Spot Motif Workbox Weight

All my hand-crafted workbox weights, or pincushions, are made from vintage pieces of stitching and combined with either pieces of French linen sheets or the matching linen from Zweigart and Sawitski. This time I have used matching linen on the back as this stitched piece is a nod to the sampler makers of the 18th century and it seemed proper somehow.

This unusual spot sampler includes a variety of counted stitches as well as a hemstitch panel and a pretty drawn thread edging. It is worked on washed unbleached 28-count linen in stranded cottons (floss) It is filled with a combination of dry rice and Cotswold lavender and is supplied wrapped and boxed with and three pearl-headed pins and a matching pair of scissors.

This workbox weight measures 5.5in (14cm) square and is supplied boxed.

In 17th-century Britain spot motif samplers were used to record stitches and patterns, as well as appliqués for garments and furnishings. Many individual designs were stitched on one piece of fabric and rolled and stored in a drawer until more stitching was added. I can recall not buying a spot motif sampler because it had a visible darn, not realizing that it may have been the original stitcher who had cut out a pattern to use on her clothes!