Sampler
EmbroidererEmbroidered by
Sally Doolittle
American, born 1806
TeacherTaught by
Ruth Eliza Tuttle
American, 1790 - 1840
Date1819
MediumEmbroidery; silk threads on a plain-woven, undyed linen ground
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width): 6 3/8 x 8 7/8in. (16.2 x 22.5cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineConnecticut Museum of Culture and History collection
DescriptionMarking sampler worked in medium brown and black silk threads on a plain-woven linen ground using cross stitches. The sampler is rectangular, oriented horizontally. It is laid out with six rows of three alphabets, and the numbers 1 through 10, over three inscriptions and a marking motif at the bottom. The first inscription is "Sally Doolittle. 12 Years of age/ Born Dec. 30th 1806.". The second inscription is "Ruth Eliza Tuttle/ Instructress, Wallingford. Sept 13th 1819". The fourth inscription is "Love all/ Trusst but few/ Associate/ with the wise". There are at least two marking motifs and a crown design. Certain lines of alphabets, numbers, and text are separated by various narrow borders, including straight and meandering lines. There is a meandering four-sided border.
The sampler has a 1/8-inch double-turned hem on all four edges. The hem is coming undone on the left side edge. The sampler is not framed.
Letters and Numbers: There are three alphabets and the numbers 1-10. The letters are uppercase block in alphabet 1, uppercase script in alphabet 2, and lowercase block in alphabet 3. The letter J is present in the first and third alphabets; the letter U is present in all alphabets. In the second alphabet the letters M and W are smaller than the rest of the letters; the item at the end of the alphabet is most likely an ampersand. In the third alphabet either letter "r" is repeated, but not both. The embroiderer uses the long 's'.
Stitches: The principal stitch on the sampler is cross stitch over two threads; it is also worked in cross stitch over one thread, and cross stitch over two warp threads and one weft thread.
Condition: The double-turned hem is coming undone on the left side edge. The sampler has minimal fading. The sampler is not framed.
The sampler has a 1/8-inch double-turned hem on all four edges. The hem is coming undone on the left side edge. The sampler is not framed.
Letters and Numbers: There are three alphabets and the numbers 1-10. The letters are uppercase block in alphabet 1, uppercase script in alphabet 2, and lowercase block in alphabet 3. The letter J is present in the first and third alphabets; the letter U is present in all alphabets. In the second alphabet the letters M and W are smaller than the rest of the letters; the item at the end of the alphabet is most likely an ampersand. In the third alphabet either letter "r" is repeated, but not both. The embroiderer uses the long 's'.
Stitches: The principal stitch on the sampler is cross stitch over two threads; it is also worked in cross stitch over one thread, and cross stitch over two warp threads and one weft thread.
Condition: The double-turned hem is coming undone on the left side edge. The sampler has minimal fading. The sampler is not framed.
Object number1950.385.0
MarkingsTranscription of text lines:"ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO/ PQRSTUVWXYZ/ ABCDEFGHIKLM/ NOPQRSTUVW/ XYZ& abcdefghijklmnop/ qrrstuvwxyz&12345678910/ Sally Doolittle. 12 Years of age/ Born Dec. 30th 1806. Ruth Eliza Tuttle/ Instructress, Wallingford. Sept 13th 1819/ Love all/ Trusst but few/ Associate/ with the wise".
Subject Terms
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