Bristol Fashion
Price in Euros: €9
Area in stitches: 243 x 275
Number of cross stitches 21500 Thread Estimator
The name of this design originates from the 18th century nautical expression “all ship-shape and Bristol fashion” which has little to do with the Bristol Orphan houses whose style of needlework inspired this sampler. The orphanages were founded by George Mü ller, a German minister and philanthropist, who arrived in England in 1829. Mü ller opened his first orphanage for thirty girls in 1836 in the St Pauls area of Bristol in western England.
By the middle of the 19th century many more children were left orphaned following a cholera epidemic which ravaged Bristol and the surrounding area. This caused an increased demand for places at the home.
Further land was purchased at Ashley Down on the outskirts of the city - now part of the university - and a second orphanage was built. Another four such institutions followed and by 1870 these homes catered for the needs of more than 2050 children. Discipline was strict but education standards were high. Bible readings, prayers and needlework were an everyday staple for the orphans.
The George Müller Foundation continues to this day made up from three separate charities. For more information you can visit their website at www.mullers.org. Many thanks must go to the administrator at the foundation Ms Wendy Clacker for all her much appreciated assistance in researching this design.
The Bristol sampler style is recognised easily as originals were usually worked in red cotton thread and no corner of the material was ever wasted. The top portion consisted of a variety of alphabets, numerals and border patterns all worked in cross-stitch. As most of the children went into service when they left the orphanage it was extremely likely that they would be required to mark household linen and therefore needed to attain high levels of workmanship and a wide repertoire of lettering styles.The bottom portion consisted of numerous small decorative motifs including small birds, insects, animals and corner patterns. These were samplers in the true sense of the word as they were a permanent record which could also be used to demonstrate sewing skills to prospective employers.
Images of a steamboat and a railway locomotive often featured. It is probable they alluded to the grand design by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the emminent Victorian engineer, who wanted to create a direct link between London and New York. His railway would take passengers from Paddington Station in London to Bristol where they would embark on one of his steamships, such as the SS Great Britain, for the transatlantic crossing.
This unframed version of Bristol Fashion was stitched on 16# Zweigart green-grey Aida with DMC B5200 brilliant white thread. 12 skeins were used on 2-strand.