Thrifty Creativity – “A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.”

Samplers, bookmarks, and greeting cards embroidered on perforated paper instead of cloth were popular during the nineteenth century, but their popularity so waned that by the late 1040s this special-purpose paper was no longer made.

The paper is again available – you can find it craft shops or by mail order – and this almost forgotten needlecraft is being revived. The traditional way to embroider on the special paper is to stitch in the design only, leaving the cream colored background unworked.

The sampler pictured above is emboidered with three strands of six strand embroidery cotton in five colors: light, medium and dark green; medium and dark coral. The filled in running stitch alphabets on top are dark green; the cross stitch alphabets on the bottom are medium green; the single motifs between the alphabets combine light green and light coral; all other stitches are either medium green or dark coral.

Here is a chart for the alphabets, border and single motifs – click on the picture to enlarge, then refer to the photograph above for their placement.

Stitching on perforated paper is much like stitching on fabric, with a few exceptions. Because the paper is stiff, you cannot crush the sides to reach the center or put the paper in a hoop, although you can tack it to a frame. The paper does not ravel, so finishing the edges is unnecessary. Select a blunt, slender needle with a long eye. Use two separate motions to make a stitch – do not work the needle in and out of two holes in a single motion. Work evenly and do not pull the stitches very tight. Use thread no thicker than three strands of embroidery cotton to avoid tearing the holes, and stitch over loose ends in back to hold them rather than make knots. When crossing from one letter to the next on the back, use a diagonal stitch to minimize show through.