Sampler
In the nineteenth century, Scottish girls from the age of five or six learnt both their letters and stitches by making beautiful samplers. Barbara Wilson 'sewed this sampler in Misses Barrs School, aged 8 years, 27 April 1839'.
The sampler is a charming personal record of Barbara's family history. She has embroidered the names and initials of family members, with the initials in black probably representing those who have died. Recording family members in this way is characteristic of Scottish samplers.
There are other distinctively Scottish details - the flat-topped A, eyelet stitch, the use of red and green threads, and the inclusion of her mother's maiden name.
Display dates: August 2009 to February 2010.