#sampler alphabet

[string-or-nothing]

FILE FOLDER ARCHAEOLOGY

It happens that this week a couple of people have stumbled upon this old unfinished sampler that now hangs on my Wall of Shame.  It’s unfinished because I had started it as a wedding present for a friend. Sadly her engagement ended before the wedding. I never felt like finishing it off after that, although I still have it. It’s also the only piece I have ever done on Aida. I didn’t enjoy working…

[onyxbird]

Spent two episodes of Critical Role working on my first attempt at double-faced tablet weaving, and I'm quite pleased with how my little sampler band is turning out! Warped it in gray and black to try some Vax'ildan-inspired patterns given what I was planning to listen to while working (and because simple daggers seemed like an achievable pattern).

It did include some frustrating periods of unweaving to correct things (requiring some sleuthing to figure out exactly how to turn the cards back), but frankly surprisingly little considering I was tweaking the designs of both the daggers and the letters on the fly. (Apparently luck really was on my side today. 😉)

The back side comes out in the same pattern but reversed colors.

The original alphabet pattern I used as a starting point was from Jeanne Clifton (https://sites.google.com/site/elenasthreads/card-weaving/my-card-weaving-patterns). I made multiple tweaks to the letters for my weave, including thickening all the horizontal pieces to get more even width in the woven letters.

[elkkiel]

okay so i listened to the summoning and take me back to eden (it autoplayed so i figured i might as well listen it to it) and. wow. not what i expected at all! i'm a big fan of songs shifting genres and it looks like they do that for all of their songs so thats really cool!!

i would love to listen to any more reccomendations you have, since typically i enjoy music that's faster paced. i really really liked the summoning though, and the lyrics for take me back to eden. wow. like. WOW. i did research into their lore and it bangs so damn hard

thanks for the rec :)

(also, sorry about the a/b/o stuff with other fandoms :( i love talking about it for pwp reasons and socioeconomic theorizing reasons so my blog is a safe place for that stuff if you want :))

I am absolutely elated that you like what you've heard so far!!!! And also so so sorry for the rabbit hole you're going to fall down with these guys

I would honestly recommend the whole Take Me Back to Eden album as a new listener—I looped it for practically a month straight when I first found them haha. It's a great sampler of their range and by far the most refined, cohesive release of their main 3 LPs.  

Beyond just getting you to listen to a whole album in one sitting, here's some of their popular songs/singles:

(Btw, there's a TON of good live recordings for some of these as well; they sound just as good, if not better, on stage as they do in-studio)

Alkaline

This is the one with the sexy banner/mic stand stroking lol. It's a sensual, synth-y intro leading into a hell of a headbanger with chuggy guitars

The Summoning

Mentioning this for the live performances in particular. Vessel goes CRAZY with his live vocals, there's a huge drum solo in that atmospheric part, and a LOT of on-stage shenanigans to be had. It's the song that made them blow up HARD, and for a good reason.

Rain (ty @tonguetyd for the rec lol, here's a last-minute addition)

This is another great sample of Vessel's vocals, especially in the intro. It starts slower with the solo piano but gets really powerful in the second half. A personal and fan-favourite for sure!

Hypnosis

If you vibe with Alkaline, you'll vibe with Hypnosis. It's like ultra-concentrated, pathetic sopping wet paper towel levels of yearning with groovy, heavy breakdowns

The Offering

A setlist staple that'll make you want to dive headfirst into the nearest mosh pit. This is a good example of the music tying into the lore/story behind the band as well, if you're interested in that kind of lore analysis

Jaws

An oldie but a fan favourite! It might just be me but it kinda gives me Bring Me the Horizon vibes, so if you like them then you'll probably like Jaws as well

Vore

Yes, it's called Vore. Welcome to Sleep Token lol. It's one of their heaviest songs with lots of harsh vocals (Vessel really shows off his higher range here) and super groovy, dynamic instrumentals. Personal fave tbh, it's at the top of my Spotify repeats playlist

And finally, the lore 🥰🥰 I've only been here a short time and still have yet to discover a lot of their story, but here's an overview of the band history and lore, as well as an in-depth interview with Vessel from 2017. They like to add a lot of Easter eggs to their releases (they created a whole ass alphabet/cypher to go along with Take Me Back to Eden), and the fans go WILD with theories and analysis!

