Ann Morison, c. 1830 - A Scottish Reproduction Sampler

This sampler is a Hands Across the Sea reproduction release for Traditional Stitches' 20th Anniversary.  Traditional Stitches is a needlework shop in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  

I usually make minor changes to reproduction samplers (which makes them an adaptation) because I think it is important that anything I stitch is differentiated from the original stitcher and because as I stitch I am creating my own historical document.  It is essential that the little girl who originally stitched the reproduction be honored, but it is equally essential that the modern day stitcher be remembered too.

I wanted to pay homage to my mother, Marion, and her 3 sisters, Gert, Kay and Anna, who passed away on Christmas Eve in 1923 of diphtheria in San Francisco during the epidemic of 1921-1925.  Anna was nine years old.  The vaccine became available for diphtheria in 1923, but evidently it hadn’t gotten distributed in full force before Anna became ill.  Thus, instead of stitching two more rows of alphabets as Ann had done, I entered The Conners sisters' names so they are remembered.

 I put in my name, age, and year in the bottom motif area.  Ann had placed initials of her family members in this area but since they were not applicable to me, I removed them.