Not currently on display at the V&A

Sampler

1664 (made)
Artist/Maker
Blake, Sarah (maker)
Place of origin
England (made)

In their earliest form, samplers were put together as personal reference works for embroiderers. They were trials of patterns and stitches that had been copied from others, and records of particular effects achieved that could be recreated again. This is a type known as a band sampler. With the composition of band samplers comes the first clear indication in England of the form being used as a method of instruction and practice for girls learning needlework.


Object details

Categories
Embroidery
Textiles
Object type
Sampler
Materials and techniques
Linen, embroidered with silk in double running, cross, two-sided cross and Montenegrin cross stitch
Linen (Material)
Silk
Embroidering
Brief description
Linen sampler by Sarah Blake, embroidered with silk; English; dated 1664.
Physical description
Embroidered sampler
Dimensions
  • Height: 89cm
  • Width: 22.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Sarah Blake 1664' (Decoration; embroidering; silk; 1664)
Summary
In their earliest form, samplers were put together as personal reference works for embroiderers. They were trials of patterns and stitches that had been copied from others, and records of particular effects achieved that could be recreated again. This is a type known as a band sampler. With the composition of band samplers comes the first clear indication in England of the form being used as a method of instruction and practice for girls learning needlework.
Bibliographic reference
Browne, Clare and Jennifer Wearden, eds. Samplers from the Victoria and Albert Museum. London : V&A Publications, 1999. 144 p., ill. ISBN 1851773096.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
570-1898

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Record createdNovember 14, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70157/sampler-blake-sarah/
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