Name/Title18th-century hand embroidered sampler

About this objectSamplers were pieces of cloth, usually linen, that featured hand embroidered designs using thread made of silk, wool, or cotton. In the 16th century, young European girls made samplers as a way of learning embroidery techniques that would be useful in the repair of household linens. Patterns stitched into these early samplers were often sewn as a reminder of a stitch so that the sewer could refer to it later.

One especially common type of sampler was the band sampler, which, as its name suggests, was made of a narrow band of fabric (the decision was one of economics rather than aesthetics because fabric was expensive). But, regardless of the shape, by the 18th and 19th centuries European samplers were used less for sewing practice and pattern record keeping and more for ornamentation. Decorative samplers featured a variety of embroidered motifs, such as people, animals, quotes, and the alphabet, and they often had an embellished border. They were created to be displayed and to showcase the sewer’s artistic needlework skills.

MakerAnn Rusden - Maker

Date Made1797

Period18th century

Medium and MaterialsTextile.

Inscription and MarksEmbroidered poem reads:
Of Education

Seen in what plight yon Vine appears,
Mor XXXXX leaves, nor purple chesters bears;
but if around the Elm her arms she throws
Or by some friendly Prop supported grows
Soon shall the stem be clad with foliage green
And cluttered grapes beneath the leaves be seen

Thus prudent care must rear, the youthful mind
By love supported with toil refined
This thus alone the Human PLant can raise
Unpropp'd it droops and unsupported dies.

Ann Rusden August [sic]
1797

Center of sampler includes two rows of the alphabet - the upper row with capitalised letters and the lower row featuring lower case letters and the numbers 1 through 10.

Object TypeGeneral Interest

Object numberSF000704

Copyright LicenceAttribution - Non-commercial - No Derivatives (cc)