Anyways I'm gonna cut off the infodump there haha. Please let me know what you think and if you run across anything else (songs, lore, etc.) that you liked!!

(Also ty for the omega solidarity 😌 the sleep token fandom is so much fun and still exists in the same weirdo-freak realm as dtblr omegaverse-enthusiasts lol. There's just far less *actual* omegaverse here.

I've been spoiled by the sheer amount of a/b/o content and normalization in the dteam fandom that normal amounts of fandom a/b/o feel like total deprivation. If you ever feel like sharing I'm always down for theories and headcanons too btw. It's such a fun, complex trope and I love to see what others think)

[brostateexam]

The pageant was actually very fun! It was a dual pageant for both Miss San Francisco and Miss Oakland, with one candidate competing for both titles because she qualified for both, and every other contestant only competing for one or the other.

There was a really long interview section that actually began hours before the rest of the pageant that we as the audience are not privy to, but that teed up the first event which was the Q&A section: based on their thirty minute interview with the judges, each contestant is given a question to answer in front of the audience with zero preparation. The questions were not what I expected. They were fucking hard! A sampler:

Many say that the San Francisco public school system is broken. How would you fix it?

There's only 1 mental health provider for every 20,000 people in this country. How can we increase the number of Bay Area health resources for our vulnerable populations here?

What would you do as MIss Oakland to uplift diverse communities that are often overlooked or ignored?

Then there was a talent section which was objectively all over the map, but included some people who were pretty great. One of the ladies did powerlifting as her talent. There was also speed sculpting, spoken word poetry, and some actually talented dancing (ballet, tae kwan do / modern, Tahetian, and West African), as well as some less inspired dancing, a few good instrumental performances and a few not-so-great ones, and a few singers.

Then there was the red carpet section, which basically meant they came out wearing ballgowns, and some of them had capes on. They were sparkly and statement-y and cool.

In the end, Miss San Francisco went to a transwoman contestant for the first time, and honestly? She was awesome. She did spoken word to Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman and then at the end instead of her bio-family being onstage with her it was this cadre of extremely mean young 20s twinks who had gone wild every time she was up on stage. It was very touching to see her be with her found family; they were so proud of her that it made me tear up.

And Miss Oakland is also an exciting story, because she is my boyfriend's sister's girlfriend. She is also a remarkable woman, but mostly i like her because she's very sweet and she's good to Miri.

Also it's good to see that the alphabet mafia has its glittery stiletto heel firmly on the neck of the Miss America pageant, at least in this neck of the woods. Both contestants will go on to compete for Miss California, later on this year, and you know, I may actually want to go and watch her compete, even though it's in Visalia.

It was way more fun and way less silly than I thought it was going to be.

[farkenshnoffingottom]

Alright @wolves-in-the-world I haven't completely finished detail work, but I've had it up to this point for months now, and I don't know when I'll get around to finalizing it. So, without further ado, may I present:

M is for Murdering Moreau

[Image ID: A cross stitch fancy cursive alphabet sampler on a black background. Capital letters are in pale green and lowercase letters are in a rosy pink. The pattern is interrupted at M to say "M is for Murdering Moreau" in bright red blocky letters. There is a small gradient yellow to brown border. End ID]

Inspired by this post. Full pattern and project info here

[somediyprojects]

Tradewinds stitched by Darkling42. Pattern ($6.99) designed by Teresa Wentzler.

“This took me three years to complete. I used the beautiful Tradewinds design by Teresa Wentzler ([link]) for the majority of it. I love the colors and detail she uses for her patterns. This sampler originally had the alphabet in the blocks that now contain the maps. Since I am well acquainted with the alphabet, I found nautical charts, converted them to cross stitch, and added a few more symbols. Sadly, I'm too broke to get this framed properly at the moment, but I did find the perfect blue driftwood style frame. <shaking fist at the cost of conservation glass>”

[serpensortiamaxima]

SFW Alphabet - Anwen edition

this is an actual embroidery sampler from 1888 btw. And yes, I will do the NSFW version too but these take time lol.

