Samplers and Tapestry Embroideries / Second Edition

by Marcus B. Huish

Materials

Linen, bleached or unbleached, but, of course, always hand-woven, is the foundation material of the early samplers. It varies greatly in texture, from a coarse, canvas-like kind to a fine and closely woven sort of about the same stoutness as good modern pillow-case linen. The stitchery of these oldest samplers is executed in linen thread or a somewhat loosely twisted silk, often scarcely coarser than our nineteenth-century “machine silk,” although, on the other hand, a very thick and irregularly spun type is occasionally seen.

About 1725 linen of a peculiar yellow colour and rather harsh texture came into vogue; but this went out of fashion in a few years, and towards the end of the eighteenth century the strong and durable linen was almost entirely superseded by an ugly and moth-attracting stuff called indifferently tammy, tammy cloth, bolting cloth, and, when woven in a specially narrow width, sampler canvas. The stitchery on samplers of this date is almost invariably executed with silk, although in a few of the coarser ones fine untwisted crewel is substituted. Tiffany, the thin, muslin-like material mentioned in connection with darning-samplers, was at this period used also for small delicately wrought samplers of the ordinary type.

Early in the nineteenth century very coarsely woven linen and linen canvas came into fashion again, and for some time were nearly as popular as the woollen tammy; while, about 1820, twisted crewels of the crudest dyes replaced in a great measure the soft toned silks. Next followed the introduction of cotton canvas and Berlin wool, and with them vanished the last remaining vestige of the exquisite stitchery and well-balanced designs of earlier generations, and the sampler, save in a most degraded form, ceased to exist.

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Index

Abraham on sampler, [58]. [Fig. 16]
Acorn, [58], [68], [109]. [Plate III.] [Fig. 16]
Adam and Eve on samplers, [21], [62], [109];
on embroideries, [128]
Africa, map of, [97]. [Fig 41]
Age of sampler, how to estimate, [15]
Age of sampler workers, [80]
Agur’s prayer. [Plate XI.]
Alphabets on samplers, [19], [22], [84];
stitches, [164]
America, samplers from, [24], [97] ([Plate XIII.], [Figs. 42-51]);
map of, [92]. [Fig. 39]
Anchors, [Fig. 23]
Animals on samplers, [65]
Ascension Day samplers, [38]
Background-stitches, [144]
Back-stitches, [109], [163]. [Plates III.] and [VII.] [Fig. 75]
Bead embroidery, [158] ([Plate XXII.]);
sampler, [Fig. 53]
Belief, the, [28]
Belgian samplers, [110]
Biblical subjects in tapestry embroideries, [128]
Bird’s-eye-stitch, [164]
Borders to samplers, [75]
Boston, U.S.A., samplers from, [89]. [Fig. 50]
Boxers, [61]. [Plate III.] [Fig. 18]
Boys, samplers by, [84]. [Fig 34]
Brontës, samplers by, [28]. [Figs. 10], [11], [12]
Brooklyn, U.S.A., sampler from, [89]. [Fig. 47]
Buttonhole-stitch, [146]
Calcutta, samplers from, [35]. [Fig. 3]
Carnation, see [“Pink”]
Caterpillar, [140]
Charles I., [Plates XVI.] and [XVIII.]
Charles II., [Plate XXI.]
Children, samplers by, [80]
Christening samplers, [109]
Christmas samplers, [38]
Colouring of samplers, [52]
Commandments, the, [27]. [Fig. 9]
Corn blue-bottle, [78]
Coronet, see [“Crowns”]
Costume on tapestry embroideries, [132]
Crewel-stitch, [170]
Cross-stitch, [109], [166]
Crowns on samplers, [68]. [Figs. 20-22]
Crucifixion on samplers, [108], [109]
Cupids on samplers, [Fig. 23]
Cushion-stitch, [144]. [Fig. 62]
Cut and drawn work stitches, [161]. [Figs. 4], [7], [16], [24], [42], [72], [73]

Darned samplers, [Fig. 76]. [Plate XXIV.]
Darning-stitches, [110], [165]. [Plate XXIV.] [Figs. 76], [77]
David and Abigail, [128], [130];
and Goliath, [130]
Deer, see [“Stags”]
Design on samplers, [51]
Dogs on samplers, [Fig. 17]. [Plate III.]
Drawn-work, [58], [135]. [Fig. 16]
Dress, value of tapestry embroideries as patterns of, [132]
Dutch samplers, [110]
Earliest samplers, [10], [13], [16]
Easter samplers, [36]
Embroiderers’ Company, [127]
Embroideries in the manner of tapestry pictures, [123];
subjects of, [127];
as mirrors of fashion, [132]
England, maps of, [94]. [Fig. 40]
Esther and Ahasuerus, [128], [130]. [Plate XVIII.]
Evolution of samplers, [12], [15]
Eyelet-stitch, [146]. [Fig. 63]
Fig on samplers, [68]. [Plate III.]
Fine Art Society’s Exhibition of samplers, [4], [28], [66], [89], [119];
of embroideries, [123]
Fleur de Lys on samplers, [21]
Florentine-stitch, [145]
Flowers on samplers, [65];
on tapestry embroideries, [139]
Foreign flavour in embroideries, [131]
Foreign samplers, [104]
Fountains on tapestry embroideries, [136]
French knot-stitches, [151]. [Figs. 21] and [67]
French samplers, [111]
Gardening, illustrations of, on tapestry embroideries, [135]
German samplers, [108]
Glove, embroidered. [Fig. 55]
Gobelin-stitch, [145]
Gold and silver passing, [154]
Grubs on tapestry embroideries, [140]
Hagar and Ishmael, [129]. [Plate XV.]
Hearts on samplers, [75]. [Figs. 21-23]
Hollie point lace cap, [Fig. 61];
stitch, [157]
Honeysuckle on samplers, [66], [79]. [Fig. 30]
Horticulture, see [“Gardening”]
House on samplers, [118] ([Figs. 14], [46], [48]);
on tapestry embroidery, [135]. [Fig. 56]
Human figure, [57]
Hungary-stitch, [145]
Implements used in stitchery, [159]. [Fig. 71]
Indian samplers, [113]. [Figs. 3] and [52]
Inscriptions on samplers, [23], [91]
Italian samplers, [111]
Judgment of Paris, [128]. [Fig. 56]
Knot-stitches, [109], [151]. [Figs. 21] and [67]

