Object Name: Sampler
Object ID: 1981.008.02
Creator: Woodbury, Sophia (1803-1877)
Place of Origin: Northfield, NH
Date: 1818
Description: Sampler. Made by Sophia Woodbury (1803-1877), Northfield, NH; 1818. Silk embroidery on loosely woven linen ground, consisting of alphabets: first, large block capital letters worked in Algerian eye stitch; second small block capital letters worked in cross stitch; third, script capital letters worked in cross stitch, followed by motto, "PrePare for Eternity." A strawberry vine is worked below this, followed by a lower-case block letter alphabet in a small scale, and the inscription, "SoPhia Woodbury's SamPler wrought in the / 15th year of her age Northfield June 19th. A.D. 1818. 123456789. Time is short." Across the lower third of the sampler is an embroidered scene centered with a large double-handled basket of flowers, including pink roses. To the right of the flower basket is a leopard, and on each side of the scene are trees with birds. The undulating ground is worked in shades of green cross stitches. The ground is overlaid with a floral vine worked in chain, satin, bullion, New England laid, and outline stitches. Additional stitches used in the scene include French knots, tent, and straight stitches. Around the sides and top is a narrow sawtooth border worked in satin and cross stitches in aqua green. An inner frame of cream-colored eyelet stitches surrounds the panel of lettering. The lettering is all worked in black; other colors are predominately pink, aqua green, and cream. Under the stitches of the scene worked across the bottom can be seen the inked design.
Material: Textile
Linen
Silk
Dimensions: H-16.75 W-17.25 inches
Provenance: Sophia (Woodbury) Clough (1803-1877) was the great-grandmother of Warren Clough Parsons (1900-1966), the husband of the donor, Mary Lavina Brewster Parsons (1904-1981).
Credit Line: Bequest of Mary Brewster Parsons
People:
Woodbury, Sophia (1803-1877),
Parsons, Mary B. (1904-1980)
Subjects:
Needlework