The Cross stitch sampler

The original purpose of the sampler was to record sample stitches and patterns, it was as early as the beginning of the 19th century that this function stopped being the primary purpose for producing the sampler.  Samplers produced after this time began to incorporate new motifs.

Two prominent features which appeared on samplers dating from the 19th century are flat two-dimensional houses and inscription.  Houses and other building motifs on samplers became popular from about 1750.  Many of the houses popular during this era were Georgian in character and featured brick walls, glazing bars on windows and often, a front garden with trees or formal flower beds

The symmetry of the Georgian style made it easy to replicate their design in cross stitch.  The house itself often formed the central motif of the sampler and the area above it frequently contained a small verse as well as the name, date and age of the stitcher..  The inscription on samplers which featured the house motif was rarely more than four lines long and was usually in rhyming verse.

Biblical verses were the most popular choice for inscriptions, with the verse beginning "Jesus permit thy gracious name to stand ..." and ending in a multitude of variations, being very common.