Sampler Survey
Search for a Sampler or Verse
Samplers:Samplers are works of embroidery that showcase educational tenets of the era. Some may include Verses. Search by Type, Maker, Maker's Age, Year, or Location separated by commas and select the Sampler option.
Verses: Verses are written accounts of the author and first usage of a particular verse within the collection of samplers.Select the Verse option and enter 1-5 keywords.
Threads Through History
In 18th and 19th century America, samplers and embroideries were a crucial element of women’s education. (The term “sampler” is derived from the French éxamplair meaning a model to copy or imitate.) Important lessons on the alphabet, math, and more were blended with decorative and functional stitching skills to create works of art that speak volumes. Each thread sewn is a thread through history, connecting us to the cultural environments of previous centuries.
The Sampler Survey project was launched to establish a searchable collection of needlework pieces, create opportunities for further genealogical research into the original seamstresses, and preserve this historic method of women’s education. The core of the project derives from the seminal publication of American Samplers by Ethel Stanwood Bolton & Eva Johnston Coe, published in 1921 by NSCDA/Massachusetts.
The NSCDA Verse Research Committee was formed in 2023 with a goal to track down the origins (author and first usage) of the 800 verses listed in Bolton and Coe. The results of their research, available on this site, is an additional tool for sampler scholars and aficionados to facilitate their quest to identify and date samplers.
Have a sampler to add to the collection?
Fill out and return this sampler submission form to the Sampler Survey Chair, Gina Whelan, via one of the two options listed at the bottom of this form.