CHART PACK: 8 color pages
Julia Waterloo 1904 Reproduction Sampler
REPRODUCTION SAMPLER PATTERN, BY Couleur Tourterelle
This small school marquette is part of the private collection of Meriem Chauvet of Couleur Tourterelle. It was stitched in 1904, by a pupil of the school of La Bassée, in northern France, close to border of Belgium.
What is striking about this sampler is that the order of the letters is quite unusual, starting with letters: I L F C H T
There is a pefectly logical reason for this, it was to help learn and memorize those stitched letters. Letters were taught by type, first straight letters, then rounded letters (O P Q B R), and diagonal letters (K A, V, W, X, Y, Z). Similar letters were tuaght in pairs(U and J, M and N).
The first alphabet is a variation linenmaid's alphabet, a template of stitched letters, passed on from generation to generation and used to mark household linen. This practice of "marking linen" with ones initials for the sake of identifying each piece, was still in vogue at the dawn of the 20th century in France and vintage tea towel and bed sheets can still be found marked in faded red with the owner's miniature initials.
The 2nd alphabet in cursive letters comes in alphabetical order though, and is followed by the signature of the young schoolgirl. The lower part features repetitive border patterns, as well as a bloc of Smyrna stitch.
The cross stitch chart created by Meriem Chauvet for Couleur Tourterelle is a faithful reproduction of the original sampler, but miniaturized. The reproduction, embroidered on 40 ct measures 6 x 5 1/2 inch (15 x 14 cm), while the original embroidery (see photo comparing the two works side by side and original sampler last photo) was worked on canvas and measures 11 1/2 x 10 1/4 (29 x 26 cm) . While the original pattern is a red monochrome, the reproduction is blue, but you could stitch it in the color of your choice, why not in a variegated tone, such as DMC 115 red or DMC 53 blue.
Original Sampler worked in cotton on canvas. Reproduction Sampler stitched using Soie d’Alger silk from Au Ver à Soie, with cross stitches worked over 2 fabric threads.
A cross stitch pattern by Couleur Tourterelle
Chart info & Needlework supplies for the pattern:
Julia Waterloo 1904 Reproduction Sampler
Chart size in stitches: 120 x 112 (wide x high)
Needlework fabric: 16ct Zweigart Newcastle linen, (101)
Stitches: cross stitch, Smyrna stitch
Chart: Color and B&W
Threads: Soie d'Alger silk from Au Ver à soie (AVAS) or DMC
Number of colors: 1
Themes: Northern France, early 20th century, practice sampler, school, red monochrome, linenmaid's alphabet, smyrna stitch