Lace-stitches, [154]. [Figs. 61], [68-70]
Laid-stitch, [146]
Last of the samplers, [117]
Lettering on samplers, [22]
Leviathan-stitch, [169]
Life and death, inscriptions referring to, [41]
Lion on sampler, [65]. [Fig. 44]
Literature sampler, [115]
Little Gidding, nuns, [131], [149]
Long-and-short-stitch, [170]
Looped-stitches, [152]
Lord’s Prayer, the, [27]
Maidstone Museum, tapestry picture. [Plate I.]
Map samplers, [92]. [Figs. 39-41]
Materials on which samplers were worked, [171]
Mermaid on sampler, [Fig. 16]
Metal thread, [153]
Milton, mention of sampler by, [14]
Mitford, Miss, on samplers, [118]
Mortlake tapestries, [100]
Moses in the bullrushes, [129]
Mustard or canary-coloured canvas, [55]
National events, samplers as records of, [90]
Need of samplers, [11]
Needle’s excellency, the, [115], [116], [143]
Numerals on samplers, [22]
Oak, see [“Acorn”]
Origin of samplers, place of, [88]
Ornament, sampler, [51]
Ornamentation, earliest date of various forms of, [21]
Orpheus, [128]
Parents and preceptors, duties to, [46]
Passing, [154]
Passion Week samplers, [38]
Patternes of cut workes, [115]
Peacocks’ feathers, use of, [154]
Pearls, seed, on tapestry embroideries, [133]—note
Pears, [109]
Pineapple on samplers, [68]
Pink on samplers, [66], [78], [109]. [Plates III.], [IV.], [VI.] [Fig. 28]
Place of origin of samplers, [88]
Plush-stitch, [153]. [Plate XVIII.]
Portuguese samplers, [112]
Poverty, inscriptions concerning, [48]
Prayers on samplers, [39]
Preceptors, duties to, [46]
Purl, [153]. [Plate XXIII.]
Quaint inscriptions, [49]
Religious festivals, verses commemorating, [36]
Rhymes on samplers, see [“Verses”]
Royal personages on tapestry embroideries, [133]
Royal school of art needlework, [120]
Rose on samplers, [58], [66], [109] ([Figs. 7], [16], [Plate VI.]);
on tapestry embroideries, [113]
Ruskin, John, on needlework in museums, [2];
on samplers, [3];
sampler by grandmother of, [3], and [Plate X.]
Samplers. [Parts I.] and [III. (Sec. II.)]
Satin-stitch, [122], [141], [146]
Scottish samplers, [71], [84], [89]. [Figs. 21], [34]
Sex of sampler workers, [80]

Shakespeare, mention of sampler by, [13]
Sidney, Sir P., mention of sampler by, [14]
Signatures on samplers, [23]
Size of samplers, [84]
Smoke (chimney) on embroideries, [135]. [Fig. 57]
Spanish samplers, [112]
Spectator on decay of needlework, [117]
Spies to Canaan, [21]
Split-stitch, [150]. [Figs. 65], [66]
Stag on samplers, [21], [65], [80]. [Figs. 6], [17]. [Plates III.], [VIII.]
Star-stitch, [169]. [Figs. 35], [36]
Stem-stitch, [150]
Stitchery of tapestry pictures, [143];
of samplers, [161]
Stitches, background, [144];
cushion, [144];
tent, [144];
Gobelin, [145];
upright, [145];
Florentine, [145];
Hungary, [145];
satin, [146];
open, [146];
buttonhole, [146];
eyelet, [149] ([Fig. 63]);
split, [152] ([Figs. 65], [66]);
stem, [150];
knot, [151];
looped, [152];
plush, [153];
purl, [153];
passing, [154];
lace, sampler stitches, [154];
hollie point, [157] ([Fig. 61]);
cut and drawn-work, [161];
back-stitch, [163] ([Fig. 75]);
alphabet-stitch, [164];
darning-stitch, [165] ([Plate XXIV.] and [Figs. 8], [76]);
tent and cross-stitch, [166];
various, [170]
Strawberry on samplers, [66]. [Fig. 31]. [Plate XIII.]
Stump embroidery, [149]
Susannah and the elders, [128], [130], [131]. [Plate XIV.]
Swiss samplers, [111]
Talc, [154]. [Plate XIV.]
Tammy cloth, [171]
Tapestry, history of, [125];
stitch, [145]
Tapestry pictures—see [embroideries in the manner of]
Tent-stitch, [166]
Thistle on sampler, [71]. [Fig. 21]
Tracing, groundwork, [158]. [Fig. 70]
Tree of knowledge on samplers, [18]n, [62]n, [109]. [Figs. 17], [18]
Tulip on samplers, [78]. [Figs. 27], [59]
Upright-stitch, [145]
Verses on samplers, [27], [36-51]
Vice, inscription concerning, [48]
Victoria and Albert Museum, samplers in, [11], [21], [58]. [Fig. 7]
Virtue, inscription concerning, [48]
Wealth, inscription concerning, [48]

Printed at The Darien Press, Edinburgh