Posted on 93 Comments

Fiber Talk Mid-Week Chat, 5-17-17

The Old Scot from Hands Across The Sea Samplers
We return with another of our mid-week chats. This time we break our “format” and Nicola Parkman joins us to talk about an Orna Willis class, the Hands on Design 12 Days of Christmas designs, Gary and Mike visiting Welcome Stitchery, big-box vs LNSs, Nicola’s stitching, Needle Needs products, buying antique samplers at auction, and the the Hands Across the Sea Samplers latest introduction, The Old Scot. Listen to the podcast to learn how you can win a copy of the Old Scot chart. –Gary and Christine

Listen to the podcast:

Is this Linlithgow Palace? Who is the person standing in front?

Links for items talked about in the show:

Subscribe to be notified when we post a new podcast:


Posted on 8 Comments

Fiber Talk Mid-Week Chat, 5-10-17

Angsty teens is one of this week’s mid-week-chat topics.

It’s the middle of the week and we decided we wanted to get together and talk about needlework. It’s an hour of us yakking at each other about Coni Rich, our Tess and Thorn conversation, Nicola Parkman and reproduction samplers, Gary’s stocking project and cross stitching, Christine’s early needlepoint experiences, Mary Corbet and linen quality, Gay Ann Roger’s new design, Shepherd’s Bush stockings, and Arlene Cohen’s Flosstube videos. We hope you enjoy our ramblings.–Gary and Christine

Listen to the podcast:

Subscribe to be notified when we post a new podcast:


Posted on 3 Comments

Fiber Talk with Nicola Parkman

The Sarah Borton 1815 reproduction from Hands Across The Sea Samplers.

Antique reproduction samplers are the subject this week and our guest is Nicola Parkman of Hands Across The Sea Samplers. We had a terrific time talking with Nicola about how she acquires samplers, the reproductions her company produces, how she researches the history of the girls who created the originals, and the interesting stories behind the samplers. We also talked about her global company, the beautiful charts they produce, and Sarah Borton 1815, the latest chart from Hands Across The Sea Samplers. It was an absolute treat to talk with Nicola. –Christine and Gary

Listen to the podcast:

The original Sarah Borton sampler.

We hope you enjoy this week’s Fiber Talk show. You can listen by using the player above or you can subscribe to Fiber Talk through iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podbay, and Podbean. To receive e-mail notification of new podcasts, provide your name and e-mail address below. We do not sell/share e-mail addresses.

Follow Nicola and her Hands Across the Sea Samplers partners and communicate with them through their online channels:

Nicola’s Recommendations
At the end of the show, Nicola offered a recommendation and some thoughts. Those are below, along with the link to the pin-stitch video Gary mentioned:

“Just remember when looking at larger and more “complicated” samplers that they are not “hard”, they are just big, and just like the longest journey that begins with a single step, so does the largest sampler begin with a single stitch. Those different stitches begin the same way, by sticking the needle first in, then out, of the fabric. Only difference between one type of stitch and the other is where you put that needle and how you manipulate the thread. Think of each band as a mini sampler”

“I do believe that all things are possible if you believe in yourself and are prepared to try.”

“Remember those young girls working on their samplers they were not only learning stitches and patterns but perseverance!!”

We hope you enjoy this week’s conversation with Nicola Parkman. We’re always looking for guests, so let us know if there is someone you’d like us to have on the show.–Gary and Christine

Sarah Borton detail.