Samplers have been around for hundreds of
years, with the oldest surviving ones dating back the 15th and 16th
centuries. There were no printed patterns then, so when a needleworker found a
design she liked, she would stitch it onto a piece of cloth—her sampler. The
sample stitches might be sewn on individual pieces of fabric or all of them on one large
piece, and the stitcher would keep her sampler, adding to it for the rest of
her life.
If you’re in the market to buy an old sampler,
the first three pictures are ones I found on Ebay.
English samplers of the 16th century were
stitched on a band of 6" by 9" fabric. Since fabric was
quite expensive, these samplers, known as band samplers, would be completely
covered with stitches. They were highly valued, and often passed down through
the generations. These samplers, stitched using a variety of needlework styles
and threads, were often quite elaborate, incorporating subtly shaded colors,
silk and metallic embroidery threads, and using a variety of stitches. The
samplers also integrated small designs of flowers, animals, and geometric
shapes stitched using as many as 20 different colors of thread.
In the early 1700s, a border was often added to
a sampler, and by mid-century, letters began appearing, as well as religious
and moral quotes, such as “to be good is to be happy.” As a whole, samplers became
more organized and decorative.
By the time the 18th century rolled around,
samplers were stitched more to demonstrate knowledge than to preserve skill.
Sewing samplers was thought to be a sign of virtue, industry, and achievement,
and girls were taught the craft from a young age. Samplers might include family
records, Bible verses, and pictures of the seamstress’s home or church.
The 19th century brought us samplers rich
with symbolism and included trees of life, birds, flowers, and religious
symbols. Red was the predominant color used by needleworkers, with
complements of blue, brown, and green. Trees of life were usually stitched
in red, and were a prominent feature. They symbolized the link between earth
and sky, and represented life and hope. Other favorite elements of early
samplers included flowers in pots, baskets, birds, hearts, crowns, and crosses.
In the late 19th century, samplers became more structured. They were designed
within framed borders and more attention was paid to
symmetry. Borders also became fancier with elaborate floral designs. Alphabets grew more complex with fancy monograms, sometimes intertwined
with flowers. Stitches used for samplers were mainly cross stitch, with
backstitch and eyelet stitches sometimes used.
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| I snapped a picture of this lovely sampler at an antique show. |
Speaking of sewing, I’m giving away a copy of the Stitched with Love Collection, which
includes my Spider Web Rose novella, to one lucky person who leaves a comment
today. This keepsake collection includes nine historical romances written by
popular Christian fiction authors.
Faced with finding the right fit in life and love, nine young
women seek the courage to stitch together romance. But when unexpected
obstacles abound, will love unravel before their eyes?
Vickie McDonough is an
award-winning author of 26 books and novellas. Her novels include the fun
and feisty Texas Boardinghouse Brides series and the 3rd & 6th books in the
Texas Trails series. Her novel, Long
Trail Home, won the Inspirational category of the 2012 Booksellers’ Best
Awards. Coming July 1st: Whispers on the
Prairie, the first book in an exciting new series set in 1870s Kansas. To
learn more about Vickie, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com
Don’t forger to leave a comment to be in our daily giveaways!
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For each day you comment on CFHS, you’ll receive one entry in
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