The Lady and the Castle in an Autumn Landscape

Stitcher’s Name:       Ellen Daniels

Designer:                   The Scarlet Letter
                                    Marsha Parker

My love of needlework began many years ago as a child watching my grandmother and mother needlepoint, crochet, tat, embroider, and knit.  I was intrigued, yet it wasn’t until some years later that I discovered my real passion for needlework.  I love the peace, the calm that come over me when picking up needle and thread.  Needlework has helped me through some serious medical issues and also given me great joy stitching for family (including my first grandchild!) and friends.

Antique samplers have fascinated me for many years.  I love their history – the “stories” they have to tell, as well as the composition of the pieces, fabrics and fibers used, the meanings of the motifs and patterns, and stitch techniques utilized.  As I reproduce them, I often wonder what life was like for each of these needleworkers so long ago.  

I have stitched many traditional samplers from Europe and the United States with the usual alphabets, numbers, motifs, phrases, moralistic verses, poems, and so on.  When I found “The Lady and the Castle in an Autumn Landscape,” I just knew I had to stitch this incredible piece.  This is a pictorial canvaswork design, far different from any sampler I had stitched before.  In addition, I loved the colors and composition, and silk thread and 35-count linen are wonderful to work with. Looking more closely, I realized the entire piece was done in tent stitch over one thread. Would I be “bored” doing just one stitch?  The answer to that was a resounding “no!”  It was “soothing,” taking approximately five (5) months to complete. I can honestly say it is my most favorite piece to have stitched!  I am so honored to have received The Princess Grace Award, the Delegates’ Choice Award, and 1st Place, Independent Project, Non-Professional.

Marsha describes the sampler as “illustrating a transition between the needlework styles and conventions of the 17th and early 18th centuries.  Although undated, clothing styles depicted are clearly more of the period of William and Mary than James.  Romantic or mythical pastoral themes, such as this, were very popular in early 18th century pictorial canvasworks, while the subjects of works of the previous century tended to be more biblical, classical, or moralistic.  A skilled needlewoman most likely worked this at home (as opposed to in a school or specialist shop environment).  The brilliant colors are authentic to the period.”  

Perhaps someday many years from now, the individual who holds “The Lady” will wonder about what was going on in the life of the person who stitched this piece. 

Excerpt of Conversation between Tony Minieri and Judy Souliotis about this piece
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Last updated Monday, October 9th, 2006