"The Little Book of Samplers"
by Bernice Addlemyer

[Page 30]
Surely there is no greater joy for the nineteenth century woman, young or old, than to bring a piece of linen to life with needlepoint – requiring only needle, thread, care, and imagination.
The word “sampler” comes from the Latin word exemplum, which means “example – that which serves as a model.” The best samplers not only allow their creators to recall what particular embroidery stitches look like when executed properly, but also demonstrate to the world their mastery of an important womanly skill. Indeed, many a gentleman’s head has been turned, and many a marriage fortified, by a well-crafted sampler!
It is acceptable, in these modern times, for samplers to take many forms. One classic is the long and narrow band sampler, which features bands of flowery border designs as well as rows of numbers and the alphabet. Another classic is the spot sampler, a delightful display of randomly placed images, or motifs. 

[Page 31]
[Sampler featuring a red and white house, green, flowering trees, red and orange flowers and a driveway with a green and yellow lawn]
Example of a spot sampler

[Page 33]
Most motifs are naturalistic objects that have specific meanings in the “language of samplers”. Here is a list of common motifs and their meanings: 

Duck – Marital Fidelity ……………… Olive – Peace 
Eagle – America……………………………………… Hour Glass – Passing of time
Harp – Purity…………………………………………… Ring – Union 
Square – Nature …………………………………… Chairs – Domesticity 
Star - Bravery………………………………………… Key – Fidelity
Crown – Eternity…………………………………… Bee – Hope
Owl – Wisdom …………………………………………… Apple – Love
Dog – Faithfulness……………………………… Bow – Secret love
Dove – Charity………………………………………… Rabbit – Gentleness
Cherry – Departed ……………………………… Daisy – Humility
Lion – Strength …………………………………… Squirrel – Mischief
Bell – Music, Joy………………………………… Angel – Messenger
Horseshoe – Good luck……………………… Cat – Idleness
Butterfly – New Beginning…………… Pineapple – Hospitality 
Shell – Good fortune ……………………… Heart with key – Beloved


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Nowadays most samplers are colorful variations of the classic styles and are lergly decorative in nature. Houses, schools and churches take center stage in some; in others, mottos, verses and important dates are featured. 
There is an alarming trend among some sampler makers to use only one stitch – the simple and rather plain cross-stitch. It behooves these women to remember that nothing catches the eye like variety, nor holds the heart like a multi-talented seamstress!