This week's sampler....a re-design

This weeks sampler pattern is a re-design of a sampler I did in 2012. I wanted to change the colors and the flowers....well I changed the basket design, motifs, etc. Once I got started I just kept making a lot of changes. It's amazing how different colors can change a pattern. I have dropped the older pattern from my inventory and will be selling the new one. Alphabet and numbers are included to personalize your sampler. Design size is 218 x 139, finished size on 16ct (32ct linen) is 13.6 x 8.7. Now I have to decide if I want to have this one stitched. I love the red and gold together. Fits perfect in my house.
Charts will be printed tomorrow if you are interested.
Teach me to feel another's woe.....how important that is.

Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Free floss this weekend with floss purchase

Another weekend special.....this weekend, Fri-Sunday the 30th......for every 7 skeins of floss you buy (20 yards each), you get one free (20 yards) of your choice. Choose from any in the 1795 Sampler Collection or any of the other colors I have in my shop.

To say you have lots of colors to choose from is an understatement!
You can browse my store http://stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe
See the category at the left "hand dyed floss".
You can purchase on ebay or email me direct with your order. nbelgian@aol.com
*****If you order through ebay, you must send me a message to tell me you saw this sale to get the free floss. The sale is not on ebay.
Thank you for the nice response I have been having to these weekend sales. I do all I can to help and I love to share.
Have a great weekend!
Nancy
P.S.            If anyone missed the free shipping on the 1795 Sampler Floss collection, 80 skeins, 1600 yards....I will extend it this weekend. Free shipping world wide! Saves up to $20. This will not be combined with the free floss sale.

A different sampler by changing colors

A friend asked me to sell her The charm of Friendship sampler chart but asked me to change the colors for her. No problem! She loves reds and dramatic colors....

I even made the border on the flowers a wider red for her. I love the ease of changing patterns with a stitching program and a few minutes time. I like it so well that I will sell the pattern with this color combination too. I may even send it out to another model stitcher. Charted for DMC.
Back to the drawing board..............
Nancy

The Charm of Friendship Sampler

I just received another model in the mail today....she did a beautiful job on this sampler. I am so lucky to know so many talented people...and generous with their time.
This is shown stitched with my own over dyed floss. It is charted for DMC....but I like the softness of these over dyed colors I chose.
The Charm of Friendship. I am printing charts this afternoon if you would like one. The chart alone is $14.99 for 10 pages. Enlarged color blocks and symbols pages are included to make it easier for you. Chart with my over dyed floss is $19.99. Stitched on natural 32ct linen, finished size is 14 x 16-1/2".
******THIS WEEKS SPECIAL*******
The first 10 charts sold($14.99) will receive free floss! I do all I can to help in this tough economy. Email nbelgian@aol.com if you would like a chart.
      I have just selected a verse for my next small sampler....be sure to stay tuned next week to see the pattern.
     I have quite a few model stitchers but if you are in the states, like stitching on linen and have some time, I would love to trade stitching for floss (and anything else in my store).
                                             Nancy

New Spring Floss Colors

Now that the floss give-away is over I thought I would show the rest of you the new spring set of floss I have added to my store inventory. It is available on ebay or direct from me.
Olde Marigold, Spring Green, Primrose Pink, Sweet Lilac and Forget Me Not Blue.

I will be adding a lot of new colors in the next couple months. I want to get a few more sampler patterns finished before I get back to the dye pot. It has been a nice break, let me tell you. But once more I will put on the rubber gloves and be dipping and dunking thousands of yards of floss as I do every spring.
I wish I could find someone who lives close to me to help put this on the cards. The other gal I had did not work out and it was too expensive shipping her boxes of floss and then returning them. If the postal rates keep going up we won't be able to ship anything to anyone. It is ridiculous these days. A small envelope with a few skeins of floss overseas is $9 to mail! Don't get me started.....
So it is Monday....the start of another new week.....and I guess I better get started! So much to do around here.

Thanks for stopping by....have a great week.
Nancy

The Charm of Friendship sampler is finished

I got an email from Dede who stitched this model for me and sent me this picture...and it is on it's way! I can hardly wait to get the mail this week as you can imagine. This pattern is The Charm of Friendship and I love the verse. The sampler is 230 x 279, finished size on 16ct (32ct linen) is 14.4" x 17.4" . Charts will be available on Wednesday.

She did a great job and I can hardly wait to get it framed. Thanks once again to all of you great model stitchers. I could not do all of these samplers without you! I am spending 25 hours per week on patterns alone......and I am stitching mottoes for customers and that takes up my evenings. If I could just add another 40 hours to each week I would have it made!
Nancy

Changing colors in a sampler makes a big difference

I love to play with color....and I love how it changes the whole look of a design with a few color changes. The new mini sampler I just finished is a good example. I am selling the chart in two color combinations. Some people have a hard time trying to imagine a design with different colors....so here are two pictures for you.