— A stands for Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Anwen needs to warm up to people, which can make her seem very cold at first. She's not the kind to show affection easily and refrains from physical contact despite it being her love language unless whoever she feels affection towards shows vulnerability. The gesture depends on how close to her or how receptive the other person is. Natty and Poppy might get a hug, Ominis is more likely to recieve a comforting squeeze on the shoulder. Sebastian is an exception, he got nothing but words until the dam broke.

— B stands for Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

So. Protective. She doesn't care how the friendship starts, what she's interested in is how interesting the person is. She considers Poppy to be her best friend and as much as she knows she can stand her ground just fine, Anwen will always feel like she's responsible for keeping her safe. She's the kind of best friend who will plot revenge if someone breaks her best friend's heart while comforting them. She'll make them a special tea blend and bring them whatever they like as long as she can make them feel better.

— C stands for Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Anwen loves cuddling but it's a very exclusive privilege. She's not the type to be able to seperate cuddling from romantic feelings, so that's something she keeps for Sebastian. Her cuddles are almost smothering, she would coil like a python around him if she could. She needs skin contact, she needs the slow thumping of a heartbeat. It's a highly sensory, intimate experience for her which is why she's not willing to cuddle with just anyone and she expects the same kind of intensity from the other person.

— D stands for Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Yes. No. It's complicated. Anwen's biggest fear is to lose her freedom and she would need to be completely sure that settling down wouldn't burden her to be able to consider it. At the same time, she does need somewhere she can feel safe and have some reprieve, so she's always struggling between the idea of being able to settle down and the need to break free.

Since she was raised outside of the wizarding world, she has been instilled with very a specific etiquette and manners when it comes to housekeeping. She knows how to cook, clean or budget like what would have been expected of a Victorian young lady. One of the first things she taught herself in Hogwarts was domestic spells so that she could finally be free of having to clean the muggle way.

— E stands for Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Anwen isn't one to break up on impulse. It would be a meticulous approach in different steps, all of which are (unfortunately) quite manipulative. First, she would gradually withdraw her proofs of affection in the hopes that her partner starts resenting her for it. She think that making the other party hate her would, in the end, be beneficial for them.

And if that doesn't work, the second approach she would consider would be summarized by "if you love me, let me go". Chances are, she would still hold feelings. If she leaves, it is either because it is driving her to the edge of insanity or because she knows it's better for her partner. She would frame it as a sacrifice and romanticize the idea.

— F stands for Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Very similar to the idea of settling down, the idea of commitment creates conflicting feelings for Anwen. She wants it to some degree, but she also feels the weight of responsibility on her shoulders and fears the loss of her freedom. Eventually, she would get married and, very much like what she'd do if she were to break up, she would frame it as a sacrifice. She'd make sense of it by comparing herself to a sacrificial victim slaughtered on the altar of love, but she would never voice it, preferring to put on yet another mask to maintain the appearance of the ideal bride.

— G stands for Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

It depends on the situation. In an intimate moment, she could be as gentle as light breeze, which she shows through tender gestures of affection and words. She raised herself on poetry and has the ability to choose just the right words that someone needs to hear. However, she can also be brutal if she thinks that gentleness isn't effective, this is more often verbal rather than physical. She adapts the what she thinks the other person is more receptive to, and if that is violent honesty, she will be violent.

— H stands for Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

She sees hugs as an inferior octave to cuddles and therefore is more willing to hug friends. Like her general shows of affection, her hugs tend to be somewhat swift and perhaps a bit distant, unless there is a specific emotional reason to linger. If she wants to provide comfort, her hugs are a bit tighter. If the person is weeping, she will place a hand on the back of their head to communicate understanding. Outside from that, though, she keeps them to the minimum.

— I stands for "I love you" (How fast do they say the L-word?)

