Message from an antique sampler: seize that golden moment!

Hanging on the wall of my cottage is an antique family sampler, made by Frances Denison in 1813. Frances was a relative (probably a niece) of my great great great great grandmother, Elizabeth Denison, who married Edward Hansford in Powerstock, Dorset in 1799.

This beautiful piece of embroidery would have been created by Frances as a child – some Victorian girls were as young as eight years old when they made their samplers. It would have been to be used to show a future employer a sample of her needlework skills, but of course, they were often framed and displayed with pride as works of art.

Samplers often contained a worthy and improving quotation. This one is from a new year hymn by Susanna Harrison:

Rapid my days and months run on,

How soon another year is gone!

How swift my golden moments roll,

How much neglected by my soul!

At this time of year, I often think how quickly time is passing and how little I’ve achieved in the last year.

This time, I won’t worry about the past, but I’ll focus on how much more I hope to achieve in the coming year. This year, I have made a firm commitment to get at least the first three books – The Jollyman Letters, The Hansford Letters and The Millman Letters – published.

I will seize those golden moments and make things happen, this time.

Not only did I inherit the sampler, I also appear to have inherited Frances Denison’s amazing sewing talents!

Here’s a sample of my childhood needlecraft skills at the same age.

I can tell you’re impressed.