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Friday 22 March 2013

Birth Sampler Round Up

Since everyone made so many nice comments about Danika's Birth Sampler I thought I'd share a few more I have stitched over the years.  

Birth Samplers are probably my favourite thing to stitch.  It's always a happy occasion and there is such a variety of choice and styles as this selection will illustrate!


This first design is actually a Christening sampler stitched for my friend's God-Daughter.  I designed this myself using motifs, alphabets and borders for a variety of books.  The first is a traditional Irish Blessing which we felt was appropriate because both families are farmers and it talks about fields!


This next one is for the same friend but for her own daughter.  The design is from a Brenda Keyes book.

This one is for another friend who worked with me and the first friend.  I stitched it for her daughter.  Notice anything about the two dates of birth?  They are the same!  Two really good friends fall pregnant at the same time and give birth on the same day a few hours apart!


And a third friend, a month later!  I stitched this one during the pregnancy and had it ready and waiting to add baby's name and date.  The design came from a cross stitch magazine.


Then a little break and a sampler for my own son.  Again I stitched this one during the pregnancy and added the name and date afterwards.  This came from a Library book.


This is a little Emily Peacock design from Cross Stitcher magazine.  My cousin is not really a sampler kind of person, but she is a tattoo sort of person so this was perfect.  RJ are baby's initials, he's named after his Dad so they call him RJ to tell them apart.


Another one for a baby I don't know!  A friend of a friend had a very premature baby as you can see from the weight and length.  My friend was making her a basket of hand-made goodies and asked for a cross stitch.  I charted the bear and other little characters from the Nursery theme they were using, Mothercare's Please Look After Me bear.


And for Noah - Noah's Ark.  Most of this came from a cross stitch book but the picture for N was a Nautilus shell.  what?  So I charted a little Noah from this little Noah figure.  Cute isn't he?




Busy year for babies, 2011.  This is a Passione Ricamo freebie stitched for my niece's first baby.  Stitched on 14 count raspberry aida.


And history repeats itself, the friend that I stitched Jacob's sampler for then had another baby herself.  I knew she'd love this Nimue design as much as I did.  This was a real labour of love, the backstitch was very difficult to follow and don't even ask about those lianas!  But I did enjoy seeing this cute deign grow.

Onto 2012 - This one came from Cross Stitcher magazine too.  I moved the letters around to add the baby's name and that of his Big Sister too.  I'm really pleased with the way the wonky lowercase letters I added fit in with the rest of the alphabet.


My other cousin had a baby last year, here is the JBW design I chose for them.  A simple red on flax evenweave stitched one over one.


And most recently, the lovely Danika's sampler:



Finally, you might have spotted that there isn't a sampler for the Small Boy!  I was convinced he was going to be a girl so started stitching the Victorian Dolls' House for her.  I intended to stitch a castle for him but somehow never got around to it!  Bad Mummy.  Maybe I'll wait until he's old enough to choose his own design.

24 comments:

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Lovely collection of birth samplers Jo.

Ruth said...

Great work. You know, for some reason I've never been a fan of stitching birth samplers. Possibly because I know so few people who have had children around me that would actually appreciate the effort. _ just know they'd end up in a closet or a yard sale.

Linda said...

Oh wow Jo. You have made some gorgeous baby samplers.

Linda

Vicki said...

They are all lovely. My personal favorite is "Noah"!

lanybleu said...

Gorgeous. xx

Mouse said...

awww they are all lovely ... and chosen specially for each wee one ... and had to laugh we thought our youngest was going to be a boy and we ended up with another girl ....hope you get his done soon then ..lol
love mouse xxxx

Annie said...

They are all beautiful, and obviously stitched with love! Thanks for sharing them with us.

Sandie said...

They are all lovely looking pieces which I'm sure are treasured almost as much as the babies themselves! You've given me an idea for a new post!

Christine said...

They are all wonderful. I love the one with the fairy baby in the swing

Astrids dragon said...

They are all wonderful! I love Noah and the two fairies! I really like how you added Aaron Rae in the alphabet, very original.

Susan said...

They are all wonderful. I feel the same way about wedding samplers as you do of baby - happy events and huge variety.

Topcho said...

Oh my, so many samplers, and all of them are gorgeous! I tried picking one to be my favourite, but how to choose only one! Still, "Noah"almost won - not only it has an owl, but the little Noah you charted is so cute!

Miss Lilly said...

Lovely collection! Such beautiful work ^^

Sally said...

Wow what a fantastic collection of birth samplers Jo!

Rachel said...

Amazing collection! On a side note, my oldest child has a sampler, a baby's first Christmas stocking,etc...the youngest? Not so much, LOL, poor kiddo!

Julie said...

Stunning collection of beautiful,stitching Jo. I stitched the teddy bear months and it now hangs in the waiting room of The Laura Centre (a local charity who help anyone who has lost a child or a child who has lost a parent). Mine was a think you for their counselling services I received.

Gwen said...

Great stitching, it is wonderful that you have pictures.

Claire said...

They are all lovely.I like the bear one best.

SoCal Debbie said...

The baby samplers are all so wonderful! I like the Rebecca one the best. I never finished my son's sampler that I started in 1985, but I can always finish it for a future grandbaby instead!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Youve done some fantastic birth samplers!

Lynn said...

Fabulous samplers!!

Fiona said...

What a great selection of Birth Samplers.

♥ Nia said...

So many pretty works!! I have to say, I love that Nimue design :)
hugs&smiles

geeky Heather said...

Holey shamoley!! This just goes to prove what I already knew...you are so creative, not to mention thoughtful! I'm super impressed with the way you modified/invented/hunted down different birth samplers that would fit the style of the recipients. They are all fab.