Splendid Samplers to Cross-Stitch: 35 Original Projects

If you don't like samplers, don't buy this book. If you do, get it. The only thing lacking here is more samplers and a larger surface for the charts. (Not possible.)The charts are in black and white, BUT There is a Reason! And, it is not a fault. Lots of color changes mean lots of confusion when charted in color, particularly for large pieces as samplers tend to be. The intention, and you can see that from the careful spacing of the charts from the inner binding, is that you enlarge and copy the charts for working. You may even choose to make them so large that you can color them and work from your own charts a piece at a time. Samplers don't have to mean expert pieces. That is not what they were originally. They were learning pieces. Skill was developed by "working" a sampler. You pick what you want and leave the rest. These pieces should be fun, educational and entertaining. You will create a memory of yourself for someone. Look how we treaure the samplers worked by strangers in the past. We cherish them. This book has some very intresting features, like the South-Western themed sampler, paper dolls for Boys and Girls (remember them?) and the theme based childrens pieces are bright, bold and delightful. Lots of color in this book. See the pictures. There's even a naval flag theme for your local sailor. And, ultimately, a show stopping visual masterpiece, the triptic, definitely for an expert. But, boy is that beautiful. It's a goal to work toward. Revel in the possibilties and begin at the beginning. Have fun!

I had no trouble executing several designs from this book, but I can see that novices would possibly have trouble. Look elsewhere if you are a beginner. I was able to find some inspirations in here that I had been dreaming about for some time. In particular, the application of cross stitch samplers to furniture was something I had wanted to do for almost 30 years. Also the tea party sampler made a tremendous hit as a gift to my tea-drinking sister. Mama and Papa bear samplers are in my craft basket right now, and my brother will soon receive the nautical flags sampler as a gift for his dry docked house! Love it!

This book has some bold colors, something that a lot of sampler designs miss. Also, since this is a sampler book, and mostly not of the old alphabet type, you can do portions of most of the graphs and have a good smaller project. A good variety of subjects, too, including some for children's rooms.

I would like to say that this book contains wonderful photographs of each sampler and when I first opened it up to look at it, some of the samplers were truly different and breathtaking. I stitched the Pastry Sampler and entered it in the State Fair and won "Best of Category". Although the graph I worked from was extremely difficult to decipher. I think this book contains some beautiful, whimsical and intricate needlework.