The Cross Stitch Collection

The Jane Williams Sampler is a copy of an undated early 19th century piece. It includes all of the original idiosyncrasies and matches the colours as closely as possible to the less faded threads on the reverse of the original work. The verse reads "Remember man and bear in mind a faithfull friend is hard to find and when you found him to be true never change him for a new. Tell me ye knowing and discerning few where I may find a friend both firm and true who dares stand by me when in deep distress and then his love and friendship most express".
Although undated it is very typical of those worked by girls around 1824 and Jane Williams was probably about 10 years old when she stitched it. It is worked mainly in cross stitch with some half cross and a little satin stitch. She has chosen motifs from patterns available to her and balanced them in a very formal way. Although the sampler is fairly constrained and unimaginative she has devised her own alphabet and verse arrangement and the naivety of her accomplishment gives the sampler much of its charm.