
Number of colors: 16
Themes: France, late 19th century, bird, dog, rabbit, "souvenir", remembranc