The first "I love you" is one that needs to be coerced out of her lips. Anwen would need to be under incredible stress, fear or frustration for her to let it slip out. It can take months for her to even acknowledge that she's fallen in love. She has convinced herself that being loved by her is a curse and tries to keep that feeling under control until she can't anymore. Once this step has been reached, though, her attitude towards the weighty sentence relaxes and she will say it when the moment allows it.

— J stands for Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Her jealousy is covert. She's not controlling and won't attempt to micromanage who her partner is spending time with outside of her. However, she pays attention to the body language and attitude of these people. If someone steps over the line of flirtatiousness, she will inquire on the person, befriend them and find their weaknesses. This way she can keep a close eye on them and drive them away through persuasion.

— K stands for Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Kisses, alongside cuddles, are where Anwen's coldness ends. She is a very passionate kisser and no spot of skin is safe from the assault both on the giving and receiving end. She needs someone who can match the intensity she brings on the table and will expect her partner to let go of all inhibitions. She likes to kiss the neck and chest most, though she's also quite partial to kissing someone's hands. As for where she likes to be kissed, it'd probably be a tie between the neck, her shoulders and her forehead.

— L stands for Little ones (How are they around children?)

She's benevolant towards kids but feels unable to connect with them in ways that matter. Spending time with children doesn't awake anything in her and she doesn't particularly enjoy it. That said, she could be interested in a specific child if she spotted some kind of potential in them and would feel more comfortable taking a mentorship role rather than a parenting one.

— M stands for Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Over a cup of tea. This is the most important part of Anwen's routine. While it is typically a time reserved for herself, she would gladly spend it with her partner, either in bed or somewhere else. Brewing a cup tea for someone is something of a love language, she would choose their favourite blend, learn if they want milk and how much, as well as how much sugar if any. She would go the extra mile to make it as perfect as possible. She absolutely loves slow and lazy mornings when she can bask in the warmth of tea and cuddles.

— N stands for Night (How are nights spent with them?)

The sleepless ones, for the sake of sticking to SFW, are spent either outside or reading, researching. Anwen hates the dorms and would rather retreat anywhere but there. She'll go to the common room only when she has to. She uses the Scriptorium as an office more than she does the Room of Requirement due to its proximity to the common room. Only Sebastian knows he can find her there and often does so.

— O stands for Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Anwen's philosophy is that what she reveals about herself must match what is being revealed to her. Her trust is earned and feels more at ease with this type of almost transactional trust than being open without care. She is keenly aware that any information she gives (and any information she receives) is putting her in a vulnerable position, since she doesn't back away from using what she knows about people against them, which also explains why she feels the need for reciprocity when opening up. Still, she typically knows more about people than they do about her.

— P stands for Patience (How easily angered are they?)

She's patient until she's not anymore. Anwen isn't impulsive, even when angered. She has the type of silent and cold anger that translates into cynicism, sarcasm and contempt when it is expressed. Those are all warning signs, if her interlocutor presses, however, that's when she will become cruel. Still calm, but she will go for where it hurts and twist the knife until the other person is on their knees. She doesn't raise her wand until the other has done it first.

— Q stands for Quizzes (How much would they remember about people? Do they remember every little detail mentioned in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

She remembers everything important. And important, in her definition, can be both small things that she can use to soothe, comfort and show affection, like it can be the other person's deepest, darkest secrets. Every bit of information matters to her, what she does with it very much depends on circumstances.

— R stands for Remember (What is their favorite moment in the relationship?)

She values the deep, long heart to heart discussions she has with the one(s) she loves, especially the ones where she has declared her love in some shape or form. As far as Sebastian is concerned, she goes as far as to store the most important milestones and memories for him. Her logic being that, should something happen to her, he could relive their most important moments and hold on to them if needed.

— S stands for Security (How protective are they? How would they protect their loved ones? How would they like to be protected?)

Anwen is protective to a fault. She always feels like the security of everyone depends on her actions. She would sacrifice herself for Sebastian in a heartbeat but also refuses to be given the same treatment. She doesn't ask for help and it takes someone stubborn to force her to accept help. It's a relentless battle of will between her and the people who love her to the point where she will hide what she's up to if she thinks it's dangerous to make sure that no one tries to save her from herself. Sebastian has to outsmart her, and he does more than she'd like.

