I'd rather be stitchin': Sampler September - ABC Sampler

5 Sept 2024

Sampler September - ABC Sampler – Nicola Parkman

We are five days into September and although I don’t consider myself a sample stitcher, it’s ‘Sampler September’ and I suppose it would be rude not to work on one this month.

I’m not starting anything new for this though, instead I decided to work on the ABC Sampler from Nicolas Parkman’s Academy of Needlework on-line tutorials.

I had previously completed the first two lessons, which were all about Cross Stitch and Running Stitch.

Over the last few days I picked it up again and completed the next four lessons.

Lesson 3 was about the Herringbone Stitch and all it’s variations, including Closed Herringbone, Double Back Stitched Herringbone, Double herringbone, alternating Double Back Stitch, Chevron Stitch, Greek Stitch and Long Arm Cross Stitch.

In lesson 4 we looked at the very simple ‘Sewing Stitch, as well as Goblin Stitch and Tent Stitch. (also known as Petite Point or Continental Stitch)

Lesson 5 was a I stitch I remember working as a child, Blanket Stitch, and how this is also used for Buttonhole Stitch, Open Buttonhole Stitch, Crossed Buttonhole Stitch, Tailor’s Buttonhole Stitch and Detached Buttonhole Stitch.

And lastly I caught up with lesson 6 and that was Chain Stitch, another stitch from my childhood.

There are three rows worked on the sampler.

The first row was worked the way I had been taught to do it, by bringing the needle up through the previous loop and going back down in the same place. Well, I don’t know if it was because the silk thread I was stitching with was too thick, but my stitches, worked over two threads didn’t look very neat at all.

For the second row I tried Nicola’s preferred way of working them, and that is by bring the needle up two threads away from the previous loop and then threading it under the loop and back down in the hole the needle came out of. I think that looked much better.

For the third row I worked the stitch in the same way but over three threads, which I think I was perfect.

So that’s it for now.

My plan for the rest of this month is to finish this sampler and then work on catching up with my 12 in 24 Christmas ornaments because I still have to finish the August one and find another for this month.