From the moment I saw this pattern, I knew I had to try it. Mum showed it to me some months back and I was smitten. It’s taken from her hallowed “Hand Book of Stitches” by Grete Peterson and Elsie Svennas. It was one of the first embroidery books she bought. It took a while, a sampler and an embroidered birthday present, between showing me and allowing me to borrow it.

Can you believe this book was initially published in Danish in 1959?


The sampler is an array of filler stitches including satin, padded satin, fishbone, leaf and surface satin stitched with pearle cotton. I have wanted to use a light leafy green but there was very limited selection of colours in the store. I've grown to like this pale minty green and think I might be using a lot more of it. While I’m not a master, at least I now know which ones were easier, quicker or even prettier.