Thursday, November 29, 2012

There Was Just Something About Maria.

Sorry that I'm taking long periods between blogs.  I just haven't been in the blogging mood lately.

Since my last post, I have finished Marquoir de Justine.  Just need to get a frame for her.  Joined the SAL for Susan Singleton, but that's another story and started this beautiful sampler.

This one of my dream samplers.  Her name is Maria Foster and she is an Australian Sampler although they think that she was worked in England and brought to Australia at some time, probably when people were coming here to Colonize Australia.

I first saw Maria about 15 or 16 years ago in an Australian Magazine called Handmade.  They were doing a story about Peg Fraser who charted this beautiful sampler.  The sampler is on display at Sovereign Hill Museum in Victoria.  It is an old Gold Mining area and the Museum is one of those ones where everybody gets dressed up in period costume.  I remember reading that every time Peg went there to take photos or sit and chart it, she had to get dressed into costume.  As soon as I saw Maria I fell in love with her and she was on my wish list for a long time.

Earlier in the year I became friends with a lovely lady who had just moved to the Mountains and she invited me to come for morning tea.  While there she showed me her work.  My goodness, my new friend does the most beautiful work.  It is a pity that she doesn't have a blog as her work is really beautiful.  It was while we were comparing our stash that I saw that she had Maria and straight away I knew that I had found her.  My friend gave me a copy of her.  I have searched high and low on the internet and have been able to nothing on this beautiful sampler.

 
 So this is what Maria looks like.  She has a lot of reds and greens with a little bit of turquoise and gold.


This is where I am up to at the moment.

 Isn't she beautiful.  The right hand side is similar to the left hand side btw.


 All this area underneath the house has a collection of animals.  Some are a bit hard to see at the moment.  There are 2 people, some dogs, a goose or is it a duck lol.  A funny looking cow.  I'm working on a turkey at the moment and there is of course a SHEEP.  I like sheep lol.

I have also been working on this little piece.  As soon as I saw this cushion from With Thy Needle and Thread, I fell in love with it.  I thought that it would look nice done on 40ct linen and when I have finished it I will put it on top of my bowl of cushions. 


 Now you may be wondering about this.  This is something that is really old.  It is about 100 years old was done by my Great Grandfather who was English.  He and my Great Grandmother came to Australia along with my Grandmother before World War I.  Many years ago one of my Aunts gave it to me and thought that I would appreciate it. 

Yesterday I brought it out and showed it to my Youngest Son who since his trip to England has become English mad.  I was trying to teach him how to do Berlin Woolwork to finish it off but I have a feeling that I will be doing that.  I told him that if he looked after it, that he could have it.  It now hangs over the end of his bed and when he gets into bed he folds it up and puts it onto the chair in his room.


 I have decided to take part in Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year.  I have decided to finish off my Rebecca Cullin Sampler.  That one is quite a challenge.  I haven't done anything on it since I posted about it in a previous post.

Well, that's about it at the moment.  I promise to not take so long to post next time.

Thank you for stopping by.

24 comments:

Nicola said...

There certainly is something about Maria, she is beautiful.

Samplers, Silks and Linens said...

congratulations on your marquoir de justine finish, shes very pretty - the australian sampler is also looking lovely and I think its great that you found her, i love stories like that. And wow what an amazing piece of work you have there of your grandfathers - is that all wool on linen? my mind boggles at how much work has gone into that.
hugs, Amanda

The Scarlett House said...

Oh wow, oh wow! Maria is beautiful, Sandra. Your posts never disappoint!

marly said...

Your finish is gorgeous. And large! I can see why you want to stitch Maria. How lucky to have such a treasured heirloom.

Laurie in Iowa said...

Maria is beautiful. Congratulations on your Justine finish.

Annette-California said...

LOVE the colors in Maria - Heck I love the whole sampler. Oh the colors you've already stitched look amazing - beautiful designs. Now the Berlin work - is that needlepoint with wools? Great family treasure and perfect to be passed on to your son.
love Annette

Chris said...

