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Saturday 4 July 2015

The Alphabet Club

It's the first Saturday of the month, so it's time for detention!

"They only met online, but it changed their lives forever"

I think most of you know the lovely enigmatic Chiara who blogs at The Grey Tail?  We were chatting via email a while back and between us came up with the idea of an A-Z language challenge.  We batted some ideas around and are calling it the The Alphabet Club.  Chiara has the full details on that link but basically she will post a link-up post on the first Saturday of each month (Saturday being detention day in the film) starting with the letter A and we will all link up with A themed things, from stitching to designers and local customs.

Now there was a vote on Chiara's blog as to whether we would start in July or August, and August won the vote.  So I thought I would start a month early, but not with A.  I toyed with the idea of inventing a new letter or maybe using a symbol but then thought I would go for the Entire Alphabet, yes, all of it.  In other words - Alphabet Samplers I have stitched.  So here are just a few...

A little tiny one from a cross stitch magazine back in 1995

Blue Sampler, started by my Mum and finished by me in 1995


Spooky Hallowe'en from Better Homes & Gardens book of Alphabets and Borders.
Stitched in 1996


Another tiny from a cross stitch book, stitched in 1999


Sampler for the Large Boy, chart from a library book.
Stitched while pregnant in 2002


Freebie from Vavi
Stitched on 40 count linen in 2012

A Dark Alphabet
Free design from  Note of Friendship 
Stitched over 1 on 28 count tea dyed evenweave in 2011-12


Turquoise ABC Sampler from Cross Stitcher 249
Stitched on 32count evenweave in 2012
Birth sampler for my friend with her two children's names added

Scarlet Letter - Elizabeth Burrows 1725
Stitched on 35 count SL linen
Using Olde Willow and DMC

This sampler was stitched as part of the Scarlet Letter Year challenge to celebrate Nicola Parkman's 50th Birthday in 2013

The Little Owl Sampler by Knotted Tree Needleart from the Just Cross Stitch Hallowe'en Ornie Special 2012.  Stitched in 2014

So, there we have it!  A wide selection of alphabets for you to enjoy.  Of course, several of my samplers have an alphabet somewhere within them but I wanted to show those where the alphabet is the main focus of the piece.

To finish off I will show a year long project I completed in 2013, the JBW Alphabet Kitties:


I chose a different fabric and thread colour for each month and finished them into a little ornie embellished with a suitable charm.

Finally, the cat pictures bring us nicely to the Summer Postcard Blog Hop where the theme is Pets.  So far it seems that stitchers love their cats!  I do have some other animals too and it would be nice to have some more. The first postcard has been sent out to Stitching Noni, so go and stalk her blog as it will be appearing there soon.






24 comments:

Brigitte said...

Lol, the whole alphabet challenge in one post, not bad, this idea. First I thought I had read it wrong and the challenge already started this month, but sigh, big relief, it's August 1st. Already the first stress-situation even before the challenge will start.
Great post, JO.

cheryl said...

I love all of your alphabets! I enjoy stitching them as well. I remember watching you stitch all of the kitty alphabets - that was a lot of fun!

Vickie said...

What an excellent, impressive collection of alphabets Jo! :D
I read Noni's Postcard post. Perfect for her.

gominam said...

Wow, too many nice alphabet samplers! My favorites are the one you stitched with your mom and the dark alphabet. They're all pretty, thanks for sharing:)

Linda said...

I loved seeing all of your stitched alphabets Jo. They are all beautiful and hard to pick a favorite. I too love to stitch alphabets and words.

Linda

Barb said...

I love seeing all that wonderful work! Thanks for sharing!!

Kaisievic said...

Fabulous alphabet samplers, Jo and you have done well with your early detention!

Bea said...

Phew, you scared me for a moment - thought I had screwed up the start date! Wonderful variety of alphabets and I love the cats (of course!).

Kate said...

Beautiful samplers, Jo! But I especially love the kitties themed for each month. I'm still debating the Alphabet Club; good thing I have another month to decide!

Mini said...

I'm not a big sampler fan but these Alphabet Samplers are gorgeous. You have some collection!!

Justine said...

I love how you adapted the Turquoise sampler Jo, great idea and it's so pretty. Do you have a bit of a "thing" for alphabets?!

Christine said...

So you were in detention a month early eh? Bad bad girl!
Lovely alphabet samplers

Sarah in Stitches said...

Wow, that is a lot of alphabet samplers! They all look gorgeous. I especially love "A Dark Sampler" - perfect for you! :D

jocondine said...

Waouh ! As Christine I guess you have been locked long time ago, maybe as a princess in a donjon stitching and watching dragons by your window... So glad Summer Postcard BH started in southern hemisphere. xxx

gracie said...

Wonderful samplers....I was sorry that I was not up to this blog hop...the next one for sure....

Leonore Winterer said...

Wow, that's a lot of Alphabets! Personally, I don't like it too much when designs have the whole Alphabet in them, but some of yours are really cute. I like the Dark Alphabet one ^_^ and it's a great idea to start the Alphabet Club off like this!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Those are all wonderful samplers!!!!

Anonymous said...

oh this is beautiful! thank you so so much, Jo!!
and so many samplers I had missed! I really like the cats, of course (I saw them appear one month after the other) and the little owl, Vavi's and the one you stitched in 2002.. just beautiful!
I'll add a link thingie to a quick sticky post to announce my official hiatus from social media - stay tuned!

Anna van Schurman said...

You had me panicked at first that this was starting without me! Stil love Turquoise ABC Sampler.

KimM said...

Hoo-HA! What a great post!! Loved it all - and what treasures.
xxx

Katie said...

I don't like doing alphabets but you sure made them fantastic. Great work!!! I enjoyed the first hop and can't wait for more hopping to happen haha.

Stitching Noni said...

Oh my goodness, what "an abundance of alphabets" you have there!!!
I am really looking forward to the Alphabet Club - it will be heaps of fun :o)
I just need to make sure that I am very organised ahead of time so that I that I don't have the "agony" of not knowing what to post each month!!
Thank you for organising the blog hop... can't wait to see all those lovely pets popping up all over the place!
Hugs xx

Joysze said...

It was such a guilty pleasure ogling over all your alphabet finishes. I don't think I've ever stitched one! My response to friends asking to me stitch alphabet samplers have always been "I already know them!" LOL. xox

The Crafty Princess said...

Holy Moly that's alot of alphabet samplers. My favourite is the Dark Alphabet but you knew that. :>
xo Alicia