Sample from Amsterdam, dated 1843.
Courtesy Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, acc. no. BK-KOG-1649-F.
In decorative needlework, the word sample is used to describe a simple or randomly worked form of sampler. The intention of making a sample is to try out various techniques, designs or lay-outs, or to remind the worker of the technique and/or patterns, or to show them to a few others.
A sample is generally not made in order to be displayed, in contrast to a sampler, which is a more formalised piece of work that was intended to be shown and seen in public.
The TRC in Leiden houses a sample from the Miao ethnic minority in China, which was used for teaching weaving techniques (TRC 2018.2084).
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam online catalogue (retrieved 26th August 2018).
GVE