Now I need to decide which color combination I will have a model stitcher do for me.......I love the darker red.....the actual colors I have selected are a little softer than these photos....the stitching program leaves a lot to be desired. Too bad it can't stitch each block as I fill it in with color...now THAT would be a stitching program!!!
Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

New Smaller size sampler! Be Strong and of Good Courage

After completing several large samplers I am now starting on the smaller sizes. A lot smaller. This one is 7 x 9 inches and will fit in any 8 x 10 inch frame! There are so many beautiful reproduction frames out there....lets start saving some money. You can get a $10 frame at Hobby Lobby.....and if you use the Stitchery Tape (no glue, pins, lacing, etc) to mount your sampler on foam board...you can have it framed in one afternoon. I LIKE that!
This sampler is Be Strong and of Good Courage. Shown with my stitching program on linen (charted for 16ct, 32ct linen)...this one will go out to a model stitcher next week. Speaking of that....I just got an email today that another one is finished and I will have it back next week. I better get to the framing part myself.

I have incorporated some pine trees, birds, violets, strawberries, floral motifs, dogs, a nice border.....your initials and the date. Lots of goodies in this petite sampler.

Back to the drawing board....and another small sampler pattern.
Nancy

We have sampler chart winners today!!

We have sampler chart winners today! As promised.....I picked a couple names. Well....lets pick three! Pick from any of my new sampler charts.
The winners are:
Ellen (With my Needle)
Annette Calif
and Stitch mcFloss

Congratulations!
Please email me and give me your address.

I want to thank everyone who entered. I love to share with all of you...hopefully everyone will get something if we  have enough give-aways!

Now to think of what to give away next!!!!

Have a great day!
Nancy

Another Spring Sampler

After I completed the last sampler, Welcome Spring, I told you how I was going to have it stitched two ways. One as the whole sampler and the other with just the insert and no border or house below it. I thought I would do the chart now so I could show you how different they look.
This is the whole chart:

And this is the second chart I did with just the insert. Both have your initials and the year. But that can be added to any of my charts as there is always room or you could remove any motif to insert your name or initials.

The first sampler is 14.4" x 19",    16ct or (32ct linen).
The smaller sampler is 10.9" x 14.4",   16ct or (32ct linen).
Now I can hardly wait to see them stitched! The colors shown above are pretty close to the actual DMC colors I selected. I am charting for DMC to make it easy for any one to buy their floss to stitch one of my charts. Charts are $14.99. 10 pages, 4 pages of enlarged color blocks, 4 pages of enlarged symbols blocks, pattern info and key.

Thanks for stopping by....have a great day!
Nancy

Weekend discounts for loyal followers

I am always trying to help in this tough economy. I thought I might have some weekend sales and change them up all the time. This weekend...lets see....3-14 through 3-15....lets do FREE shipping on the 1795 Sampler Floss collection. That save you $8 in the states and $20 if you are International. The 80 skeins, 20 yards each, 1600 yards! of over dyed floss will do plenty of projects for you. Set is $156.00.  I have previously done free floss equal to your postage...so lets throw that in. CHOOSE between free floss equal to your postage  OR  free shipping. Such a deal.....think of all that floss! This would run over $600 from the other over dyed floss companies. I am always trying to bring you a great product at an affordable price. Get this while it lasts! 2 days only.............

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!!
Nancy

Welcome Spring new sampler!

Everyone seems ready for spring.....so a Welcome Spring sampler sounded appropriate to me. I wanted to do this one a little different....I am going to have one model stitcher do the whole sampler. I am going to have another stitcher do just the insert without the border or the house, trees and lawn below it....so you have two options. I am also going to over dye the whole sampler after I get it back from the stitcher! I will share that with you when the time comes. For now...here is the new sampler:

The pattern size for the whole thing is 231 x 304 stitches. Finished size on 32ct linen will be 14.4 x 19 inches. Year and your initials go on this pattern but you can add that to any of my sampler patterns as there is always room to add it if you so desire. Charted for DMC. Shown on cream linen with my stitching program. Charts are available now. $14.99 for 10 pages. 4 pages of color blocks chart, 4 pages symbols chart, color key and pattern information.

Thanks for stopping by......time to start on another pattern!
Nancy

Spring floss winners today!!!!

