The History of Samplers 2

Over time, many Antique Samplers and pious words included a few decorative touches. Young girls would embroidery a bit of their own home in among the alphabets. Slowly flowers began to unfurl in neat symmetry, little birds perch on branches, crowns and hearts appear with dignity, and borders frame the whole piece in rhythmic repetition. These motifs and borders all carried meaning, tradition, and a sense of artistry that transformed even practice cloths into treasured heirlooms.

From Utility to Decoration

In the earliest samplers of the 16th and 17th centuries, motifs and borders served a functional purpose. Needleworkers used their cloth to record stitches and patterns, almost like a notebook of techniques. A flower, a star, or a scrolling vine might be stitched once simply to remember how it was done. Over time, however, these motifs became more than records—they became design elements in their own right. By the 18th century, samplers had shifted from pure practice pieces into display works. Girls were expected not only to demonstrate literacy but also to show creativity and refinement. Decorative borders and motifs gave them the chance to elevate their work from useful exercise to ornamental art.

O, Canada Sampler 

The Language of Flowers

Flowers were among the most popular motifs, stitched in endless variety. Roses, tulips, carnations, and lilies all appear frequently, each carrying symbolic meaning. A rose might stand for love, a lily for purity, a carnation for admiration. These symbols aligned with the moral and religious messages often included in samplers, reinforcing virtues through imagery as well as words. Sometimes flowers were arranged in vases, baskets, or garlands. Other times they stood alone as scattered blossoms. The repetition of floral motifs across cultures reveals their universal appeal, but the specific choice of flower often reflected local tastes or available pattern books.

Birds, Animals, and Everyday Life

Alongside flowers, birds became a staple of sampler decoration. Doves symbolized peace, while peacocks represented beauty and immortality. Some samplers show pairs of birds facing each other, an emblem of harmony or marriage. In rural communities, common animals like sheep, deer, or rabbits also made appearances, connecting the work to everyday life. Domestic scenes sometimes emerged too: little dogs, farmhouses, and barns dotted the fabric. These motifs personalized a sampler, turning it into a snapshot of the world familiar to the young stitcher.

Sister Sampler 

Geometric Borders: Structure and Symmetry

If motifs gave samplers personality, borders gave them structure. Rows of repeating diamonds, zigzags, and Greek keys wrapped around the design, creating order and balance. These geometric borders often echoed patterns from woven textiles, linking embroidery to broader traditions of design. Borders also offered an excellent way to practice precision. A row of mismatched diamonds would quickly reveal uneven counting or tension. Thus, borders served as both decoration and test, demonstrating a child’s control over her stitches.

The Crown, the Heart, and the House

Certain motifs became so widespread they’re almost synonymous with samplers. The crown, often stitched above an alphabet or verse, symbolized loyalty, authority, or sometimes simply fashionable taste. The heart appeared constantly, standing for love, charity, or devotion. And the house motif—usually a tidy, symmetrical building—came to represent family, stability, and domestic life. These motifs spoke a universal language. Viewers who saw them immediately recognized their meaning, much as we recognize emojis today. They were small, simple symbols that communicated values across communities.

Regional Styles and Influences

Motifs and borders varied by region. Dutch samplers, for example, often included rows of crowns, tulips, and lions. English samplers favored verse panels framed with floral borders. German samplers leaned heavily on geometric forms, while Scandinavian ones incorporated bold, linear designs. Pattern books circulated widely, spreading designs across Europe and into the Americas. Yet each region—and even each school—developed its own style, shaped by teachers, local traditions, and the creativity of the girls themselves.

The Personal Touch

While motifs followed tradition, they also allowed for individuality. A girl might include her favorite flower, the shape of her family’s home, or initials of loved ones. Borders might be adapted to fit the space available or stitched in favorite colors. These personal choices turned samplers into unique records of both cultural convention and individual expression. One touching example comes from early American samplers where children sometimes stitched weeping willows, urns, or angels to memorialize family members who had died. In these cases, motifs carried not only decorative charm but deep emotional resonance.

Where Stitchers Gather Needlework Smalls  

The Evolution of Pattern

As samplers moved into the 19th century, motifs and borders became increasingly elaborate. Entire scenes like shepherdesses with flocks, or Adam and Eve beneath the Tree of Knowledge, ships at sea, found their way into these once-simple exercises. Borders grew more ornate, filled with repeating floral sprays or intricate geometric frameworks. By this time, samplers were less about practice and more about display. Families proudly framed them, hung them in parlors, and treasured them as family records. The motifs and borders provided much of their decorative appeal, making them suitable for public viewing.

A Legacy That Lasts

Today, when modern designers create sampler-inspired patterns, motifs and borders remain central. We still stitch rows of flowers, houses, crowns, and alphabets, echoing centuries of tradition. Even geometric borders, once tests of precision, continue to frame our work with elegance. The motifs remind us of the values, stories, and imaginations of stitchers long gone. Each crown, bird, or blossom carries with it echoes of the young hands that first brought it to life. The rise of motifs and borders in samplers transformed them from utilitarian practice cloths into enduring works of art. Flowers spoke of beauty and virtue, birds of harmony, borders of discipline and order.

Crowns, hearts, and houses symbolized loyalty, love, and family, while geometric patterns showcased skill and precision. Together, these elements gave samplers both charm and meaning, making them more than teaching tools. They became expressions of culture, memory, and identity stitched into linen one careful motif at a time. Today, whether we stitch a simple border or an elaborate floral spray, we continue this tradition. Motifs and borders still connect us to the girls who once turned alphabets into art, leaving behind not just records of learning but legacies of beauty.

Written by Thea Dueck: designer, teacher and founder of the Victoria Sampler. A professional needlework designer and a recognized authority in specialty stitches. She loves sharing the joy of samplers and specialty stitches.