RSN.1313 | RSN Collection & Archive

Sampler

Royal School of Needlework

Circa 1950s

London

Unfinished blackwork sampler with gold details, worked at the Royal School of Needlework in approximately the 1950s. The sampler features six Tudor-inspired floral motifs.

Unfinished blackwork sampler depicting six Tudor-inspired floral motifs. The anonymous embroiderer has worked a Tudor rose, carnations, and clematis as well as two moths and vines, leaves, and tendrils. The sampler is stitched on linen in stranded cotton and a fine gold passing thread. The piece was worked by a student at the Royal School of Needlework in approximately in the 1950s.

The Tudor rose is completed with two blackwork stitches, a variation on the hexagonal lozenge stitch and a floral stitch. Other stitches include chain stitch, trellis stitch, whipped chain stitch, stem stitch, and some straight stitches. One of the carnations has Burden stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch, seeding stitch, a variation on Pekinese stitch, French knots, straight stitch, and various blackwork stitches including several hexagonal stitches, a floral stitch, and a darning stitch. The clematis on the top right has a trellis stitch, cross stitch, stem stitch, filled open chain stitch, straight stitches, back stitch, bullion knots, and octagon star stitch. The top middle flower, which is unfinished, has trellis stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch, seeding stitch, and a floral blackwork stitch.

width: 48.5cm
height: 36.5cm

linen
cotton thread
metal thread

Back stitch