— T stands for Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Because she's aware of how cold she can be, Anwen puts in extra efforts for special occasions. It's her way of reminding the ones she loves that she does care, she does listen to them, she does know what will bring a smile on their faces. What it is exactly depends on them, but she is thoughtful and typically finds something unusual but spot on. She cares more about what they need rather than what they want. And, if she's truly out of ideas, she'll hand pick sweets or a blend of tea that she knows will work nicely.

— U stands for Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Anwen has many vices. From her penchant for manipulation to her growing addiction to opium and opium by-products. The events that unfolded during her Fifth year left her struggling with sleep, and that's why she initially came back to using laudanum for more than a painkiller. It was a sleep aid at first, and as the stress and despair got worse, her use of substances increased. She finds comfort in the numbness it brings, it was a short reprieve for the night before having to face the waking nightmare again. By the end of the Fifth year, with everything that happen, she is left with a hollowness that needs to be filled somehow.

— V stands for Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

She cares about her looks but, at least through the fifth year and the first half of the sixth, she's a mess and simply doesn't have the energy to care as much as she would like to. The moments where she lets her personality and appearance shine are when she's out of her uniform, or if she dresses for a ball, in which case she will typically wear red.

— W stands for Whole (Would they feel incomplete without her loved one?)

She would. It would hurt. Her entourage is already limited and she holds on to Sebastian and her closest friends like a lifeline. If she were to lose them, she'd survive, but it would be with a newfound sense of bitterness and despair.

— X stands for Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

She has an agreement with Ominis that Sebastian doesn't know about and a life-binding pact with Sebastian that Ominis doesn't know about. Once it was decided that they wouldn't turn Sebastian in, Ominis and Anwen met up in the Undercroft to discuss how to deal with the twins. Their agreement was that Anwen would handle Sebastian and keep him occupied as much as possible, while Ominis would stay in touch with Anne and let Anwen know of anything important, even if it needs to be kept from Sebastian and vice-versa.

As for Sebastian and Anwen, their promise came later, and came down to vowing to protect each other regardless of what became of their relationship. Even if they grew to hate one another, they would be forced to make sure the other was safe.

— Y stands for Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

In general, Anwen doesn't like being underestimated or challenged. It makes the defiant and nasty side of her come out. She doesn't play fair and will make sure to prove everyone wrong and, for the sake of humiliation, will make a show out of it.

In a partner, she wouldn't be able to stand if they were too nice or too good. She needs someone who can be a partner in crime and doesn't want to be questioned on the morality of her actions and methods. She also values eloquence and intelligence and wouldn't be able to stand someone whose mind didn't entertain hers.

— Z stands for Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Aside from needing extra help for sleep, as her sleep schedule has become more and more disturbed throughout the fifth year, she likes to sleep on her side or on her stomach. She goes to bed way too late, usually around 1 or 2 in the morning and is very often underslept on class days. Because she hates sleeping in the dorms, she's taken a habit to sleeping anywhere else, including the Room of Requirement, the Scriptorium, the Undercroft, even Fig's bedroom in the Faculty Tower after he died, which is by far the most comfortable. She rarely remembers the dreams she had, and when she does, it's often not good ones.

[tkrbthree]

Working on another self-drafted commission project.

A dear friend and mentor asked me if I would make a sampler of the Cornish alphabet for them.

I did some research and found some symbols and images associated with Cornwall.

The first was this brooch found in Trewhiddle, Cornwall, from the 9th Century. Once I saw it I knew I had to try to recreate a part of it.

I think the likeness is very good. I’m excited to see this piece take shape.

Let’s see if I can get it done by St. Piran’s Day.

[octochan]

I'm on a tear with cross stitch/pixel art recently. I was thinking, 'hey, cross stitch samplers typically feature an alphabet. Ouija boards - also famous for having an alphabet.' So I had to make this.

Stitchfiddle doesn't let you set a different background colour than white, so I had to invert this in photoshop.

