Cross Stitch Samplers with a Historic Twist

It’s funny that even though most of the cross stitch designers I’ve been profiling lately came to me from a list I’m picking from at random, quite a few of them have been designers who focus on samplers (see, for example, Scattered Seed Samplers, Elegant Thread, Fox and Rabbit Designs, to name a few).

This week I’m taking a peek at another sampler company, this time it’s UK-based Historical Sampler Company. Joanne and Suzanne started out creating cross stitch patterns based on historical sampler designs, then branched out to include birth and wedding samplers with a traditional feel, as well as more modern designs.

They have a range of Christmas samplers, which include trees, birdhouses, patchwork designs that look a bit like quilts and a couple of sampler designs that look like advent calendars. I love the Ho Ho Ho cross stitch design because of the black fabric and the fun, colorful graphics. Each little design looks like a postage stamp!

The anniversary samplers (some of which would also work for weddings) are really sweet and would make a great gift to celebrate long-lasting love.

Their patterns are available as PDFs or printed and shipped paper patterns. If you’re in the UK or willing to wait for shipping, you can also purchase kits or deluxe boxes from them. The regular kit includes the required fabric and pre-sorted thread, a copy of the pattern, a gold-plated needle and a red gift bag. The gift box includes all that and large and small project bags, a needle minder and thread organizer and other treats (food, tea and otherwise) that vary with the seasons.

Historical Sampler Company also does a Christmas stitchalong and advent calendar, which can be purchased as a PDF (with clues sent in email as the stitchalong goes on), as a kit or in an advent calendar style with 24 little gifts for you to open.

Check out all their designs at Historical Sampler Company.

[Photo: Historical Sampler Company]

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Stitch Samplers and Other Historic Inspired Designs

The designs from Bella Rose Craft look like they would be good for beginner cross stitchers and others who like relatively simple and small designs that are quick to finish for gifts or decor.

I’ll mention up front that this Etsy shop based in Indiana has no organization whatsoever. There are two categories: kits and patterns. So it’s a bit of a treasure hunt to find what you might be interested in.

As mentioned there are lots of minis and small looking projects with simple lines and minimal colors. There are holiday projects, animals, summer motifs like palm trees and beach umbrellas, a bathtub with a rubber duck, some text based designs (like hoppy spring and merry and bright), some biblical and religious designs, flowers, bunting and more.

On a site like this its difficult to pick something representative of the whole page, but I liked this bees and beehive design, so it’s the one I picked to share. This one illustrates a lot of my general points about the patterns from this shop. It’s small (2.79 by 2.57 inches, or about 7 by 6.5 cm on 14 count fabric), it looks like it’s all whole cross stitches and probably uses only six colors, and a couple of colors are only used for a handful of stitches.

Of the 300 plus cross stitch patterns available as of this writing, 140 are also available as cross stitch kits. These would be great to give as gifts if you’re trying to get someone interested in cross stitching. The kits include the pattern, fabric and floss, and you can choose to have it include a needle or not. The hoop is not included but the patterns explain what kind of hoop is shown if you want to get one to match.

So if you’re looking for cute, beginner friendly patterns for yourself or you’re trying to be a crafty enabler for someone else, check out Bella Rose Craft on Etsy.

[Photo: Bella Rose Craft]

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