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Samplers and Embroidery of the Colonial South |
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| Date/Time: | 05/18/2003 1:30 - 4:00 | | Type: | General Meeting | | Location: | Glen Ellyn Library | | Teacher: | Kathy Staples |
In taste and fashion, as well as in politics and religion, colonists residing in the
Southern colonies of Virginia and the Carolinas copied the mother country. Even in
needlework, Southern women copied the latest English fashion, as evidenced by surviving
canvaswork and silkwork pictures. Southern schoolgirl samplers fashioned in the first
half of the 18th century also reflect a structure preferred by English girls: a short
vertical format with single motifs, lettering, and inscriptions. The stitches of these
embroideries were often reversible.
However, a closer examination of girlhood embroideries of the colonial South reveals
a persistence of other influences over time. Among those who settled throughout this
area were groups from various northern European countries, among them Dutch, German,
and French Huguenot immigrants. Variations of several motifs specific to German and
Dutch samplers of the 17th and early 18th centuries appear on early samplers made
in the Carolinas and Virginia. This lecture is an introduction to both the English
and non-English influences on Southern embroidery. The embroideries are proof that
the English legacy to American needlework was far from all-important, that the embroidery
motifs and techniques of other Europeans were potent enough to influence profoundly
sampler-making practices.
Highlights
Leslie Lewis our president, Kathy Joassin our current program chairman and Kathy Bourne,
our 2004 program chairman, all made important announcements at the beginning of the
meeting:
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There are still two spots available in the June 7th workshop "Elegant Sewing Accessories
in Stumpwork" presented by Marsha Papay-Gomola. Contact Kathy Joassin if you
are interested in attending. This workshop will be held at Health Track.
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If you are interested in meeting Marsha Papy-Gomola or purchasing items from her,
you can come to Health Track on Saturday, June 7th, at noon. Marsha will not be at
the meeting on Sunday.
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Sunday, June 8th, we will have a general meeting at Health Track at 1:30PM. Bring
this year's guild project or your current needlework project and join us for the fun
at our June stitch-in. Kathy Joassin will be available to assist with questions on
the 2003 project. .A special free kit will be given to all those who attend the meeting!
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The price of the Merry Cox workshop "Sailor's Ditty Box" workshop is $140. (previous
price of $220 was incorrect).
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Specific instructions for registering for the Merry Cox
workshops are on the workshop description page. Please read these instructions
carefully if you are interested in attending one of these workshops. Because of the
pre-stitching required, deadline for signup for the March 2004 class is June 15, 2003.
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The title of the project for Linn Skinner's July workshop will now be "Elizabethan
Rose". This special blackwork and goldwork project will be presented for the first
time at our July workshop.
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Margriet Hogue will be coming for a workshop and general lecture in August. The workshop
will be held on Saturday, August 9th. Margriet will give a slide lecture on Sunday,
August 10th.
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Joanne Harvey will be coming to visit us in September. On September 20, she will present
a half-day workshop, "Margaret Smith". More information will be available in the near
future.
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 Our
May program, presented by Kathy Staples, was titled "Samplers and Embroidery of the
Colonial South". Kathy began by explaining that not much attention has been focused
on samplers of the south. There have only been four major exhibits of southern needlework.
Kathy defines the southern states as those west and south of the Hudson River.
Kathy showed us slides and talked about samplers from Virginia, North Carolina and
Charleston. She explained that most samplers from the southern states are marking
samplers. Many of the southern samplers followed the English style: narrow and long
with bands. But southern samplers had bands of alphabets instead of designs like the
English.
Kathy explained some of the unique characteristics of southern samplers. Many of the
southern English band style samplers contained Northern European motifs at the bottom
that were also found on German and Dutch samplers. Some samplers had motifs done in
cross stitch that were highlighted with an outline stitch around the motif. Another
characteristic of southern samplers is that the alphabet bands were stitched reversible
like the English, but the Northern European motifs on the same sampler were not reversible.
Kathy talked about many of the motifs found on the samplers and the origins of the
motifs. We learned the true meaning of Irish or Florentine stitch - Irish is from
a Latin word meaning multi-colored. It has nothing to do with Ireland!
Next, Kathy talked about the schools for southern girls what types of needlework they
would learn at school. Unfortunately, not much is known about teachers of the south.
Kathy said "What a girl could learn depended on what a teacher was able or willing
to teach". We leaned about day schools and French schools and the type of needlework
taught at each. We also learned about Dresden work done in the south and about some
of the large scale pieces that have survived. Kathy explained how nice it is to work
with the southern samplers, because many of them have stayed in the original families
who have donated them to museums. Much more is known about the history of each sampler.
Kathy gave us a wonderful "taste of southern samplers" and left us with "food for
thought" and a desire to learn more about them.
Thank you, Kathy, for showing us your wonderful slides and sharing your extensive
knowledge of southern samplers with us.
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Click on any of the pictures below to see a larger image.
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 Odile
Joassin brought a chemise that she made and trimmed in blackwork. The blackwork is
black silk thread on silk. Stitches used included chain, coral, stem and backstitch.
The pattern is a reproduction from a portrait from the National Portrait Gallery in
London titled "Unknown Woman" by Hans Holbein. Odile estimated that she has over 200
hours in making the chemise. Wow!
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Marilyn Fettinger brought in a project she had recently finished. The kit was Marsha
Salter from the Scarlet Letter. The sampler is a reproduction of a 1651 English band
sampler done in silk on 35 count linen. The sampler was framed by Dakin Galleries
in Gurnee, IL.
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Thanks to all of our members who participated
in our meeting this month!
Don't forget to bring along your projects for the
stitch-in at our next meeting in June!
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