Mary Choaks is a beautiful Cornish Historical Sampler from Hands Across the Sea

The sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability. Mary executed her sampler predominantly with cross stitches laid over two threads of linen together with Algerian eyelets, backstitches, and rice stitches.

Choice of purchasing thread kit only, Printed Chart only or as full kit with linen. 

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice, Chart Booklet +  Soie d'Alger or Soie 1003 threads (+Free Shipping). 

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half  - Victoria Sponge Cake -35" x 36" ~ Recommended for Soie d'Alger Threads only 
• 37 ct Fat Quarter - Russian Tea Cake - 18" x 35"  Recommended for both Soie d'Alger and Soie 1003 threads
  
• 45 ct Fat Eighth -Jersey Cream - 17.5" x 18" ~ Recommended for Soie 1003 Threads 
• 48 ct Fat Eighth - Bride Cake - 17.5" x 18"    ~ Recommended for Soie 1003 Threads 
  

Thread Options:

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger - 37 ct version includes 14 skeins. Recommended linen for this thread is 38 ct or lower.

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger - 30 ct version includes 16 skeins. Recommended linen for this thread is 30 ct or lower.

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 includes 13 spools. Recommended linen for this thread is 37 ct or higher.

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from the Designer

"Mary finished her sampler on November 22 but, alas, the last two digits of the year have been removed. This is what is known as a vanity sampler. Later in life, when a samplermaker did not want to reveal her true age, she would remove or alter the date on her needlework.

Without the decade the sampler was worked in, we thought that we would not be able to find our Mary Choak(s). However, the research gods were smiling down on us. A search of family history records for baptisms in the 1800s resulted in 17 hits. Through our knowledge of sampler styles in this century we discounted those born before 1810 and after 1880. This left us with three Marys. Two were born in Cornwall, and one was born in London to Cornish parents who returned to Cornwall where they raised their daughter.

All three girls we found were raised in or around Helston which is the town nearest to where Nicola lives. We strongly suspect that our Mary is Mary Ann Choaks who was born in 1841 in the village of Mawgan-in-Meneage, just south of Helston on the Lizard Peninsula. Within the booklet there is detauled information about Mary’s life."