Samplers have a long history in Britain and the United States, dating from the sixteenth century. They were originally a collection of patterns gathered together for easy reference to be used in embroidery and needlepoint lace. But they later developed into a schoolgirls' exercise, and today they are more often used to record stitches than patterns.

This book traces the history of samplers in Britain from the late sixteenth century onwards, and includes examples of long, darning, map, school, stitch and plain sewing samplers, as well as those associated with great griefs and joys....