Common Thread/Common Ground

Description

edited by Marsha Van Valin Parker

Early samplers and needleworks have curious and diverse ways of speaking to us, not only through the visual delight and historic material they represent, but in many other ways, far more subtle. This collection of essays, by noted scholars and specialists in the study of early samplers, underscores and amplifies that fact. This stimulating collection of essays includes three chapters by Carol Humphrey, Honorary Keeper of Textiles at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge England, covering various aspects of the Museum’s vast sampler collection; a discussion of the source for pastoral and idyllic landscapes in early eighteenth century canvaswork pictures and samplers by Kathy Staples; Carol Huber’s essay on architecture in eighteenth and early nineteenth century American needlework; a fascinating piece on early samplers of The Netherlands by Margriet Hogue, a noted textile conservator, Frances Failes’, text titled Hanging By A Thread, regarding the care and conservation of early samplers; and an essay on rare epistolary samplers (samplers stitched as letters) by the editor, and more. Between chapters, three accomplished and brilliant poets and writers have contributed works inspired by early samplers, and those long-gone samplermakers. The book is beautifully illustrated with photographs of samplers that have never appeared in print before, in color and black and white (over 100 illustrations). A SCARLET LETTER EXCLUSIVE.

Softbound, 84 pages