American Samplers of the Eighteenth Century

AMERICAN SAMPLERS
OF THE
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY

ALPHABETICAL INDEX ALL SAMPLERS

In America, many distinct regional styles of samplermaking evolved in the eighteenth century, molded by a combination of social, political, aesthetic and cultural influences. English work of this century tended to be more technically correct, precise and polished. American schoolmistresses, perhaps more tolerant of their students' flights of fancy, and being revolutionaries themselves, inspired an equally impressive but somewhat less formal body of work on this side of the Atlantic. We feature designs from a wide range of American sampler schools, from early eighteenth century Boston, to the later, famous Balch School samplers of Providence, Rhode Island.

CLICK on the sampler ICON to see an enlarged photo and detailed description of the sampler.

E S

E S Pocketbook from the Old Sturbridge Village collection

Origin and date: American 18th century
Linen count and finished size: 30-count same as the original: 9"x 8" when opened completely and flat
Stitches: Irish and eyelet stitches using Appleton crewel wool
Source: Old Sturbridge Village
Kit with wool floss: $ 65.00
Graph: $ 12.00

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H S

Origin and date: American 18th century
Linen count and finished size: 35-count linen, the reproduction measures approximately 10-1/2"x6" when opened completely and laid flat
Stitches: Entirely Irish stitch with initials in eyelet
Source: Shelburne Museum
Kit with cotton floss: $ 35.00
Kit with silk floss: $ 60.00
Graph: $ 12.00

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JENNY BEAN

Origin and date: Massachusetts, 1794
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 28 count, 16"x12-3/4"
Stitches: Cross stitch
Source: Derivative
Kit with cotton floss: $45.00
Kit with silk floss: $80.00
Graph only: $8.00

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EUNICE BIRCHARD

Origin and date: New England, 1798
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 30 count, 8-1/2" square
Stitches: Cross, rice
Source: Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA
Kit with cotton floss: $20.00
Kit with silk floss: $40.00
Graph only: $6.00

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FRANCES BLISS & LYDIA HINCKLEY

Origin and date: Rhode Island 1774, unknown, 1778
Rated: Beginning
Linen count: 25 count unbleached (our exclusive weave)
Finished size Frances Bliss 4-3/4"x7-1/4", Lydia Hinckley 3-1/4"x7-1/4"
Stitches: Cross, eyelet
Source: Old Sturbridge Village collection

Kit with cotton floss: $23.00
Kit with silk floss: $42.00
Graph Only:$7.00

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MARY ANN BODY
1789

RATED- BEGINNING
40 COUNT LINEN 15-1/2" X 14"
35 COUNT LINEN, 18" X 16"
KIT WITH COTTON FLOSS $45.00
KIT WITH SILK FLOSS $85.00
GRAPH ONLY $8

Please specify 35 or 40 count linen when ordering the kit.

HANNAH BREED

Origin and date: Lynn, Massachusetts, 1756
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 10"x22"
Stitches: Cross, eyelet, satin, long arm cross,
herringbone, queen, lazy daisy, straight, Florentine
Source: Private collection
Kit with cotton floss: $40.00
Kit with silk floss: $70.00
Graph only: $7.00

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BETSY DAVIS

Origin and date: Mary Balch School, Providence, Rhode Island, 1797
Rated: Advanced
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 13"x15"
Stitches: Cross, half cross, satin, queen, stem
Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Kit with cotton floss: $45.00
Kit with silk floss: $80.00
Graph Only: $14.00

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THE DAVIS POCKETBOOK - OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE

Origin and date: American 18th century
Linen count and finished size: 35-count same as the original: 5-3/8"x3-1/2" folded, and 5-3/8"x 9-7/8" flat, 10-5/8"x4-1/8" when flat
Stitches: only cross and Irish stitches used
Source: Old Sturbridge Village
Kit with cotton floss: $ 38.00
Kit with silk floss: $ 65.00
Graph: $ 10.00

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THE GARDNER POCKETBOOK - OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE

Origin and date: American 18th century
Linen count and finished size: 35-count, 10-5/8"x4-1/8" when flat
Stitches: cross and eyelet
Source: Old Sturbridge Village
Kit with cotton floss: $ 38.00
Kit with silk floss: : $ 65.00
Graph: $ 8.00

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MARY EATON

Origin and date: New England, 1763
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 30 count, 11-1/2"x15-1/4"
Stitches: Cross, satin, stem, back, French knots
Source: The Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT
Kit with cotton floss: $40.00
Kit with silk floss: $72.00
Graph only: $7.00

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MARY GAIL

Origin and date: American 1788
Rated: Any Skill Level
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 10"x10"
Stitches: Worked entirely in cross stitch over one
thread (petit point) with silk, background filled
with tent stitch using fine embroidery wool
Kit with silk floss and embroidery wool $85.00
Graph only: $15.00

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ABIGAIL GOULD

Origin and date: New York, 1796
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 12-1/2"x10-1/2"
Stitches: Cross stitch
Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Kit with cotton floss: $45.00
Kit with silk floss: $70.00
Graph only: $12.00

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FANNY HANCOCK

Origin and date: Boston, 1796
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 30 count, 9"x11-1/4"
Stitches: Cross, eyelet, stem, satin
Source: Quincy Historical Society
Kit with cotton floss: $20.00
Kit with silk floss: $40.00
Graph only: $5.00

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SARAH HARVEY

Origin and date: Possibly American
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 40 count,
9-1/8"x18-1/4"
Stitches: Cross, eyelet, and stem
Kit with cotton floss: $45.00
Kit with silk floss: $75.00
Graph only: $12.00

