Erica's Stitches

The first sampler was fun so I tried another one. The date stamped on the fabric with the design is 1974. So, I started it then or shortly thereafter. I remember working on it during a family trip to Pennsylvannia. We would set up a picnic along Spring Creek. While my father went fly fishing my sister and I would play in the creek. When I got too cold I'd come ashore and read or work on this. The back is the same rats nest but was able to finish the whole thing. This one is much easier to date. I ordered it in 1976 from Woman's Day Magazine. I started right away, but this one wasn't finished as quickly. Growing up leaves little time for sitting still and stitching. I finished after I graduated from college in the mid-80's while I was searching for my first real job. Sections of the back are a mess, but I got much neater as I got older.

Well, I've got to start somewhere. This is one of my earliest samplers. I don't know how old I was when I did it or when I stitched it. If you look at the back there's a nest of long ends. I never finished it because I ran out of thread. Now, I think I could finish it with what's left on the back. More of my early work later.