Hands Across The Sea Samplers - Elizabeth Dinsdale 1846

The sampler Elizabeth finished in 1846 shows a maturity in her chosen colour palette. Her verse refers to “midnight”, and she has managed to capture the sense of moonlight playing on the motifs in the top half of the sampler. The moon and stars really do play over the grand Georgian house.

The bottom half of the sampler features two bee skeps and numerous bees busy at work. Bees are fascinating creatures that play a crucial role in our ecosystem. They are responsible for pollinating a third of the food we eat, which makes them essential for our survival. The northern counties are home to a variety of bee species, including the honey bee and the bumble bee.

Contained within this booklet are two reproductions. Elizabeth’s simple primer worked when she was 12 years of age and the sampler she worked three years later. Several motifs in the sampler have been taken from the third sampler. Note the three urns of flowers and the pairs of deer.