A Few More of my Favorites from Victoria and Albert in London

Look at the Detail

Isn't this just wonderful? At the museum, you are able to take the samplers out of this wooden case (still covered in glass of course) and take them to a table where you can study them up close. Only a sheet of glass between you and the actual piece! It was heaven.

Close Up!

Just one of the panels from the Mary Queen of Scots Group.

Mary Queen of Scots and her Friend

This is a group of needlepoint which has been ascribed to Mary, Queen of Scots during her captivity and her friend (can't remember the name). What is so wonderful is the brightness of the colors...they stayed very true!

The Grand Daddy of Them All

Just got back from a business trip to Prague and London and I was lucky enough in London to have time to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum. What a treasure trove of stitching. In the next few days, I will be posting plenty of pictures of what I saw. First though, to start with the granddaddy of them all....The oldest dated sampler! I have read about this hundreds of time, but I actually got to pull it out and look at it up close and personal. It is much smaller than I imagined, but the colors and the stitching are incredible. I have some close up pictures of this one that I will also be posting soon!