This blog is supposed to have some craft content in it but I haven’t had the time recently for crafting. I had thought that I was going to be reduced to blogging about “one which I did earlier”, but then I decided that it might be more interesting to show this band sampler.

It was passed on to me by Great Aunt Jenny, who was an aunt through marriage. She had had it rolled up in a drawer for absolutely years but thought that I might like it as I do embroidery. Jean Barclay wasn’t actually related to me, she was Aunt Jenny’s great grandmother and I think she was probably about 10 years old when she did this sampler. Just imagine how annoyed she must have been when the date wouldn’t fit into the space which she had left for it!

Band samplers weren’t meant to be framed. They were rolled up and kept in your sewing box for reference. But I wanted to be able to see it so I had it framed and it hangs on my living-room wall. I’m careful to keep it out of strong light though, so that it doesn’t fade.

I can’t make up my mind whether the date is meant to be 1823 or 1832.