Dorothy Stretton Sampler

Dorothy was the second child of eight Stretton children. She was born in 1835, in Derby, England. In 1841, Dorothy's father made a living as a farmer and his wife ran the household.  Dorothy’s father, William, passed away in April 1848, at the age of 37 and her mother, Rebecca, passed away in 1851 at the age of 40. She left seven children with neither parent to raise them.  After researching Dorothy Stretton’s life it is easy to understand why at the age of nine she may have chosen the scripture “Jesus said Suffer the Little Children to come under me and forbid them not for as such is the kingdom of heaven” for her single-color sampler.  By the time Dorothy was nine, her mother had buried one child and was raising six other children. As the oldest sibling it is plausible to believe Dorothy had to assist in the daily work associated with raising children. Perhaps in choosing this scripture Dorothy sought the hope heaven offered as a reward for the hardships and heartache she witnessed in her Earthly life. Finished sampler measures 110W X 149H stitches.  Model stitched using three skeins of Weeks Dye Works Swamp Water, one strand over two, on 40 count Flannel Flower linen from Fox and Rabbit. The design is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities and contains no speciality stitches.