All the Windows

When I first saw the Windows Embroidery Sampler at Snuggly Monkey, I was in need of a new stitchery project, and was excited to try something new to me by a new designer, Colette Moscrop. Screen printed on 100% linen, the sampler was pretty big - 19.5" x 13.5". As the description said, "This windows design is perfect for embroidery and makes a great starting point for a modern sampler." IE. I'd have to come up with my own stitching plan.

It wasn't until I was a few windows in that I decided to try as many different embroidery stitches as I could. At first, I didn't really anticipate using 67(!) different stitches/stitch variations, but that's exactly what happened. I stitched a bunch I knew by heart, then moved on to referencing embroidery books in my own collection, as well as online sources. At some point, I began keeping track of what I was stitching, just for fun.

All along, I was using a double thickness of Aurifil 12wt in a limited selections of colors. On each window, I also outlined it, either on the inside or out, with a backstitch. I looked back, and it took me about two months of evening stitching to finish filling all the windows. I'm not quite sure what this sampler will become from here, but I sure do love it. I learned so many new embroidery stitches! Here's a highlight of just some of them.