Elmsley Rose: The End of the Sampler

28 July 2010

The End of the Sampler

I’ve learnt so much doing the first half of the sampler.
It’s hard to continue, in a way, because I see so many mistakes that I’ve made.
Primarily, I’ve used too many different colours. I should have only used a few colours, and 3-4 different shades of that colour.
Melinda Sherbring (Baroness Eowyn Amberdrake in the SCA) discusses this and other issues in a critique of my sampler at Sampler_Review_by_Melinda_Sherbring
which is an educational read in itself.
Also, being a self-design and the first one of this nature that I’ve done, motifs are ending up way way too close together.
The other thing is that it’s turning out to be basically a spot sampler, hanging off a vine. I’m wondering whether I should have used the vine at all, and just done a spot sampler.
At least it would be more historically accurate as a design, instead of being this strange hybrid

I really don't feel that I can spend another year on the piece in order to complete it.

BUT the entire point of doing this sampler was to learn. To do as many different techniques as possible. And I have learnt heaps and heaps. And there are some motifs that I just love and am very proud of. :-)

Labels: Embroidery, Historical Embroidery Sampler, Project

9 Comments:

Liadain said...: One reason I love blackwork - I can stick with "classic" and NOT have to make decisions about color.
Editing colors down to a more "historic" palette is HARD, with the gazillions of choices we have at our fingertips today!:-)

Your sampler is a sampler in the truest sense - a record, as you went along, of designs you loved and stitches/techiniques you learned. It's beautiful!; Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Gina-B said...: Here! Here! I totally agree with Liadain - a real sampler is for the embroiderer to learn from - a record of what works (and what doesn't).

Yours is beautiful, and everytime you look at it in the future you will be able to remember your journey of discovery!; Thursday, July 29, 2010
Ruth O'Leary said...: Don't be so hard on yourself - this is *your* design, not a dry historical exercise, and it's beautiful as it is. Be proud of yourself - you deserve to be!; Thursday, July 29, 2010
Marcy said...: Hello, this is my first comment here, so you can take it with a grain of salt ...

It sounds to me that you have learned alot from your sampler. Personally, I would finish it because it's a sampler and a record of your learning journey.

Actually, I think it's gorgeous. I love all the bold, bright colors (even if they aren't historically accurate). I hope you continue with it. I have enjoyed watching it grow. The bugs are great!; Thursday, July 29, 2010
Rachel said...: It's a gorgeous piece of work, and it will be so pleasing to look back and see what you have learnt!; Friday, July 30, 2010
Juels said...: I thought I'd left a comment earlier, but doesn't appear so. The critique has some good information to keep in mind for future projects and some great tips, especially if you are entering a piece in a contest, or strictly adhering to history (as we know it). Since you refer to it in this post, I will tell you what a juror for handwoven entries told a group of us. Its all subjective and depends on the juror. That said, the information is still valuable and as she says, you can take what she says and apply it on future items, or not.

You have always referred to this as an historical sampler and it is a beautiful piece of work. You have learned a lot of information, and you have shared it with us so we, too, can learn (always a sign of a generous person)along with you. To stop now would only stop this process, especially for you,and more importantly, your sampler would languish. Did you really spend all this time, energy and cost to stop now? Continue, by all means. You may be surprised by how much more you learn!; Saturday, July 31, 2010
meri said...: Yes! you have all the reasons to be proud of your historical sampler. For me it is beautiful - i wish i could embroider that way. Really.; Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Susan Elliott said...: I can't tell you how many historical samplers that hang in museums that I ADORE that don't meet your rules! A Ton!!! They have mistakes too...they use more than the "right" number of colors.

I LOVE your sampler because it is you. It has your character in every color that was selected. It has your love of embroidery and your unbelievable quest for knowledge sewn into every stitch. There is so much more to our embroidery than what you "see" with your eye...it has your soul, your energy, your thoughts and concerns as you stitched it. Honor it.

Come on. You know reproduction sampler people are constantly charting the "mistakes" on the historical samplers so that they will be "genuine" --

I can totally see the day 200 years from now when your piece is being auctioned off for tons of money...and someone will chart it and sell it...mistakes and all.

I have honored your sampler every time I've come to visit and made a comment.

Now it's your turn.

(Sorry, I got on my soap box...*blush); Tuesday, August 03, 2010
JoWynn Johns said...: Megan, after being absent for more than a year, I am delighted to see the progress you've made on your sampler. The overall effect is so stunning, so rich, that only viewers looking for imperfections would notice any. Moreover, you've shared your learning, so that you've been teaching as you go. That's a great contribution to the rest of us. I second Susan's message to you.; Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The End of the Sampler

Elmsley Rose

28 July 2010

The End of the Sampler

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