Special 2012

Many schoolgirl samplers from Saxony contain cross and Holbein stitch exercises. Gertrud’s sampler is intricately worked: In the third row already, she exercised the double running stitch that forms tiny squares on the reverse side. She alternately used these two stitches in the border, the alphabet, and also in the band of stylized flowers. She placed her name, her hometown, and the year in the central section between crowns and beautiful corner motifs – stitched in finest crosses over one thread. She completed her school exercise with a narrow hemstitched hem.

Crosses: 151 x 196
Size: 21.5 x 28 cm
Stitches: Cross stitch, square stitch, double-running or Holbein stitch

With wide selvedges, the first school samplers made of canvas were almost square. The young schoolgirls at many German schools moved within this “framework” at the end of the 19th century. Smaller exercises in cross-stitches (lines, borders) in the upper area and simple alphabets were started. Usually the lower part was released for creative design by the teacher. Here, little C. Zechendorf chose a sweeping border and richly decorated her family name.

Crosses: 145 x 146
Size: 20,5 x 20,5 cm
Stitches: Cross stitch, double-running or Holbein stitch

By the end of the 19th century, schoolgirls in Germany were given an accurately measured piece of coarse red selvedge canvas with the first exercise in needlework classes. They practised simple cross stitches, alphabets, numbers and borders. The first alphabet usually was complete. The little girls often included their names and the year. Erna sewed a crocheted edge on her cute sampler, pulled through four red ribbons and tied bows at the corners. So it could be presented to the teacher for grading.

Crosses: 121 x 122
Size: 17,5 x 17,5 cm
Stitches: Cross stitch

Extremely popular with schoolgirls – or more likely teachers – was the alphabet in this larger format. Therefore, it is often met on German school samplers. It can be found in many small pattern booklets in Leporello fold.

E. R. stitched two different alphabets and placed the "required" series of numbers in the centre. She decorated her two bands with Holbein stitches. She put little accents using the characteristic school sampler blue.

"ER 1906" belongs to the large schoolgirl sampler collection of my friend Margit.

Crosses: 171 x 153
Size: 31 x 28 cm
Stitches: Cross stitch, square stitch, double-running or Holbein stitch