An American sampler from Newburyport, Massachusetts, featuring alphabets, a good variety of stitches, and some very amusing overweight sheep in a meadow at the bottom.

The original sampler had bare traces of a verse worked where there is now have a four-line verse stitched in black, cross stitch over one thread. Along with the sampler came a leather-bound book of verses that belonged to Ruthy Poor's sister, Rebekah. Rebekah had many of her friends include a hand-inked verse in this book most of them signed and dated. Ruthy wrote a verse in the book, after she was married, and a print of this is included in the kit. Their sister, Mary, also included a verse, which has been excerpted and put on the sampler:

Accept, dear friend these lines from me/ they show that I remember thee/ and hope some thought you will retain/ of me till we shall meet again.

Origin and date: Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1814

Linen count/finished size: 30 count, 8"x12-1/2". Kit contains fabric, cotton or silk floss, needle and instructions.

Stitches: Cross, satin, eyelet, stem

Source: Private collection