[quotesfrommyreading]

Sometime in 1598, Jane Bostocke, a young Shropshire gentlewoman, finished a long worked-over project, carefully stitching her designs and lettering into a piece of linen with various coloured silks, and decorating the result with small beads and seed pearls. As well as intricate geometric designs, she carefully stitched a dog with a collar and a lead, as well as a rather more exotic chained bear. She included trees and flowers and a small heraldic lion. It is clear that Jane changed her mind on more than one occasion, carefully unpicking a castle on an elephant, a squirrel cracking a nut and a raven.

Jane intricately stitched the letters of the alphabet, too, before recording her name, the date and the birth of her cousin, Alice Lee, on 'the 23 of November being Tuesday in the afternoon 1596'. She may already have begun the work before her cousin's birth, later deciding to present it to her as a gift. Undoubtedly, the work of stitchery must have taken her many hours of careful work – sometimes by the light of the window, sometimes with a candle burning close at hand. The result is the earliest surviving English sampler that is dated, and it now resides in London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

Upper-class Tudor girls, such as those at Sherriff Hutton, and women such as Jane Bostocke spent much of their time at their needlework. A sampler of the kind on which Jane worked was intended for the beginner, allowing girls and young women to perfect different types of stitching. Another surviving Elizabethan example, by a girl who stitched her name as 'Susan Neeadri', contains the queen's arms and initials accompanied by heraldic beasts. This sampler, which is long and narrow, is extremely intricate, its top panel embroidered in red and gold silk and the second panel in black and silver. The remaining bands were worked with cheaper, linen thread.

Lower down the social scale, too, girls were taught embroidery. Thomasine Wolters, an orphan living in Sandwich, Kent, in the 1580s-90s, was boarded out in the house of a Mistress Smythe. There, she was taught to sew; she later purchased her sampler from her old mistress when she left to marry. The Sandwich Board of Orphans, which oversaw Thomasine's modest inheritance and paid for her maintenance, also periodically purchased silk thread for her work. As well as producing beautiful embroidery, Thomasine had been taught to stitch her own gowns and coifs to cover her hair, and to make lace.

Sewing was, after all, a practical skill. Tudor women commonly made and repaired their own clothing, and even high-born women stitched clothes. Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was skilled at shirt-making. The future Elizabeth I sent her half-brother, Edward VI, a shirt 'of her own working' as a New Year's gift when she was just six years old. Women frequently made vestments and other items for churches, too. Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting, Blanche Parry, gave an altar cloth that she had made to the church of St Faith's in Bacton in Herefordshire in 1589.

There was nothing unusual in seeing Tudor girls and women of all classes sitting with their heads bent, stitching.

  —  The Lives of Tudor Women (Elizabeth Norton)

[marshvlovestv]

Happy Next Fest! I decided this year to do something I never do and let myself get hype for some upcoming games! Over the past few days, I tried out twelve Next Fest demos - some of them weren't for me, but most were really promising, and I thought I would share the five games I tried which I am the most excited for, along with the notes I wrote immediately after playing each one.

(They're in alphabetical order, not ranked)

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood - THIS GAME IS SO DOPE I AM SO HYPE FOR THE FULL RELEASE!!! I was sad when the demo ended! It especially deserves a Let’s Play - let’s see if I will be brave enough to read aloud the sexually explicit dialogue when the time comes.

In Stars and Time - “Guy who speaks exclusively in puns” is not my favorite archetype already but to make them the FREAKIN PROTAGONIST… That aside, this was quite the charming introduction. Cool character designs and music. The rock-paper-scissors combat is so goofily literal that it circles back around to awesome, and I am a sucker and a half for a time loop.

Saltsea Chronicles - Very cute but I expected as much from Die Gute Fabrik. Has the same casual but profoundly human slice-of-life storytelling as Mutazione, and I see a lot of replayability potential in choosing which characters go on missions and the conflict resolution mechanics.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical - I would rather play this game than see most of what is currently on Broadway (meant as a jab at those jukebox biopics of pop musicians, not anything actually original). The way the demo was structured might have spoiled some story beats, but I don’t know how else they could have done it; it was a sampler of musical numbers, and from it seems these musical numbers really drive the plot in a meaningful way! Awesome!

