Scandinavian Stitches

Dalecarlia Wedding Heart Chart

$ 12.00

Lynda D. Baldauf 

A bit of history about the Dalecarlia Wedding Heart: Beautiful cross stitch embroideries have been found in the Swedish region of Dalecarlia. This type of heart shaped sampler was stitched on a bridegroom’s shirt. The heart encloses the initials of the bride and groom as well as the year of their wedding. The stitching was originally done with rose and two shades of blue cotton thread. The collar and wristbands of the shirt were decorated as well. The bride-to-be would spend hours, lovingly stitching her bridegroom’s shirt. The shirt was made for the wedding day. Oftentimes is was not worn again until needed as a shroud. Nils G. Bruzelius, an author of peasant life, wrote that sometimes mothers would prepare a shirt for their daughter while she was still young, or maybe not even yet born. A wealth of samplers were stitched by Swedish peasants during the 19th century. Most of these samplers were cross stitched with coarse red thread.

Sampler Chart + Alphabet/Numbers Chart, tips for inserting your own initials & wedding year

10.6 x 9.7 in if stitched over 2 linen threads on 25 ct. linen