Léa Lemarchand 1890 Reproduction Sampler
CROSS STITCHREPRODUCTION SAMPLER PATTERN, READY TO DOWNLOAD, BY Couleur Tourterelle

Of French origin (Normandy) , Lea Lemarchand's Sampler is framed by a stunning floral border. It features an alphabet, with quite decorative letters, which has been truncated so as to fit neatly in two rows. 

The main focus however is on the large resting deer, lying on the ground in a forest landscape. The lying deer is a recurrent theme found in quite a few antique samplers. Its format and number of colors vary. This one is quite detailed and characteristic of late 19th century samplers. The motif would have been picked from a published pattern.

In the lower part, next to her name in cursive letters, Léa has stitched the name of her hometown, Athis.

What you cannot see at first glance, and which the designer discovered later, is that there is almost a matching twin sampler stitched by Angelina Angot. The similarities are obvious: same hometown , same general composition, with two lines of alphabet at the top, same signature format at the bottom (see penultimate photo), and a central animal motif: a deer for one, a bird for the other. The two samplers were stitched within a year of each other, by little girls who, it turns out, were actually immediate neighbours. Stitch both samplers and these two young girls will be reunited forever.

The original sampler (last photo) is part of the personal collection of Meriem Chauvet of Couleur Tourterelle . The reproduction cross stitch chart strictly reproduces every stitch and matches all colors of the original sampler.

Reproduction Sampler stitched using Soie d'Alger silk from Au Ver à soie (AVAS) or DMC, worked on 36ct linen. Size 15.5 x 15.5 inch (40 x 40 cm).
As the design only features regular and full cross stitches, you can stitch it on any fabric of your choice, including over 1 fabric thread, or on Aida fabric.

A cross stitch pattern by Couleur Tourterelle.

>> see more Reproduction Sampler patterns by Couleur Tourterelle
 

Chart info & Needlework supplies for the pattern:
Léa Lemarchand 1890 Reproduction Sampler

Chart size in stitches: 276 x 279 (wide x high)
Needlework fabric: 36ct Edinburgh linen from Zweigart ,in color 52"
Stitched size: 15.5 x 15.5 inch (40 x 40 cm)
Stitches: cross stitch over 2 threads
Chart: Color and B&W, includes one-page chart for Digital stitching
Threads: Soie d'Alger silk from Au Ver à soie (AVAS) or DMC
Number of colors: 22

Themes: France, late 19th century, lying deer, forest landscape, decorative floral border

>> see all Late 19th centuryReproduction Samplers (all designers)

>> see all patterns featuring Deer & Woodland animals (all designers)

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