Two Contrasting Samplers: Part Two

This second sampler provides a contrast to the first in a few different ways. First of all, it is my own design, based upon a collection of African textile I went to see at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester - no more rigid Victorian flowers... I have always loved African textile because of its brilliant range of techniques, and unique pattern and design. Additionally, whilst Western culture tends to distinguish hierarchically between 'art' and 'craft', textile is historically held in much higher esteem by many African cultures, free of such hierarchical divisions - a cultural attitude I am of course a big fan of! My purpose in making this piece was closer to the earliest function of samplers discussed in a previous post. It was to try out and provide examples of as many different stitches as possible - and I managed to pack a fair few in! The whole process was a lot more free than rigidly following a counted cross-stitch pattern, and I allowed myself to go with the flow and experiment as much as I could, rather than stressing about perfection or how the overall thing would turn out... 

I chose a non-counted linen fabric to embroider on as it echoed some beautiful linens I had seen in the African exhibition. Each section is based upon a close-up or aspect of the distinctive patterns and techniques that inspired me.

The orange sections were inspired by this cloth, which was in fact manufactured in Manchester between 1960-79 using an industrial wax batik technique, to then be sold to a West African market.

Stitches used: split stitch for the diamond, running stitches elsewhere, double-threaded backstitch for the border.

Stitches used: Pekingese stitch for the border, then from the outside in... twisted chain stitch, couching, stem stitch, verticle lines in centre are double knot stitch and the black motifs the brilliantly named 'tete-de-boeuf' stitch. 

The yellow, purple and green sections were inspired by the shapes, patterns and patchwork-esque effect seen in various strip-woven cottons from early twentieth-century Sierra Leone, although I changed the colours quite a lot (due partly to not having the right ones, and partly to make the sections stand out next to the predominantly dark blues of the sections next to them): 

Stitches used: two interlocking rows of threaded running stitch for the border, coral stitch for the shape outlines, filled with different variations of herringbone stitches, and satin stitch. This is probably the section I'm least happy with, I think because I'd created some awkward-to-fill shapes that didn't suit my chosen fillings too well... 

Stitches used: Cable chain stitch for the border, top left filling is basic needleweaving (didn't go too well...), below that is trellis and cross filling with some extra cross stitches, left to right lines are then fly stitch, feather stitch and chevron stitch, then a section of french knots with some sheaf stitches below.

The blue section below is based on this Nigerian, indigo-dyed 'adire' cloth, which uses various resist-techniques to achieve its effect.

This section is one of my favourites, and I did the whole thing on Christmas Day - as I mentioned in my last post, I find looking at my needlework like a visual diary, so looking at this section always reminds me of that day.

Stitches used: Scroll stitch for the outline, then from left to right: shaded brick stitch, pendant couching, different types of blanket stitches overlapping, and another section of shaded brick stitch. 

Finally, the last section is based on this amazing '8 knives' robe, belonging to a late 19th/ early 20th century Hausa Nigerian Chieftan. 

The robe had an amazing three-dimensional design to it, and I loved the heavy white embroidery. As such, I wanted to create something quite textured for this section, and it basically turned out a collection of chain stitches.

Stitches used: border is heavy chain stitch, the white swirls are a raised chain band, with everything else filled in with ordinary chain stitch. 

Phew, so there we have it... two very different samplers in terms of stitches, textures and style, made through very different processes and for different purposes... yet they both fit into the definition of a sampler at various points throughout its history.