Lady Washington Sampler

This is a class project from the 2012 Stitcher's Hideaway.  That was the year Sue tried something different: giving participants their choice of one of three projects. This sampler class was scheduled late in the last full day of the retreat.  The class itself was more about the history behind the symbols and motifs in the bands than about the actual stitching.  I had spent the earlier time at the retreat stitching on a Teresa Wentzler stocking and didn't want to lose my momentum,  So poor Martha was consigned to the "when I get a round to it" pile.

Four years later, I am wondering what took me so long to start this delightful piece.  I have the vining and leaves of the first band done and already I have used the basic cross stitch, the diagonal cross and the cross with bar as well as the foliage stitch.  Future bands promise a rich variety of specialty stitches.  I have a penchant for complex band samplers and look forward to adding this piece to my rotation.