If you already know how to embroider and know the main stitches, you can safely try your hand in creating a new work. Samplers in the modern world can be an excellent creative gift. Embroidery wise quotation, fragment of your favorite poem, the statements of a famous person will make a sampler in the unique and original "offer" for loved ones.
Wedding anniversary, birthday, anniversary, New Year, Easter - This is not a complete list of possible holidays that you can give an embroidery made in this style.
Selection of Sampler theme
Well, let's get started?!
First of all, let's think about what we want to embroider?
Embroidery themes can be very different. It is necessary to know that meaningless samplers simply do not exist in nature. Each stitch, any motive carries a special semantic load. Embroidery in this technique is necessarily aimed at bringing a certain idea.
The symbolism of embroidered fragments amazes with its diversity. Each embroidered element has a unique subtext: the embroidery of the protein speaks about some misfortune, the image of the hare signals about timidity and cowardice. Embroidery lamb, the master conducted an analogy with the Lamb of God, and depicting the lion, emphasized the strength and courage. The parrot, depicted on Sampler, spoke about chatty, duck - about the loyalty of the spouses, Peacock - about boastfulness. Phoenix, placed in the Embroidery Center, gave hope. The image on Sampler Moth informed about the impermanence, the turtle brought to the idea of slowness. Fruits, flowers, plants, all sorts of symbols - all this filled embroidered paintings with a deep meaning.
It is possible that you, when creating samplers, simply depict the stitched stitches, without going into the decoding of all the embroidery characters.
Selection of the scheme when creating sampler
Now you need to find a scheme for your chosen topics. You can use old schemes that have come down to us from the depths of centuries. Let's remember the history of this type of embroidery. The first sampler embroidered in 1598 Jane Bostok as decorating a small girl suit fragment. This sampler has survived to this day and is demonstrated in the London Museum of Victoria and Albert.
The first samplers performed an informational role. Finished embroidered tapes masters carefully stored for future generations. Inherited samplers could be used as a kind of reference book, which retained sets of patterns and styles of embroidery, various ornaments and color solutions.
Starting from the 14th century, Samers used as a collection of biblical statements and wise sayings. Embroidery could reflect memorable dates, scenes from life, letters. Embroidery in this style replaced in ancient times printed schemes that modern needlewomen use. The level of skill of the embroidery could be determined by their sampler works.
If you decide to create your own unique sampler, then arm yourself with millimeter paper. It is very good to place the "Plan" of your embroidery.
In the center of the sampler you need to position the main fragment, which will express the basic idea. It may be a picture, and motto, and quotation.
Thinking and draw the pattern that will be embroidered around the edges. This ornament must complement the central motive (for better disclosure of the idea of Sampler). As an edging, alternating rappoports of conventional stitches, letters, numbers, floral elements, etc. can be used.
The central embroidered element and minor complementary stitches, as well as the ornament on the edge, must be made in one meaning key. If the center is embroidered about the sea, the pattern on the edges should be withstanding in the same style (ships, anchors, waves); If the central motive is dedicated to the new year, then the "edge" ornament should contain New Year elements (snowflakes, christmas).
Think over another moment. Whether there will be gaps between pattern fragments or will go "solid". The fabric in the older years was dear, so the needlewomen used it very economically, filling the embroidery all the free space. Nowadays, take care of the savings of the material is unnecessary. It is better to follow the idea that you decide to embody.
Fabric selection
With the theme and scheme decided. The next stage is the preparation of the fabric to which embroidery itself will be placed. In the old days of linen, half-walled and real-wool fabrics were most often used as a base for embroidery. Material from satin or cotton was used for samplers reflecting geographic maps.
You can take the material of the color and texture that is more suitable under your idea or under the interior, or under the suit. It all depends on the place of the application of the future Sampler.
You can choose both canvas and any other fabric without dividing on the cells. Sampler on Canva perform easier, but the embroidery on the fabric will look more elegant. Naturally, the fabric should be clean and, desirable, new.
Now you need to cut off the desired piece of fabric. For the embroidery of the first samplers, the fabric strips were used (15-23 cm). The width of the fabric was due to the possibilities of the machine, which produced the linen for embroidery and sewing.
Later, the samplers began to have not only a rectangular, but also square shape. The size of the material segment will largely depend on your design and the created embroidery scheme.
Selection of threads and stitches
We select the color and texture of threads, what we will embroider. The threads for embroidery can be used, as in the years of the heyday of the samplers, silk, woolen and cotton. The choice of threads also depends on your idea.
Use or not use the hoops when embroidery - to solve you.
A set of stitches that you will embody your idea to life can be very diverse. It should be noted that the combination of various techniques in sampler does not mean their interlacing or interpenetration. The patterns of execution patterns are usually separated by "pass" (lack of embroidery). The use of various techniques in Sampler only serves to better express one common idea of a man-made work.
The final stage before registration
After completion of the embroidery, the work can be wrapped in a warm soap solution, dry well and sip the iron from the wrong side.
If the sampler you created should carry only a decorative role, put your product into the frame.
You can choose a ready-made frame or order in a specialized workshop.
It is better to use a frame with glass so that your sampler in the future is not dreamed. In order for the embroidery does not shovel with glass, use the passecut.
That's all! Create a sampler do it yourself is not easy, but very nice!
Video: Sampler Embroidery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okmu51ve-hq