Verne: The Shape of Fantasy - Puzzles are just tricky enough, although I think the game could let you struggle a little longer before giving hints. The pixel art and voice acting is so nice.

[hollosene]

(Top) The Solar System, sampler, unknown maker, 1811, England. Museum no. T.92-1939. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Given by Lady Mary St John Hope.

(Bottom) The World, sampler, unknown maker, late 18th century, England. Museum no. T.44-1951. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Bequeathed by Mrs I. M. C. Robinson.

“Embroidered samplers played a crucial role in a young girl’s education. Not only did these samplers teach girls basic embroidery techniques, but they also learned the alphabet, numbers, and sometimes a biblical verse.”

“Map samplers allowed girls to not only show they had acquired detailed knowledge of the physical form of England and Europe but also the entire world – and even the solar system.”

Sources:

“Embroidery – a history of needlework samplers” on the V&A website

“Embroidered Samplers and Women’s Education in 19th Century America” on the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum blog

[mistantiques]

Discover the Charm of a 19th Century Antique Embroidery Needlework Sampler

Step back in time with an exquisite 19th-century antique embroidery needlework sampler in our collection. Crafted in 1841 by Ann Elizabeth Stewart at the tender age of seven this is a rare and unique piece for your collection. Priced at £220.00, this early Victorian sampler is a beautiful representation of childhood creativity and the meticulous art of needlework from the era.

A Closer Look

This charming antique textile showcases the alphabet in various forms along with numbers, demonstrating the educational aspect of samplers during the Victorian period. What sets this piece apart is the delightful addition of intricate motifs including birds, trees, flowers, and crowns. These elements are not only well-designed but also carefully stitched, reflecting the young artist's skill and attention to detail.

Historical Significance

Samplers, which have been crafted since the 17th century, are a unique form of embroidery used to showcase needlework skills. Traditionally, children stitched samplers using silk or wool thread on a canvas base. These pieces often featured alphabets, numbers, verses, and decorative motifs, and were typically framed and displayed on walls. Over centuries, samplers have evolved but remain a cherished art form, resonating deeply with social history. They highlight the importance of embroidery in women's lives, from royalty to ordinary schoolchildren, offering a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Created in 1841 in England, this sampler serves as a tangible piece of history. It offers a glimpse into the past, where young girls were taught needlework as a fundamental skill. Samplers like this were often used to practice and display proficiency in embroidery, making them cherished keepsakes.

Condition

Considering its age, this needlework sampler is in good antique condition. The preservation of such a piece over nearly two centuries speaks to its quality and the care it has received.

Conclusion

This 19th-century needlework sampler by Ann Elizabeth Stewart is more than just an antique; it’s a piece of history, artistry, and youthful endeavor. Perfect for collectors and enthusiasts of antique textiles, this sampler is a testament to the enduring beauty of Victorian needlework. Visit our website to explore this unique piece.

[grantgoddard]

Congratulations on the birth of music genre 'world music'! : 1987 : The Empress of Russia, London

WORLD MUSIC? The phrase is used with such regularity by the media in recent times that you might think the term had existed forever. But 'world music' was in fact a name artificially created by a small group of music industry people who met monthly during 1987 in a public house in London, England (somewhat appropriately named 'The Empress Of Russia'). 'World music' was devised as an appropriate answer to a simple problem.

Since the early 1980's, a handful of small, independent record labels had sprung up in Britain that were releasing music recorded in Africa, East Europe, Asia and Latin America. These record companies were not interested in the traditional music or quaint 'ethnic' recordings from these continents that western record companies had dabbled in since the earliest days of the phonograph. Instead, upstart labels such as Earthworks, Globestyle and Sterns were interested in bringing the vibrant, contemporary, popular music from other continents to the attention of music fans in Europe and North America. The problem was that record stores throughout the western world had no obvious place to display or file such recordings in their inventory. A record-buyer looking for an album by, for example, The Super Rail Band in music stores had no obvious place to find it. It could be in the 'folk' section, though it was not folk music. It might be in the soul section ("well, the musicians are black, aren't they?") but the music certainly was not soul. So The Super Rail Band was most likely to end up in the 'S' division of the huge 'rock/pop' alphabet, lost in a sea of pouting, preening third-rate mediocrity.

