Hands Across the Sea Samplers (H.A.T.S) are pleased to present a new release "Elizabeth Furniss 1836". There are lots to enjoy with this striking girl: Adam & Eve with a wonderful apple tree, a red house, a crazy patchwork pasture packed full of animals and just look at the funky striped geese !!!

Elizabeth has been brought to you in collaboration with Bhooma Aravamudan​  who stitched the model. At the very core of H.A.T.S is a team of needleworkers who are passionate about antique samplers and being able share those samplers with you.

For more information and to purchase the sampler please visit https://hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/product/elizabeth-furniss-1836/

A Private Viewing of the Feller Collection

This summer the world-renowned needlework collectors, Micheál and Elizabeth Feller, will by appointment be opening their idyllic Cotswold manor house to welcome lovers of fine needlework and samplers  to view their private, world-class collection of needlework.

Over several decades, Micheál and Elizabeth Feller have lovingly brought together and restored many fine pieces of needlework which are featured in The Feller Needlework Collection Volume 1 and 2.

Last year we were privileged to visit their fabulous home. Micheál and Elizabeth Feller were our guides and they spoke at length with great knowledge and passion about their collection. Their hospitality was second to none.

The visit was such an amazing experience that it was unanimously voted by all to repeat the visit again this year.

Nicola and Jo have been in contact with the Fellers's representative and a date has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 6th 2016. The cost will be the same as last year - £30 per person to include a two hour tour and a buffet lunch at the Manor House (last year it was a two course feast). If there are sufficient numbers there will be a morning tour and an afternoon tour with the two tour parties crossing over to meet and chat over lunch.

Numbers are limited and will be on a first come first served basis. Payment will need to be made in full at the time of booking your place and is non-refundable unless your place can be re-booked. Husbands/partners are welcome.

To book your place please forward payment via paypal to nicola.parkman@gmail.com. If paypal make a charge then you must cover this yourself as £30 is the actually cost of the tour and lunch. In the message box on paypal please indicate your preference for a morning or afternoon tour and a contact email address. We will try and accommodate everyone's preference but this cannot be guaranteed.

Last year  stitchers flew in from the US and Europe and several of us met up the evening before for dinner. We hope to organise another dinner again at a hotel nearby.

Due to security reasons we cannot give out the precise location of the Feller's home on the internet but at this time and for your travel plans we can say that it is in the Cotswolds.

The grounds of the Manor house are delightful and you will be able enjoy a stroll through the gardens.

We look forward to sharing this rare experience with you.

Susanna Millne 1843 - Hands Across the Sea Samplers

Hands Across the Sea Samplers would like to introduce you to their second release Susanna Millne 1843. 

Reproduced and stitched by Sandra on Lakeside Linen in Buttercream with AVAS in a beautiful palette of 11 shades (DMC conversion provided)  this delightful sampler is suitable for all levels. 

It is mostly cross stitch over 2 (even the verse!) with a small amount of  straight satin stitching. Thus making it an ideal project for introducing satin stitch to your repertoire.

For further details including historical information on Susanna herself together with lots of close up photos of her gorgeous motifs please visit our website.

https://hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/product/susanna-millne-1843/

The New Necessaire Floor Stand from Needle Needs the makers of the Millennium Frame

Hands Across the Sea Samplers were very excited this week to take delivery of the new Necessaire floor stand from Needle Needs. It is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G !!!

 

We didn’t’ think the original stand could be improved on but Needle Needs have managed the impossible.

 

The stand weighs in at just over 3 kilos / 6 lbs so is easy to move around and carry yet is is solid and stable to work on.

 

The new stand can be extended a full two inches higher than the original stand and you have complete control over the angle you work at.

 

Check out our video for further information on assembling the stand, using the stand with the Millennium Frame and FAQs.

- See more at: https://hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com/1009-2/#sthash.VXickFCC.dpuf

Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791 - A New Reproduction Sampler

Miss Mary Ann Bournes 1791 from Hands Across the Sea Samplers

I have some exciting news to share with my stitching friends.

Sandra of Sampler Lovers Blog and I have joined forces and formed a new design studio reproducing fine antique needlework - Hands Across the Sea Samplers.

Please visit our website hands-across-the-sea-samplers.com to find our more information about our studio and full information on our first release. There are lots of close up photos for you to enjoy together with some free downloads and useful tools.

Mary Ann is a stunner - besides some small areas of satin stitch and a handful of eyelets the sampler is worked in cross stitch over 2 threads with Mary Ann's name in cross stitch over 1 thread.

Mary Ann's beautiful sampler is her legacy to us and we hope you enjoy stitching her as much as we enjoyed reproducing her.

Here is an introductory video to enjoy.

Vintage Bouquet

I have been working on another quilt Vintage Bouquet by Jo Colwill of The Cowslip Workshops , the pattern is from her new book.

I was anxious to complete the second border in was the most complicated I have done to date  on joining up the corners. 

Now for the large third border which has oodles of appliqué.

Another weekend has been and gone. We were eagerly awaiting this last one as The National Youth Choir were performing at Truro Cathedral as part of their SummerFest 2015.

The programme started with Ave Regina Caelorum from Mexico, then we journeyed to Brazil, Canada, Haiti, Uruguay, Times Square, Appalachians, then home to the west country and folk songs from Dorset, Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

A very enjoyable evening with a choir performing at the highest standard plus we had brilliant seats, we were even in front of the Mayor and Mayoress!!

We had company today as Kian joined us. Truro was buzzing with a local produce market. 

At this time of year the flower displays were at their best and it was a pleasure to wander the cobbled streets in the sunshine.

We had a pre-performance dinner at our favourite Truro restaurant. Kian at 14 was too young to sample the champagne bar but still enjoyed the setting and the food.

Ray had me in stitches yesterday morning.

He was washing his balls and cleaning his golf shoes in my breakfast room. If you look closely you will see that Poppy is holding onto her ball just in case Daddy washes that too .

Faded Roses

Faded Roses from Jo Colwill's (The Cowslip) book Cushions and Quilts. At 72" square it took a while to quilt.

I am pleased how it came out though.

I had a very special visitor this week, one of my dearest friends, there have been several occasions in the last eighteen months when I never thought she would be here to visit Trewoon again.

DAY THREE OF KIAN'S QUILT

This week's session with Kian was today.

He cut and attached the four borders around the central patchwork panel.

We focused on how to achieve perfect seams with pattern matching on the joins and making sure our corners were at right angles.

Kian picked this up quickly, he does well in Mathematics at school and he put his geometry to good use.

He finished the quilt top and put his quilt sandwich together with supervision from Poppy and Blue.

We even had time to digitize a pattern of some dog paws and start the quilting.

We will be having a two week break now as Kian is away followed by me being away.

The weekend saw a visit from the family and we spent Saturday morning in The Craft Box in Helston.

The boys made treasure chests.

Theo also painted a mug and Rhys a lighthouse.

 It was home for lunch then a stroll through the garden onto the beach. It was a glorious day.

Ray participated in the warm up exercises !!!

Time to go home.

We then enjoyed an evening meal at The Halsezephron Inn at Gunwalloe. They will be doing some filming in September at Gunwalloe for Poldark.

The next morning we were off to Crealy Park for some fun.

Slightly wet !!!

Drying off in a hot air machine

Nana "I feel sick". Rhys "Good, I will spin us faster" Nana "ooooooeeeee"

Always wanted to try a zip wire

The end of the weekend saw two very tired but extremely happy grandparents.