{"product_id":"william-curtis-1826","title":"William Curtis 1826","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeeds to be ordered\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Other designs by Hands Across The Sea can be ordered upon request.  Please email.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the Designer's website:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWilliam’s sampler has been reproduced using a palette of 14 colours The model was stitched using Soie 100.3 from Au Ver à Soie, and we have included conversions for Soie d’Alger (SDA) and DMC.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe design area is 252 stitches (w) x 263 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3\" margin for finishing and framing. The model was stitched on a Zweigart-based linen that was overdyed by Seraphim Linen to a shade of Antique Lace.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStitched in 1826 by a boy of just nine years of age, this eye-catching sampler challenges expectation. It speaks not only of skill, but of discipline, patience, and quiet determination. William worked with precision and care, producing a piece that stands confidently alongside, and in many cases surpasses, the work of his female contemporaries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn presenting this sampler, we have chosen to honour William as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Lord of the May\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn England, May Day celebrations marked the arrival of spring, a time of renewal, growth, and community gathering. Central to these festivities was the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQueen of the May\u003c\/strong\u003e, a young girl chosen to represent beauty, youth, and the promise of the season. She was crowned with flowers and presided over the celebrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLess often remembered, but equally present in historical accounts, was her counterpart — the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLord of the May\u003c\/strong\u003e. In some communities, a boy was chosen to stand alongside the May Queen, sharing in the ceremony and embodying balance within the festivities. Together, they represented youth, continuity, and the turning of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is in this spirit that we present William Curtis. His sampler, worked with such care and intention, stands as a fitting companion to the tradition of the May Queen — a rare and compelling example of a boy’s voice expressed through needle and thread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilliam’s sampler is a study in learning and progression. Beginning with cross stitch over two threads of linen, he moves through four-sided stitch and eyelets, before working his verse in cross stitch over a single thread. Satin stitches complete the sequence, demonstrating a confident command of technique at such a young age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is structured and disciplined, with repeating motifs and a carefully controlled colour palette that brings clarity and balance to the design. His verse, stitched in his own hand, speaks directly to the viewer with humility and aspiration — a voice preserved exactly as it was formed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sampler is signed as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003ehis work\u003c\/em\u003e, leaving no ambiguity as to authorship. This is not a name recorded on behalf of a child, but a declaration of effort, learning, and identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSamplers worked by boys are not unknown, but they are not common. Needlework was most often associated with the education of girls, while boys were directed towards literacy and numeracy. William’s sampler therefore stands apart, offering a rare insight into the breadth of early nineteenth-century childhood education and the values of discipline, obedience, and perseverance that shaped it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough many boys named William Curtis were born in 1817, it has not been possible to securely identify the maker within surviving records. What remains is his work — a lasting record of a young boy’s skill and determination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of abilities but it should be noted that the sampler is not suitable for working on Aida.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sampler has been painstakingly reproduced and the model stitched by Lisa Brown. At the very core of Hands Across the Sea Samplers there is a team of needleworkers who are passionate about antique samplers and being able to share those samplers with you.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hands Across The Sea Samplers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48923431960801,"sku":"PTN-HATS-26-2080","price":55.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/4644\/0267\/files\/MG_5117-600x635.jpg?v=1786761245","url":"https:\/\/embroiderymarketplace.ca\/products\/william-curtis-1826","provider":"Embroidery Marketplace - Calgary","version":"1.0","type":"link"}