I’ve just started a sampler, it’s another design by Nathalie Cichon of Jardin Prive. I stitched a bee pincushion by Nathalie a few months ago, I love her designs, I think they’re pretty without being twee. I’ve another two samplers waiting to be stitched…

This sampler is called Positive Thinking, it’s actually free on Nathalie’s blog, it was a month by month project last year. It’s got a lovely verse on it which Nathalie has translated into several languages. I must admit I was very tempted to stitch it in French, I studied French up to A level, I think it’s a beautiful language. When I looked at the French version though I wasn’t convinced I would remember what it meant, I even considered doing a mini version in English to hang next to it, however on reading her blog, I realised that the poem was originally in English and that she had had some difficulty translating some of the lines, so I decided to stitch in English!

The embroidery that inspired Nathalie

The poem is as follows;

The Way to Happiness

Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry,

Live simply, expect little, give much

Scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others.

I think it was the Scatter sunshine that really confused Google Translate!

It’s proving fairly quick to stitch, I’ve used 16 count even-weave linen, I prefer 18 count but my eyes don’t appreciate it any more! I’m onto the ‘second month’ already, I like having a bit of hand sewing I can just pick up for half an hour in the evenings.

Sharing this with Slow Stitching Sunday and Vintage Embroidery on Monday.