More of my personal finished samplers.

This is my finished sampler of Maria Dale 1835,
it is a simple sampler with a lovely verse, the graph
of this design is on volume #1 of Sampler and Antique
Needlework magazine, it is all stitched in one color
of thread.

France F. c1820, from Sheepish Antiques, I stitched
this reproduction on a 40 count linen with AVS silks.
I really enjoyed stitching this reproduction sampler and
the colors are lovely. I cannot believe that I stitched
this sampler 1988 wow how time flies.

MARY ANN HUTTON 1801

This is one of my favorite antique reproduction
samplers that I have stitched. I bought it years ago
as a limited signed edition kit from the Scarlet Letter,
I really enjoyed stitching this and it hangs with pride
and joy in my home. It is very rare to find a Christmas
theme antique sampler and the overall design and
verse really attracted me to it.

Pictures of wips of Cathie G. and Theresa B.

Maria S. sent me a scan of The Needlecharmer that her friend Cathie G. is working on. She is stitching it on 32 count Zweigart Vintage linen.

Thank you so much Cathie for your wip picture, it is looking so beautiful and I appreciate your kindness in sharing it with me.

Theresa B sent me her wip photo of Quaker Virtues HONESTY.  Thank you so much for your kindness in sharing your wip with me, it is looking beautiful. I love it when people share their finished or wip pictures of my designs.   I am so blessed. 

SOME MORE PICTURES OF MY PERSONAL STITCHING SAMPLERS

This one is EC 1774, which I stitched a long time ago, I used AVS silks on 40 count linen. All these samplers I stitched them  many years ago, but I wanted to share them with you all a little at a time, since I started stitching 28 years ago and fell in love with mainly samplers. They all hang on my walls in the office and I enjoy seeing what I have stitched through the years when I am working.

This is Elsa Nebel 1907, it is an old sampler that was a gift from a very dear friend. I have been thinking of reproducing it one day.

This is one of the first antique reproduction samplers I stitched from the Scarlet Letter. What attracted me to this sampler was the history that came with it.


Elizabeth Irwin was the mother of Benjamin Harrison, the nation's 23rd president, when she was 14 years old, Elizabeth and her sister Jane aften visited their aunt's home in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was on one of these visits they met their future husbands, the Harrison brothers. Jane Married William Henry Harrison Jr., and was mistress of the White House during her father-in-law's brief presidency (1841). Elizabeth married John Scott Harrison in 1831. They had ten children, including Benjamin, who became President in 1889. Elizabeth never lived to see her son in the White House.
She died in 1850, at age 40, after 19 years of marriage.


I wrote the history of this reproduction and put it in a white envelope and taped it on the back of my sampler, so when whoever gets it, will know why I stitched this simple alphabet sampler and know that is was the history that attracted me to it.  I stitched it on 35 count linen  with three colors of AVS.

This is also a antique reproduction, Lucy Minton 1844,  I stitch this one years ago, but I have forgotten who reproduced it. It has two kind of specialty stitches and it was a joy to stitch, I did mine in 40 count linen with AVS.

This one is a small reproduction sampler from Threads Through Time, Catharine Louisa Chamberlain 1844, it only uses three colors of threads, I did mines in 40 count linen with AVS.

SARAH AND HER DIFFICULT JOURNEY

This is my niece Sarah.  Sarah was diagnosed with a brain tumor called Gliosarcoma.  Because of where it was located it could not be removed, but after many different surgeries and treatments Sarah went into remission at the age of 15.  At the age of 17 she was put on an experimental treatment along with 5 other little girls.  Four of them died and Sarah suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed.  After many years of therapy, Sarah has relearned how to walk with a brace on her leg and her arm is kept in a sling.  Sarah is 25 years old now and is still on therapy and many medications.  She speaks clearly but sometimes she has to stop and think before she can verbalize her thoughts.   She is still on her journey dealing with her cancer.  We thank God everyday that she can live as normal a life as can be expected.

Will Sarah ever be able to live as a normal young woman?  Only God has the answer to that.  But we are blessed that she is doing well for now and helps children in a cancer hospital when she is able to do so.  Our niece is an angel on earth.  She is so brave and strong  that it amazes me what we can learn from her after all she has been through.

I designed this sampler for her when she began this long journey and am so glad that she is still here to enjoy it. Sarah's Journey is a reminder to all of us that life is a journey and how we live it and handle the obstacles makes us the person we are.

Contest Winner

And the winner of The Blessing is:  Wawanna

Congratulations, Wawanna!  Please email Kathy at madstitcherdesigns@gmail.com and give her your mailing information.

Edited to add:  I just got the sweetest email from Wawanna and wanted to share with you what she said:

"Oh my, thank you ever so much. I just recently discovered all your beautiful designs and made a long wish list.  I love the way you glorify the Lord in so many of your designs.   I have been aware of "And they Sinned" for quite a while, but never checked out all your other charts till I found your blog and was blown away! This was at the top of the wish list!  You are so sweet to have conducted the contest.  You know this is the first thing in my life that I have won (and I am 65 years old). WOW! Talk about enjoying the design - I most certainly will!"

Wawanna, I am so glad to hear from you.  Enjoy your stitching and many blessings, Vilma

A new Contest! "THE BLESSING"

Kathy and I have been talking and we decided to do another contest. With our thanksgiving just around the corner we thought it would be the perfect time for this one. This time just post a comment and answer this question. What are you thankful for? Kathy will again draw the winner on November 12th so be sure to post your name and email address with your comments so we can contact you. The winner will receive The Blessing .

MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU ALL AND YOUR FAMILIES ON THIS THANKSGIVING DAY.

We are also still looking for photos of your wips or finished Examplar Dames or Examplars From the Heart designs. So if you have any please send them to me. I would love to share them here on my blog for everyone to see.

Kathy P. MERMAID AND THE SEA

My many thanks to Kathy P. from NY for sharing with
me some pictures of her finished Mermaid And The Sea.

I just love the way she framed it, using three mats, the
top mat has painted fishes in gold, blue and red, birds,
starfish and seaweed. Thank you so much Kathy for sharing
with me your beautiful finish of Mermaid And The Sea,
I also love the delicate gold brass frame she picked. Wow
Kathy, what a work of art you did with framing your finished
piece.

BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

This is Breast Cancer Awareness month and I wanted to share this story with you. This is my daughter-in-law Prudence, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 18. This year she celebrates 15 years as a breast cancer survivor. The photo was taken shortly after the completion of her chemotherapy.  She lives in Houston and every year she participates in the Walk for the Cure. She has been so blessed by God and yes miracles happen.

Prudence is the mother of  two of my grandchildren, Haven and Trinity and they live in Houston. I wish Prudence a wonderful 3 day journey walk, and that God keeps blessing her as a cancer survivor.

As for me I am on my 8th year Kidney cancer remision, I also feel so thankful to God for being there for me and for all his blessing and giving me the strenght to keep moving on, I have so much to feel blessed and thank God every night and morning for blessing my life with a new day, to do what I can do and mostly to appreciate my time with my dear husband, children and grandchildren.