Some history from the past, for a great event of the (next) future II

Hi everybody there! As promised, here I am again

Now, where did we leave off?
We were talking of the turn between the 18th and the 19th century, when stitching samplers started getting more and more successful and widespread!
And, in fact, ad I've discovered reading once again the speeches of Maria Concetta, in 1700 the practical aim of samplers at their beginning - i.e. their being mainly a "training" for stitching beginners - was almost forgotten and samplers got more and more used for decoration, thanks to their well-balanced patterns, which came some times from architecture (according to the country, where they were stitched, you can often find high-class houses, windmills, pagodas, classical temples), as well as human characters (mainly referring to people working, such as in the instance of shepherds and wine growers) and animals (dogs, cats and deer, for example). Also, from the 18th century on, more and more subjects from the Bible started to gain more and more ground: Adam and Eve, first of all, but the transcription of Psalms, prayers and texts form the Bible, too, mainly in Anglo-Saxon samplers. This was most because writing out religious texts had the double purpose of cultivating handwriting skills and teaching young girls (who where the ones stitching most often) moral precepts. The complex hem stitches were gradually abandoned, leaving space to cross stitch almost exclusively! And cross stitch was actually the most popular kind of needlework, living its Golden Age just in the 19th century!
From Germany, the progresses of printing techniques promoted the diffusion of cross stitch charts, printed on squared paper and then colored, throughout the Old Continent and it was reconstructed that the demand for these charts at that time was so high, that in 1840 14,000 cross stitch patterns were printed! At that point, this needlework had turned into the favorite craft of both rich ladies - who stitched at their amusement - and of common women of the lower classes, who stitched for business
And now that "class divisions" are not as important as they used to be - at least in the world of hand crafting - sampler have become the "amusement" of many of us! I guess I can suppose all of us have at least one sampler in our repertoire And that's the way it has to be, for - though none of us has anything left to demonstrate, as for our stitching skills - we all like the idea of being praised, even for a while only, for this or that "marquoir" needlework (that's how samplers are called in French, originating from the verb "to mark", meaning marking linens with the initials of their owners)m which we have stitched and framed with such devotion!
And now, my dearest ones, since you already deserve an award for reading so far, let's talk of the "event of the next future" mentioned in the title of this post
Here at Casa Cenina, in fact, we've been thinking so much of a little/great event, able to celebrate not only stitching and its ability of joining people and making long distances short, as we've done for years with our "Festa del Ricamo" , but also something that may celebrate - at the same time - the complete "start up" of our new warehouse - and it lovely little backyard, too - as well as our happiness, when we can grab our needle and floss, to "imprint" on our cloth all the love inspired by hand stitched works: because, after all, that's exactly what we want to communicate with this art that's come to us from so far in time! And samplers, for all the above-mentioned reasons - are the best expression of changing times, though, most of all, they express all the "always remaining" values to us: people who protect these values, right through this craft of ours
This is why, the Casa Cenina event of this year is going to be under the sing of these historic (this adjective fits them perfectly!) creations and, in particular, of yours ones_ for, we're sure, they are going to write a piece of history, too, while making our history today already!
We're going to tell what's all about by the end of this month and... We're looking forward to getting all your impressions and comments!!! Be sure to follow us

A hug and... Happy "samplers" to all!