Rook and Saffron Samplers

If you have seen enough of my samplers for BasicGrey, it's time to avert your eyes! I hope that you are like me though and are excited to see different ways you can use the samplers to different effects. I just finished this large Rook sampler for BasicGrey using their Curio line of fabrics, essential buttons and glazed buttons. I had no other guidelines to work with so I set about creating a layout. I decided to treat the sampler sort of like a quilt. I cut one row of squares to fill out the entire opening. The next row was cut smaller so that there is a border around the fabric.



Then I highlighted one fabric that pulled in a number of the colors from the fabric line by cutting it to fill 4 squares. I embroidered around that large square with a blanket stitch and chose three essential buttons to stitch in place. In each of the smaller "quilt" squares I attached a glazed button that coordinated with the fabric in that square. I really love the way that it turned out.



My second assignment was to design a small Saffron sampler using just BasicGrey vintage buttons. It was hard to show restraint here. I wanted to throw in a little color and embroidery. Instead, I kept it to the buttons but added four petaled flower shapes cut to fit neatly within the shaped opening out of aqua wool felt.



For added interest, I attached one button with a double tie using a champagne colored floss and separated the threads.

I hear that some people are finding these samplers in their local craft stores now such as ACMoore. They would make great Christmas gifts.
Curio fabric can be purchased here.