Update on Ann Woodall 1847

I have been enjoying my journey with Ann Woodall very much.  Every day I try to get some charting done, then in the evenings I work on the needlework to complete the reproduction. Choosing colors has been a challenge, as so many of the colors in the original have faded beyond recognition.  I have only recently begun working with Au Ver a Soie threads, so my supply of colors are few, but my husband is always happy to take me to Cross Stitch and Crafts, in Johnson City, so I can comb through their vast array of silks and choose colors I believe may work.  So far, I have made three trips, each time choosing about ten different colors, mostly in the green families.  I find there are so many different hues of green.  There are the brown-greens, the yellow-greens, the  blue-greens, and grey-greens.  Needless to say, I have done a lot of stitching and ripping, just to get the color combos right.

This is the original stitched in 1847.

So far I have charted the lower part of the verse, as it happened to be the center of the piece and I have decided it is easiest to treat this as if it is any other piece I have stitched, working from the center out.  Once I had reached the right side of the piece, I started working on one of the flowers.  Not sure if it is considered a tulip or a lily, but I have been calling it a tulip.

Close up of the first flower on the original.

My work on the first tulip.

And a few of the leaves.  I know there doesn't appear to be any brown in the leaves on the original piece, but when viewed from the back, Ann used mostly browns and dark greens.

There is one more large leaf below these two, which I have mostly done, then on to the first of the roses.

I am stitching on 28 count linen, as it is comparable to the canvas size the original is stitched on.  The original is done with wools and silks, but I am not a fan of wool and canvas work, so I opted to reproduce purely in silks on linen, and believe it is turning out just fabulously.

In a few weeks I should be stitching around to the deer, and I can't wait to begin charter it.  It is the most beautiful motif to use as the focus of the sampler.  When I finish the rose, I will add another update.  I also update progress on the Facebook group, Our Sampler Years if anyone follows that group.