A sampler design by Craftwise.

A charming alphabet with a traditional strawberry border. Dated 1873, with the initials of the stitcher EE.

Size: 7 x 8 ins (18 x 20 cm)

A simple and charming alphabet sampler dated 1873. The presence of both J and U in the alphabet confirm this late Victorian date, because these letters were usually omitted from earlier samplers. The original was in coloured wool on open double weave canvas. The fruits in the border resemble cherries but are more likely simplified versions of strawberries which were very commonly used in sampler borders. The fruits use two slightly different red wools. This does not appear to be the effect of differential fading, since the same two colours are used in the main part of the sampler and so we have reproduced this in the kit. It may be an attempt to produce some natural-looking variation in the fruit or it may simply be the result of  insufficient quantities of either thread.

Here the original piece is pictured below the adapted piece for stitching.