I've decided that I love band samplers. Don't get me wrong, I will always love patterns that are just cross stitch but band samplers definitely have a place in my heart.
I ask you, "What's not to love?". Most band samplers are narrow and by their very nature are broken up into small bits that can mostly be stitched quite quickly. Now if there are any pulled thread or Hardanger sections, those do take some extra effort but I feel it's worth it.
How many other types of stitching typically use a variety of threads? I don't just mean colors. If we were talking about color variety, HAEDs, Marty Bells or a few other designs would win. (The one Marty Bell that I've finished had 132 different colors!) I'm talking about different types of thread. The band sampler that I'm currently stitching uses DMC floss, DMC perle cotton and one Needle Necessities* overdyed floss.
I also love the challenges presented in such a typically small area. My current project, Woodland Violet Sampler from The Sweetheart Tree, uses 8 stitches besides regular cross stitch.
Want a bit of bling? You've got it! Beads, charms, buttons, metallics, lace, silk ribbon...I've used them all on various samplers.
Yep, I'm hooked on band samplers and will probably always keep one in my rotation. Besides, what else is going to fit so perfectly on my 10" scroll rods?
Happy Stitching!
Stacy
* Needle Necessities went out of business but the same colorways, made using the same process, are being made by ThreadWorx. I happen to be using original NN threads 'cause I bought an accessory pack quite awhile ago.
1 comment:
Band samplers are one of my favorite things to stitch as well :) Band samplers and blackwork seem to be extra therapeutic for me, the repetition and the patterns are great stress relief some days.
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