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MARY HASLEHURST

Origin and date: American, 1776
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 25-count. The finished piece is almost exactly the same size as the original sampler - 11-3/4"x7-1/2"
Stitches: Irish (flamestitch), cross, chain, back, stem and satin.
Source: Private Collection
Kit with cotton floss: $28.00
Kit with silk floss: $45.00
Graph only: $7.00

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FREELOVE HAZARD

Origin and date: Rhode Island 1792
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 7-1/2"x11-1/2"
Stitches: Entirely cross stitch over one and two threads of linen
Kit with cotton floss: $30.00
Kit with silk floss: $55.00
Graph only: $10.00

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LYDIA HINCKLEY

See listing under FRANCIS BLISS (above)

MARY HOLTARBOM

Origin and date: Philadelphia circa 1798
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 30 count, 17-3/4"x13-3/4"
Stitches: Cross, sawtooth satin, and eyelet

Kit with cotton floss: $35.00
Kit with silk floss: $68.00
Graph Only: $7.00

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SALLY HUNT

Origin and date: Warren, Rhode Island, 1795
Rated: Beginning to intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 11"x6-1/4"
Stitches: cross, tent, stem and counted satin stitches
Source: The Scarlet Letter
Kit with cotton floss: $ 40.00
Kit with silk floss: $ 68.00
Graph only: $7.00

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THE HUNTSMAN

LINEN: 35 count
SKILL LEVEL: Any
Kit with cotton floss- $54.00
Kit with silk floss- $130.00
Graph only- $18.00

ELIZABETH HUDSON

Origin and date: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1737
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35 or 40 count (please specify) 18-1/4"x26-1/2" or 16"x23-1/4
Stitches: cross, tent, counted satin, stem, and Queen
Source: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Kit with cotton floss: $ 75.00
Kit with silk floss: $ 147.00
Graph only: $15.00

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SUSANNA LANE

Origin and date: Eastern Massachusetts, 1776
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 16"x16-3/4"
Stitches: Cross, back, eyelet, herringbone, satin
Source: Chicago Historical Society
Kit with cotton floss: $40.00
Kit with silk floss: $80.00
Graph only: $7.00

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SARAH LOW

Origin and date: Danvers, Massachusetts, 1794
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35 or 40 count, 16"x20" or
14"x18" (please specify)
Stitches: Cross, straight, satin, French knots, stem
Source: Private collection
Kit with cotton floss: $60.00
Kit with silk floss: $124.00
Graph only: $12.00

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ABBIE LUCAS circa 1770

LINEN: 25 count unbleached, our exclusive weave
Finished Size: 11-1/4” x 14”
RATED: Beginning to Intermediate

Kit with cotton floss $40.00
Kit with silk floss $85.00
Graph only $12.00

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RUTHEY MACKAY

Origin and date: New England, circa 1780
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 13-1/2"x10-1/2"
Stitches: Cross, sawtooth, satin, eyelet
Source: The Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT
Kit with cotton floss: $27.00
Kit with silk floss: $41.00
Graph only: $7.00

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BETSY MANCHESTER

Origin and date: Mary Balch School, Providence, RI, 1793
Rated: Advanced
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 13-3/4"x10"
Stitches: Cross, queen, tent, satin and stem
Source: The State Historical Society of Wisconsin
Kit with cotton floss $45.00
Kit with silk floss $95.00
Graph only $15.00 Supplies Limited

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SALLEY MORSE

Origin and date: Searsport, Maine, circa 1790
Rated: Beginning
Linen count and finished size: 30 count, 5"x7"
Stitches: Cross, counted thread satin
Source: Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Kit with silk floss: $23.00
Graph only: $6.00

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HANNAH MOSHER

Origin and date: New Hampshire, 1798
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 25 count, 16-1/2"x14"
Stitches: Cross, satin, eyelet, stem
Source: Private collection
Kit with cotton floss: $40.00
Kit with silk floss: $70.00
Graph only: $7.00

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SUSAN SINGLETON

Date: 1760
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35 count, 15" x 22-1/4"
Stitches: Cross, satin, back
Kit with cotton floss: $63.00
Kit with silk floss: $142.00
Graph only: $18.00

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CATHERINE SPANGLER

Origin and date: Pennsylvania, 1799
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 30 count, 16-1/2"x18"
Stitches: Queen, cross, satin, stem
Source: Deaccessioned Philadelphia Museum of Art,
now in a private collection
Kit with cotton floss: $45.00
Kit with silk floss: $92.00
Graph only: $7.00

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HANNAH TRECOTHICK

Origin and date: Boston, 1738
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35 count, 10"x21"
Stitches: Cross, satin, back
Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Kit with cotton floss: $40.00
Kit with silk floss: $70.00
Graph only: $7.00

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REBEKAH WATSON

Origin and date: New Jersey, 1733
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35 Count, 10"x10"
Stitches: cross, satin, back, Irish, stem, and eyelet
KIT WITH COTTON FLOSS $38.00
KIT WITH SILK FLOSS $68.00
GRAPH ONLY $7.00

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SARAH WILLIAMS

Origin and date: Boston, 1761
Rated: Intermediate
Linen count and finished size: 35 or 40 count,
15-1/2"x20" or 13-1/2"x17-1/2"
(please specify your choice)
Stitches: Satin, cross, herringbone, eyelet,
French knot, stem, straight, double running
Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Kit with cotton floss: $55.00
Kit with silk floss: $99.00
Graph only: $12.00

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New Additions

SEARCH The Scarlet Letter

P.O. Box 397
Sullivan, WI 53178
Mon-Fri. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CST)
Telephone: 262-593-8470
Website: http://www.scarlet-letter.com
e-mail: samplers@scarlet-letter.com

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