Traditional Samplers (Crafts) [Paperback]

Brenda Keyes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2003 | Series: Crafts

Brenda Keyes inspires stitchers to create their own heirlooms of the future based on beautiful antique sampler designs. Here she celebrates the art of sampler making throughout the ages, gathering together ideas and inspiration from the past to create a comprehensive collection of traditional designs. The twenty samplers featured cover a range of subjects reflecting five main themes: authentic reproduction samplers; the naive charm of schoolroom samplers; designs marking important life milestones; celebrations of childhood; and flora and fauna samplers. Brenda also shows how easy it is to extract details from the samplers to create quick-to-work gifts for family and friends. Most of the projects are worked in cross stitch, but a whole range of classic 'sampler' stitches are also included, with clear explanatory diagrams.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brenda Keyes runs her own highly successful design business, The Sampler Company, whose range of historically-based designs sell widely throughout Europe and the USA. This was her fifth title published by David & Charles, following Alphabets & Samplers; Cross Stitch Country Christmas; The Sampler Motif Book; and Exquisite Miniatures. Brenda Keyes is married with two children and lives in Prestwich, Manchester.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: David & Charles (June 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0715314742
• ISBN-13: 978-0715314746
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,289,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming cross stitch designs, April 8, 2000

By 

R. Haldeman "ruth" (Lemont, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brenda Keyes' Traditional Samplers (Hardcover)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not great, May 8, 2009

By 

Wendy (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Traditional Samplers (Crafts) (Paperback)

Although I liked the book and the fact that it contains patterns for the samplers, the first 2 samplers I worked on had some glaring mistakes in the pattern that should have been fixed by either the author or her copy editor.

The first sampler I did was the Engagement Sampler (pgs 66-69). The sampler called for DMC 3021 thread which was identified in the pattern in the book as mid-green and was mid-green in the picture of the finished product. However DMC 3021 is not mid-green in fact it is a dark brown color. I ended up using DMC 3051 for the color which was a green color.

The second sampler I worked on was the Edwardian Style Birth Sampler (pgs 118-121). The first typo was in the Alphabet border (they list A-Z twice around the border) the letter "G" on the left side is different from the letter "G" at the top. They should both be the same and the left "G" should be like the top "G". The other typo is the omission of a warm brown border (DMC 434) around the basket of the hot-air balloon. The warm brown border appears in the picture of the finished product but is not in the pattern.

As I really liked having the patterns in the book, I would have loved to give this book a 5-star review but with mistakes like these in the 2 samplers I completed I felt as though the author or copy editor didn't really pay enough attention to the details. I haven't worked on any of the other samplers so I don't know if there are any other pattern typos.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing.............., June 16, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brenda Keyes' Traditional Samplers (Hardcover)

I thought this book paled in comparison to Brenda Keye's other book, The Sampler Motif Book.....I ended up giving it away....