Oh my! Fabulous finish!
I am so glad that you found that sampler. It is absolutely wonderful. Your progress is so pretty.
I love the With Thy Needle start too.
The pice from your Grandfather is awesome!

Siobhán said...

Justine looks fantastic! Congratulations on the finish. She is one of my favorite samplers. I think, as a mother, the fact that she died so young just clutches at my heart. LOVE your Maria, too. You must be so thrilled to have the chart. Neat heirloom, and it's so special that your son treats it as reverently as he does.

Margaret said...

Wow! Justine is gorgeous! And Maria -- sooooo beautiful! You also picked the With Thy Needle and Thread piece I love too. lol! Love angels. So do you think your DS will finish off that British flag piece? Loved reading the history behind it. That's an hairloom for sure! So cool! And yay for being an Anglophile. :D

Katrina said...

Love Maria, she's just gorgeous!!!!! Sweet little WTNT piece too. What a wonderful heirloom to have too, it's really stunning.

Rita said...

Beautiful work!

Deb said...

Maria is beautiful, Sandra. I really love those reds!! And Marquoir is wonderful too (I'm still kicking myself in the butt for not keeping up with you). Love your start on the Angel, and I'm sure that you're going to end up finishing up the Berline Work. Boys don't seem to have the attention span for things like that!! LOL

Gray Bonnet said...

Maria IS beautiful! The colors are striking--I just love the red of the house!

Robyn said...

Hi Sandra, Long time no see.It was great to see your post after so long.I always love to see what you are up to, like the old days. As usual your work is wonderful.I hope we can meet up in the New Year and tht your offer still stands for lessons on Hardanger.lol.Can you send me your email address please. Have a wonderful chrissie and talk to you in the New Year..Id love to come see all your samplers.. Take care, Robyn

Karoline said...

Congratulations on finishing Justine, she's gorgeous

Maria is stunning, great progress

Unknown said...

Hi,
Your work is absolutely beautiful. I live in Sydney and also have friends who live in the Blue Mountains. I follow Nicola's Blog and am just starting Blue Ribbon but I am umming and arhring about joining the Scarlett Letter year.
i am new to all this blogging ...you seem to have some great contacts as well. I absolutely adore your maria...can you give me the full details and i am going to try and track the pattern down....it is absolutely stunning. I have just adored Ann Dale sampler but apparently the pattern has a lot of mistakes .
If you reply to me at cgeddes14@gmail.com that would be great. I tried to find your email but couldn't.
Kind regards Carol

Unknown said...

Beautiful work. I am from Sydney and am just starting the Blue Ribbon sampler.
I also have been searching for Maria Foster. Could you email me on cgeddes2@optusnet.com.au as I would like to find out where I might get this pattern.
Thanks Carol

Bhooma said...

I came across your blog just today and can't stop looking at your Maria sampler. Now I am on a mission to find her too even though I may not succeed LOL

Bhooma said...

I came across your blog only today and can't stop looking at your Maria sampler. I would so love to get my hands on this sampler but I know I may never succeed but that is not going to stop me from looking for her.

Bhooma said...

I came across your blog just today and enjoyed looking through it. The maria sampler is simply gorgeous. I wish it is available for purchase.

Hazel said...

Such beautiful samplers! X

Kevin said...

I have fallen in love with this Maria Foster sampler! Just gorgeous! I guess my hunt to buy this chart will be a difficult task, but I plan to search today nonetheless. You do beautiful work. Glad I discovered your blog. See you at The Scarlet Letter challenge.

Natalia said...

Oh my gosh !!! Maria's sampler is just gorgeous !!!! You are fortunate to have the chart... Can't wait to see it finished.

Andrea said...

Hi! just lovely and about to stitch it myself.
Would love some of your feedback.
Could you contact me by email please if you could.