Sampler
Object name
Maker
Date made
Circa 1930s
Place made
Description
Crewelwork sampler worked by Margaret Bartlett in the 1930s whilst a student at the Royal School of Needlework.
Content description
A crewelwork sampler worked by Margaret Bartlett in the 1930s while a student at the Royal School of Needlework. This four-part design was used until the last few years of the RSN's Training School Diploma. The piece is embroidered on linen and is divided into four groups of motifs.
This sampler, worked in wool, can be oriented in any number of ways. The description follows the orientation seen in the primary photograph of the object. In the top left corner the motifs are stylised leaves and a pink flower. The leaves and flower are worked in long and short stitches, with the thicker stems worked in detached chain stitches. The tendrils are worked in stem stitch. The pointed centre of the flower in green is created using French knots. The cup of the acorn is embroidered in bullion knots, while detached chain stitch is used around the outside of the leaves. All of this quadrant is worked in wool threads. The leaves are very reminiscent of late 17th and early 18th-century crewelwork in shape and colour.
In the top right quadrant are a variety of standalone flower and leaf motifs. The outlines of the flowers are worked in loop stitches. French knots, cloud filling, split, and couching stitches are also used for the flower petals and leaf interiors.
The bottom left quadrant has a variety of motifs, including a bird whose body is worked in wool in long and short stitch and outlined in stem stitch. The wings are worked in a form of feather stitch. The butterfly consists of long and short stitch with stem stitch for the antennae. The bottom wings feature couched threads in contrasting colours, giving a basketweave effect. The strawberries and pomegranates are executed in a similar way to the butterfly wings, also resulting in a basketweave effect. The acorn cup is worked in cloud filling stitch, while the top of the acorn uses long and short stitch couched across the centre in a contrasting coloured wool. This wool is also used to outline the acorn using split stitch. The central leaf is worked with long stitches couched down, giving a brick effect. The flowers are made of feather stitch and the thick stem is in chain stitch. The long pointed pale brown leaves are worked in satin stitch, with the veins of couched dark brown wool.
The fourth quadrant on the bottom right features a stylised leaf, flower, stem, and pomegranate fruit. These are all worked in wool threads in long and short stitch. The centre of the flower is embroidered in French knots. The leaves are worked in feather stitch and the tendrils are worked in chain stitch. These motifs, too, are reminiscent of early modern crewelwork.
Miss Margaret Bartlett graduated from the Royal School of Needlework Training School Programme in the 1930s with high marks. She went on to manage the RSN Workroom and Studio, as well as produce and/or contribute to a number of other pieces within the RSN Collection today (with examples including RSN 590 and RSN 2793).
Crewelwork embroidery experienced a revival in the late 19th century and first decades of the 20th century, when it became a popular way to embellish home furnishings. Bartlett's sampler blends traditional crewelwork imagery with more creative, unusual motifs. There are many surviving examples of this sampler form in the RSN Collection and in other museums and private collections.
This sampler, worked in wool, can be oriented in any number of ways. The description follows the orientation seen in the primary photograph of the object. In the top left corner the motifs are stylised leaves and a pink flower. The leaves and flower are worked in long and short stitches, with the thicker stems worked in detached chain stitches. The tendrils are worked in stem stitch. The pointed centre of the flower in green is created using French knots. The cup of the acorn is embroidered in bullion knots, while detached chain stitch is used around the outside of the leaves. All of this quadrant is worked in wool threads. The leaves are very reminiscent of late 17th and early 18th-century crewelwork in shape and colour.
In the top right quadrant are a variety of standalone flower and leaf motifs. The outlines of the flowers are worked in loop stitches. French knots, cloud filling, split, and couching stitches are also used for the flower petals and leaf interiors.
The bottom left quadrant has a variety of motifs, including a bird whose body is worked in wool in long and short stitch and outlined in stem stitch. The wings are worked in a form of feather stitch. The butterfly consists of long and short stitch with stem stitch for the antennae. The bottom wings feature couched threads in contrasting colours, giving a basketweave effect. The strawberries and pomegranates are executed in a similar way to the butterfly wings, also resulting in a basketweave effect. The acorn cup is worked in cloud filling stitch, while the top of the acorn uses long and short stitch couched across the centre in a contrasting coloured wool. This wool is also used to outline the acorn using split stitch. The central leaf is worked with long stitches couched down, giving a brick effect. The flowers are made of feather stitch and the thick stem is in chain stitch. The long pointed pale brown leaves are worked in satin stitch, with the veins of couched dark brown wool.
The fourth quadrant on the bottom right features a stylised leaf, flower, stem, and pomegranate fruit. These are all worked in wool threads in long and short stitch. The centre of the flower is embroidered in French knots. The leaves are worked in feather stitch and the tendrils are worked in chain stitch. These motifs, too, are reminiscent of early modern crewelwork.
Miss Margaret Bartlett graduated from the Royal School of Needlework Training School Programme in the 1930s with high marks. She went on to manage the RSN Workroom and Studio, as well as produce and/or contribute to a number of other pieces within the RSN Collection today (with examples including RSN 590 and RSN 2793).
Crewelwork embroidery experienced a revival in the late 19th century and first decades of the 20th century, when it became a popular way to embellish home furnishings. Bartlett's sampler blends traditional crewelwork imagery with more creative, unusual motifs. There are many surviving examples of this sampler form in the RSN Collection and in other museums and private collections.
Dimensions
width: 49cm
height: 50cm
height: 50cm
Materials
Stitches
Bullion knot 
Chain stitch
Couching
Loop stitch
French knot
Cloud filling stitch
Stem stitch
Feather stitch
Split stitch
Chain stitch
Couching
Loop stitch
French knot
Cloud filling stitch
Stem stitch
Feather stitch
Split stitch
Techniques
Motifs
Catalogue number
RSN.2788
© Royal School of Needlework