March 11, 2009

The More Things Change, the More they Stay the Same

The picture of "Alphabetissimo" didn't do it justice. I don't know why designers show a computer-generated "illustration" of a sampler instead of a photograph of the stitched sampler. This is way nicer than the illustration. I'm stitching with NPI (bluer than navy in good light, and delft blue) on 32 ct Sterling Picture This Plus.

I've had a craving for blue things lately. This caught my eye some time ago, and I picked it up when I ordered Christinia Cathcart the other day from Homespun Samplar, whose service was, as it always is, superb. It's called "The Elizabeth Welford Sampler," by Handwork Samplers, and it's charted for NPI or DMC in cross stitch and specialty stitches on lambswool linen (I don't like lambswool because it's stiff, so I'll use something else.)

Speaking of which, Craft-i-Leigh, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to answer your question about fabrics. I started out like everyone else, using aida and DMC. That was fine for a while, but I bought a kit that had linen in it. I didn't really want to use the linen, but I didn't want to waste it either, so I took a deep breath and stitched on it and never went back. I'm very finicky about exactly what linen I'll use though, because I really love the plump, soft but substantial linen, and some linens are stiffer and more sheer. I love gentle color, and I don't like to get knocked over by it or have to fight the color with my stitches. I prefer stitching with silk because of the way it feels and its subtle sheen, but nobody beats DMC for color choices. In the end, it comes down to how YOU feel about what you're using. Experiment with small projects and decide.

By the way, I received the desperately needed threads from all sources, so I have a few extra skeins. Thanks for your suggestions: Drema was very nice and didn't disappoint.


Here's something I found really interesting. I found this on 1st Dibs. It was done by Sophia Brook in 1827 in Great Britain. She was 14 at the time. Remember how I was complaining about bland verses? Here's the antidote to bland verse. In case you can't see it well, it says "Wheneere I take my walks abroad how many /poor I see what shall I render to my God for all /his gifts to me not more than others I deserve/ yet God has given me more for I have food /while others starve or beg from door to door" What makes this really interesting is that December 1825 was the first world economic meltdown. The banking system had become increasingly sophisticated and offered easy credit, in those days to finance speculation in urban housing (townhouses) but especially land, which had been bid up by the popularity of cotton. These were boom years; the United States couldn't grow enough cotton, and Great Britain couldn't spin enough to sastisfy demand. The easy credit policy of the banks was made worse by the unregulated activities of the banks. Because of the high price of U.S. cotton, Great Britain began buying it from East India. The resulting drop in cotton prices killed the land market, the prices of which fell 50 to 75%, and the banks found themselves in possession of devalued collateral. Once cotton and land prices fell, the banks froze credit and there was a worldwide depression, the first modern trade cycle of boom to bust [edited to add: not the first bubble, of course, since Tulip Mania occurred in the 1600s. The 1825 crash involved banks, currency, a commodity shortage (gold), bad loans, loose credit and the abandonment of one market and the growth of another--all truly modern]. During that time, a whole lot of criminally sleazy bank deals came to light. In 1827 the U.S. cotton crop failed (lack of rain). (Note: my grasp of history isn't that comprehensive--I researched it when I should have been doing homework. LOL) But isn't it amazing? I feel somehow comforted by it. As for the sampler, for $6500 it could be yours. $6500 buys a heck of a lot of stash...

"I feel comforted by my friend. It's hard to be blue when you have someone to clean your ears and a little historical perspective."

20 comments:

Margaret said...

Stop showing gorgeous samplers! lol! Interesting research you did. I love stuff like that!

RG said...

it's all happened before, hasn't it? Seems like only yesterday we were all dot com a ga ga! wonder what will be next.

Hi Elvis ...

RG said...

Pink's cough ... we have only had one bunny with a cough, and it was something that started when he was very young and was not regular.

I suspect it is good for the vet to check that ... hope it is an easy fix ... everybody got toes and fingers crossed ..

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Pink is sick? Oh, dear. I hope not!

Lovely old sampler. I find history very comforting for the cyclical nature of our human dilemmas. There's very little new under the sun.

Siobhán said...

I totally don't know how I missed your previous post but it was fun to get to read them both & catch up on your news. That's so sad about the people being laid off at your job. I can only imagine how you must feel, like waiting for the other shoe to drop. :(

Love the stitching!! Skating Party looks great on that linen. I love love love the Alpha, Christina & Elizabeth samplers. Beautiful! Interesting research, too, on the verse from that sampler. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Hope Pink is better!

Margie said...

I'm going to have to revisit Alphabetissimo based on how yours is looking. I didn't really look past the pink of the chart.

mainely stitching said...

Very interesting history you've unearthed. I think I'll hold off on any $6500 purchases, though. LOL.

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Thanks for the little history snippet. Hope Peaches is OK.......

Anonymous said...

We love the rabbits!

~the fluffies~

Fez and the Gang said...

I love that alphabet one. You have the neatest most beatiful stitches!

If Pink is COUGHING, that is strange for a rabbit, you better see the vet I think...

-Fez's Mom

YowlYY said...

I hope that it is nothing serious with Peaches...sending healing vibes all the way over the big pond!

Your research is so interesting - it is true that everything comes back in waves (I think it was said by Giambattista Vico, a philosopher who lived in the 17th century), mankind doesn't learn a thing, how sad!

Thanks also for replying to my lamp query - I shall have a look this weekend at "my" department store and see what they have :)

Fez and the Gang said...

Glenna I have heard great things about SEAVS, that will be the vet we use too! We have the check ups coming up actually so we will be taking the trip out there soon as well. Yikes, I would say so that you would want them to trim Elvis! I don't think I would trust my hand around his eyes!

I hope that Peaches is good, and it's something easy! I'm sure they will fix her up!

Fez and the Gang said...

OH and the bunny with the bloody back is named Sprout. He had a huge abscess but got emergency surgery and was saved. You should check out the rest of his story here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGBDdPIeSdA&feature=channel_page

Melissa said...

Thanks for an interesting post, Glenna. I like all the interesting info about the samplers, especially the last one. I thought I could buy the chart but then realized it's not charted - maybe someone will do it?

Your Alphabet is looking great.

Deb Cushman said...

Very interesting. You're right...$6500 would buy a lot of bunny grub!

Michelle said...

Glenna, I will certainly ask Catherine about the Morning Has Broken piece and report back! You're stitching some gorgeous things!!

Anonymous said...

We hope every bunny starts feeling better soon!

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Peaches update, please! I'm worried about her.

Brigitte said...

Your Alphabetissimo looks great in blue. And what an interesting piece of history you found.

Crafty.Curmudgeon said...

What's that saying about those not learning from history are bound to repeat it? Here we go again...