Traditional Samplers: 20 Cross Stitch Designs Celebrating the Art of Sampler-Making

If you like Samplers, this is a wonderful book for you. Other reviewers have stated the charm and attention to detail that Brenda Keyes uses as a standard of excellence in this book. It is well worth the time and the investment to have in your library. I particularly appreciate the color charts and the educational instruction she includes with each piece and in the introduction to the book. There are full scale smaplers and some delightful motifs combined from the differing pieces that she pictures as stand alone designs. I am well pleased. My only regret is that the suppliers she lists are all in the UK. I guess that's why we have our cross stitch magazines; so that we can see where to look for our resources here in the USA. And yes, we do have the internet also.

This is Brenda Keyes 5th book and as motivating as the other 2 I have. Twenty samplers are featured, with many smaller samplers, inspired by a wide range of antique motifs. There is a sharp color photo of each sampler, many in room settings. They are stitched beautifully on linen and Aida, in bright complementary colors, suited for beginning to advanced stitchers. Samplers are well displayed, framed and matted using inspirational methods and materials. Charts are in color, and black and white, and are very easy to follow. There is an added assortment of 10 alphabets for personalizing samplers with initials and dates. Framing methods are suggested, cleaning stretching, use of acid-free materials and charting your own designs are explained. I look forward to stitching my own samplers from this collection inspired by antiques that our ancestors put great effort in creating.