The word ”sampler” is from the Latin exemplar, meaning ”pattern,” and that`s exactly what the early samplers were. Stitched on long, narrow pieces of cloth, samplers were records of random stitches in ...

LE ROY — In October 1834, 10-year-old Jane Boyer of Le Roy finished her cross stitch sampler. Now, 190 years later, her work will be shown at a cross stitch retreat. It’s set for Oct. 19 at St. Mark’s ...

In 2003, Julie Jackson stopped by a craft store to buy a really ornate cross-stitch sampler — the kind with a guide to stitching the alphabet so it could be personalized as a wedding gift — as a kind ...

Using a needle and thread was considered a necessary skill for girls in the 1800's. Using a needle and thread was considered a necessary household skill for girls and women in the 1800s. Samplers were ...

Call it subversive stitchery. Alternative embroidery. Today’s home samplers include everything from Kanye West tweets to tattoo designs. Jamie Chalmers, a burly, bearded fellow who lives in Bedford, ...