A Sample(r) of History

To demonstrate a seamstress's skills, a sampler is an example of needlework in the form of a piece of cross-stitching or embroidery. It can include letters of the alphabet, a motto, motifs, figures, decorative borders and the seamstress's name.

When did samplers start?

The sampler derives its name from the French word, "essamplaire", which means any kind of work that can be imitated or copied. Historians say the earliest known samplers were created in Egypt during the period 500 BC to 400 BC.

Fragments of linen containing patterns created by a double running stitch in silk and pattern darning have been discovered in Egyptian burial grounds. These are examples of pattern samplers and their designs are based on religious symbols.

Another historic sampler was created between 300 BC and 200 BC by people of the Peruvian Nazca culture. Worked in wool and cotton patterns on a woven cotton material, it features 74 figures including mythological creatures, birds and plants. It is currently owned by New York's Museum of Primitive Art.

Development

Over the centuries, samplers have been created by women. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has an extensive collection of more than 700 pieces, dating from the 14th century to the early 20th century.

The collection began in 1863 and has steadily grown, with the earliest pieces dating from 14th century Egyptian burial grounds. Historians believe samplers have existed in many different cultures, in particular those where embroidery is used for decorative effect. However, other than one or two rare early examples, few have survived.

Initially, samplers were created by experienced and professional embroiderers as personal reference works, recording trials of new stitches and patterns and the effects they achieved, so they could be recreated. They were widely used in the UK and across Europe from the early 16th century.

An inventory of the possessions of Queen Juana I of Spain, dated 1509, listed a collection of 50 samplers of drawn thread work in gold and silk thread. They were listed as being looked after by her chamberlain, Diego de Rivera. However, they have never been found.

Dated 1585, a rare sampler from Holland is owned by Arnhem's Nederlands Openluchtmuseum. However, few European samplers from this era have survived. The Victoria and Albert Museum owns a sampler created by Jane Bostocke in 1598, which is the earliest known sampler to have the date embroidered into the design.

Pattern books

German textiles printer Johann Schönsperger published the first printed pattern book of embroidery designs in around 1523. This was followed by other pattern books printed in Germany, England, Italy and France. Each borrowed from the others in the days before copyright was a consideration.

The definition of the word "sampler" first appeared in John Palsgrave’s dictionary, published in 1530, when it was defined as an "exampler for a woman to work to" - meaning a source of stitches and patterns to copy.

Modern era

By the mid-17th century, samplers were being embroidered with moral verses incorporated into the design and they had become an indicator of a girl's education. While the majority of girls who embroidered samplers wouldn't be earning a living as a seamstress - as they were often from rich families - the ability to embroider was seen as an accomplishment.

It was a demonstration of their skills and self-discipline and was considered an important attribute - the fact they were learning a new skill boded well for their ability to learn how to manage their household in future. However, their embroidery skills were mainly used only to adorn their own garments and those of family members.

Making samplers became a lesson in needlework for female school children, who would spend hours painstakingly embroidering letters of the alphabet and other designs on to pieces of material.

How are samplers made?

Samplers can be created using either hand-drawn outlines, or by tracing designs from another source and then sewing over the outlines. Before the days of the mass-printing of patterns, this was the only way women could create a design.

With the advent of printing, patterns became more readily available. Today, embroiderers can buy kits from needlework shops and online, thanks to the internet, giving them a world of designs at their fingertips. They can range from simple designs for beginners using just one stitch, to complex designs using more than 20 stitches.

The designs cover everything from reproductions of historic samplers to modern, contemporary images. Births, marriages, family trees, maps and mottoes are a popular subject matter. Thanks to the internet, there are many more variations of patterns and colours available, with inspiration from across the globe.

The wide range of materials used today includes linen fabrics, aida cloth, cotton, evenweave - a fabric which has warp and weft threads that are the same size - and man-made materials. The fibres used for stitching can include cotton, silk, viscose, rayon and metallic thread.

If you enjoy embroidery and needlework, it's important to have somewhere suitable to store your materials and the items you have created. Solent Plastics has a large variety of storage products that are suitable for needlework projects. Our clear plastic boxes enable you to quickly and easily identify their contents.

Offering a huge selection of shapes and sizes, our Really Useful boxes are available in sizes from 0.2 litres to 145 litres. Please contact us for further information.