We have some spring floss winners today!!! Special floss will be going out to these stitchers...some Forget-Me-Not Blue, Primrose Pink, Spring Green, Sweet Lilac and a surprise color.
The winners are:
Connie (Primitive country cabin)
Carol (stitching dreams)
Peggy (keep me in stitches)
Penny I
Rachel
 Nancy P
Denise
Patti in MI
Julie
Kathy L
Cal

Congratulations! Please email me and give me your address. nbelgian@aol.com

I love to share with all of you....and we will have another floss give away soon.

Nancy

Rejoice in The Lord Sampler chart with floss

I failed to mention that the Rejoice in The Lord (Mary Long reproduction sampler, my adaptation) chart with floss is now printed and available. Add that to the list of charts that you can choose from in the give-away listed below.

Charted for DMC but I have this listed with my own over dyed floss. I love the berry color....and the soft rose on the motifs and flowers. Shown on my dark antique champagne linen. The pathway is a taupe brown and so is the fence. Pattern size is 177 x 164 and finished size is 11.1" x 10.2". Chart with floss is $19.99. 10 pages in the pack. Color blocks and symbols charts are included. Enlarged for you to make it easier.

I have been swamped with ebay orders again but have started on another sampler pattern that I hope will be finished next week. I am having fun with these...I love looking for beautiful sayings to go on the samplers that I design. Trying to decide when one to use next is the hard part!
Thanks for stopping by. Be sure you have entered the give-away for a sampler chart.
Nancy

Pick a Sampler chart give-away!

I had to laugh....one of my followers "reminded" me that I said I was going to have a give away for a sampler chart.....I do tend to get very busy.....so thank you for the reminder!!!

There are now 8 new sampler designs to choose from....look at the bar on the right to see them all. Pick your favorite....a couple have over dyed floss that will be included...the rest are charted for DMC and do not come with floss.

Sooo.......you must be a follower and post a comment here. Post on your blog and get 25 more entries. Send a friend to follow and you get 25 more entries.  Drawing to be March 21st.....lets give a couple charts away! Remember that you have to check back to see if you are a winner....mark your calendar. I ship world wide. Good luck!
Nancy

Switching colors in a sampler design

I had a customer ask me if I would show one of my sampler patterns to her with different colors....she couldn't picture it but wanted softer colors. With a few tweaks to the stitching program here it is in softer colors. I still haven't sent this one out to be stitched...I am going to use even softer, faded colors. I need to select them soon and get this mailed out. I love getting them back all stitched and beautiful and ready to be framed. Any ways....I just wanted to show you how different a sampler can look with a few color changes. Thanks for stopping by!
Nancy

2 Samplers back from model stitchers

Even though it is snowing....and the light isn't as good as I would like it to be....I wanted to show you what the new samplers looked like. The first is a reproduction of Elizabeth Cripps. Finished size on 32 count natural linen is 16 x 21 inches. My own over dyed floss on this one. I charted it for DMC but will be selling the pattern with my floss as an option. Pattern is $14.99. With floss $19.99.

Next is a reproduction of Louisa King. Once again I used my over dyed floss. This is a much smaller sampler, finished size on 32 count linen is 10 x 10 inches. I love the large samplers but you quickly run out of wall space to hang them.
This fabric is a beautiful over dyed champagne and it just doesn't show in this photo.

I thought this one was lost in the mail and the model stitcher and I almost had a heart attack over this last postal mix-up. It was finally found sitting on a shelf at the post office. Gotta love those postal employees......
This chart is $14.99  and chart and floss are $19.99. Email if you are interested. nbelgian@aol.com

Nancy

Leave No Tender Word Unsaid, new sampler

I completed another sampler pattern last night and did some fine tuning on the chart cover this morning. Of course it will be replaced when the sampler is stitched...which will be a ways down the road. This design is179 x 127 stitches, 11.2" x 7.9" finished size. 16ct (32ct linen). I wanted this to fit any 9 x 12 inch frame to make it easier for you. It has a nice two tone leaf border. It reads:

Leave no tender word unsaid
Love while life shall last
The mill will never grind again
With water that is past

I put a date on this one....I don't know why I don't like putting dates on samplers. Maybe because the antiques had dates...it's nice to see the old ones...but I just don't care for dates on new ones. You could add your initials instead of the date...that's an option. You could also leave the date off all together.
The colors I am actually using look darker/brighter with the stitching program. Colors are softer and more subtle. Charted for DMC and full cross stitches
I have two patterns that need to go out to model stitchers this week and I received two back from model stitchers. I would show pictures of those but we are in a snow/ice storm and it is too dark to take nice photographs so they will have to wait. You not only make hay while the sun shines....you also take photographs!
I have to stitch a couple mottoes for a customer so this will be a long week ahead. I have a verse in mind for the next sampler so I will whittle away at it each day.
Stay tuned for a give-away for a sample pattern of your choice. You knew we would have one!
Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy