Carol Singers Sampler #113, The Victoria Sampler

“Here we come a'caroling   Among the leaves so green...  Here we come a wandering,   So fair to be seen... Love and Joy come to you,   And to you your wassail too,  And God bless you and send you..   A Happy New Year!”  

This elegant Sampler is the secular companion to the Heirloom Nativity Sampler, and was inspired by special Christmas memories of singing in choirs during the holidays. At Christmas time, we would sing carols just like “Here We Come a-Caroling”, the old English Wassail song to wish for good health for all. Singing special Christmas music usually began in September of each year, with practices at school and church. I found that singing together in harmony brought such joyful feelings of togetherness! When I was a child at home, my brother and I often sang around the piano while our Dad played and Mom made dinner. Singing music became such a focus during the winter, that we often continued to enjoy it long after New Year. At the top of this special Chirstmas sampler dedicated to the power of song, a little residential neighbourhood of houses nestles in the snow with Santa flying overhead. A colourful scene of old fashioned carol singers takes center stage. The ‘Wassail Song’ verse is interspersed with bands of specialty stitches and lace throughout the sampler. Then, below, more colourful snowy houses, this time surrounding a small Church. Bright red cardinals flit in the trees of the village. For me, Christmas was the most magical hopeful time of the year and singing brought extra feelings of joy. I hope that this sampler will bring that peace and beauty to you as you stitch it, remembering the sweet sound of Carols at your house at Christmas! 

• Design area: 333h x 72w (23.75” high x 5.1” wide)
• Models: 28ct Cashel Linen - Smokey Pearl:
• Cut fabric: 30” high x 11” wide for framing

Suggested Materials

• Access Soie Perlee #blanc - white (twisted silk thread) -16m spool 
• Kreinik #4 Braid #032 metallic - white - 11m spool and #4 Braid #002 metallic - gold - 5yd
• Gloriana silk #115 “Topiary” - multi green, red, gold, purple - 1yd
• Weeks Dye Works #1277 “Collards” - multi olive greens - 6yd
• DMC #12 Perle Cotton #927 - grey green lt - 4yd and #12 Perle Cotton - white
• DMC Floss #3777 - terra cotta vy dk - 2yd
• Kreinik Mori #0602 - pink flesh - 1.5yd, #2014 - yellow - 1.5yd, #4166 - blue green med - 2yd, #1117 - red - 1yd, #4163 - blue green lt - 1.5yd, #5055 - blue - 1.5yd, #3063 - apricot - 1yd, #4167 - green dk - 2.5yd, #6126 - purple dk - 1yd, #7087 - golden yellow dk - 1.5yd and #8050 - black - 3yd and #8000 - white - enough silk floss to stitch entire sampler.
• Needlepoint Inc. #0964 - grey, brown - 1.5yd, #0184 - brown - 2yd, #0402 - grass green - 2yd, #0126 - brick red dk - 1yd and #0967 - grey, brown dk - 2.5yd
• Access Soie Perlee #550 - grey green - 4yd
  
• Au ver a Soie #3334 - purple - 1yd, #1435 - slate blue dk - 1yd and #F7 - cream - 1yd
• YLI 4mm silk ribbon #137 - brick red - 1yd
• Mill Hill petite bead #40557 - gold and petite bead #40479 - white
• SJ Designs seed bead #11114 - bronze iris
• SJ Designs 2mm pearl bead - gold and 2mm pearl bead - white
• Star Charm - antique gold
  
• Zweigart 28ct Cashel Linen - Smokey Pearl 
  
• #24 tapestry needle
• #26 tapestry needle
• #10 short beading needle