The independent record companies were frustrated by this situation and hurting financially. The potential buyers of their releases were failing to find these albums in record stores. And the record stores were caught in the middle of the situation. If they ordered this type of music product, where should they file it to maximise sales? It was a real problem for all parties. By 1987, a label such as Globestyle had developed an extensive catalogue of 25 album titles, and there needed to be an obvious single point in every record store where potential buyers could find its releases.

The result was a series of regular meetings in 'The Empress of Russia' attended by the managers of twelve pioneering British record labels, as well as DJ's of the few radio shows that played this music, and representatives of record distributors that specialised in this music. By the third meeting, the ad hoc group had agreed upon the name 'world music' as descriptive of all their releases, and each record company contributed £50 per album title towards a jointly funded generic marketing campaign.

Twelve-inch plastic divider cards with the words 'WORLD MUSIC' emblazoned across the top were distributed to every record store across Britain, enabling each to establish a brand new section in its display of album sleeves (this was the pre-CD era). 25,000 copies were distributed of a single-sheet, monochrome leaflet that listed 73 albums available from the twelve record companies. Press releases explaining and describing this new genre called 'world music' were sent to everyone on a media list created by pooling the contacts of the individual record companies.

The interest from all sections of the British media was overwhelming. Many magazines and newspapers ran feature articles about the campaign, as well as spotlights on individual artists whose recordings were being promoted. In October 1987, the popular weekly music newspaper 'NME' produced a special 'NME World Music Cassette' which acted as a sampler for all the record labels' individual releases. By the end of the year, the term 'world music' had been adopted as a new genre of music, not only in Britain, but across Europe.

And what exactly did the phrase 'world music' mean? One of the press releases produced in the marketing campaign explained: "Trying to reach a definition of 'world music' provoked much lengthy discussion [within the committee], and finally it was agreed that it means practically any music that isn't, at present, catered for by its own category e.g.: reggae, jazz, blues, folk. Perhaps the common factor unifying all these world music [record] labels is the passionate commitment of all the individuals to the music itself."

Eleven years later, the debate about the meaning of 'world music' continues to ignite much passion, but the original campaign succeeded beyond its participants' wildest dreams. A section of 'world music' – whatever it is – can now be found in music stores across the western world.

[First published in 'Toronto World Arts Scene' magazine, August 1998(??)]

POSTSCRIPT: How do I know? Because I was there.

[original: https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/08/congratulations-on-birth-of-music-genre.html ]

[price1972]

After decades of stitching for other people (and a lot for myself, of course), I finally found a wedding sampler I loved for myself. Done on 28 ct antique white evenweave with DMC 501. Pattern name is “Wedding Modern Cross Stitch Pattern, Personalized” by designer HoopModernStitch on Etsy. I used the fancier alphabet from the bride and groom sampler I did for my son & DIL (also from Etsy) for my name. I’m really happy with how it turned out. Just have to sign it, but I’m waiting on a backstitch alphabet book I bought from the destash group.

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[somediyprojects]

Death by Cross Stitch WIP stitched by sgivens_i. Pattern (£22.50) designed by Julia Line of Long Dog Samplers.

Super slow progress on Death by Cross Stitch by Long Dog Samplers. Dislike that it isnt showing the fabric as BLACK. (Please ignore light spots from sunbeams.) It is my once-in-a-lifetime-epic piece.

Variegated gold on black evenweave. Some motifs altered. The alphabet has been replaced by my husband's heraldic device - a medieval hippocampus (sea-horse). I'm using The Gentle Art, Gold Leaf 0420. It's a very subtle variegation and in person, it makes it look like an aged piece. It's so pretty.

I saw one that was plain gold on black and that inspired me. I've seen so many beautiful color combinations on the FB group that are wonderful... I may just have to stitch this again several times in their colorways. Or maybe I'll try them when I'm done with this and ready to tackle Pandemic. 😉