:: Fall 2009 
Advice
Stitch a Miniature Sampler on Linen
CyberFibres stitched The Scarlet Letter’s ‘Dear Aunt’ miniature sampler for a dear aunt (see photo) for Christmas. The recipient is a needleworker herself, which added to her appreciation of the gift.
CyberFibres found that the 35-count linen did not have to be mounted in an embroidery hoop or frame to hold its shape during stitching. CyberFibres rolled the linen up at the end of each stitching session, and stored it without flattening it. This prevented having to iron out creases in the linen at work’s end.
This project works up quickly. Allow a month of time for stitching the sampler, if you have a fulltime job and need to fit stitching into evenings and weekends. It is also wise to allow a month for having it framed, if you want a frame shop to finish it for you in time for a specific deadline (e.g. Christmas Day, a birthday, a retirement party).
As with all hand-stitched gifts, this sampler is a truly unique present, made all the more so by its personalized greeting.