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The Bostocke Sampler is the oldest known signed and dated sampler. It was worked by Jane Bostocke and dated 1598. There are many pictures of the sampler available but only when the Lazy Wench looked at the real thing could she determine what is going on in some places. It is stored in the textile room of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The first thing the Wench noticed about the sampler is that there are holes in it, indicating parts that have come out or been removed. In the spot motif area there is a set of holes in the shape of an animal perched in the tree. This animal would have balanced the existing/remaining animal in the branches of the tree. There is also a set of holes in the shape of a second beast, possibly something like a dog.
As the Wench moved down the sampler, she realized that the hard to read letters are picked out in pearls, there isn't some different and exotic stitch or thread. Some of the pearls are missing, but most of them are still there. The pearls are added on top of the stitched letters. That resolved a major question the Wench had about the sampler, which is not usually described in detail or even photographed in color.
The plaited chain stitch is used to fill in the blackwork knot design that is mostly left blank. The plaited chain stitching is done with a metal thread and is quite even and precise. This contrasts with the patterned couching done in the lower left of the sampler. The couching is quite open and it is difficult to see the pattern because it is so spread out. The gold threads are widely spaced and droop slightly because of the spacing of the couching. Usually the Lazy Wench sees work like this as part of a beginner project. Other pattern couching of the same time is very dense and 'tight' with the couching threads close together and worked over closely spaced gold threads.
At the lower right of the sampler are clusters of strawberries worked in red and white thread with a tight checkerboard like pattern. The strawberries appear slightly raised or padded and the stitching is very dense. On close examination, the Lazy Wench admits to absolute mystification as to the stitch used to create them. It looks like detached buttonhole work, but it doesn't. It might be a variation on a knit stitch, but it might not. Magnification revealed some variations on the alternation of the colors, but not a hint as to what stitch was used. If pressed to re create the sampler, the Lazy Wench would probably use a detached buttonhole stitch.
Will the Wench return to London? Certainly she will. At that time, she fully intends to return to the V&A and continue her inspection of the Bostocke sampler. Perhaps by then, she'll know what stitch was used to create the strawberries. As the Lazy Wench searched through the internet for additional information on the Jane Bostocke sampler, she discovered that it is possible to purchase directions to make a copy of the sampler. These directions are even discounted! The ordering is a bit wonky, so she will go through her local shop. Many people have charted out parts of the designs, but this is the entire sampler. She's hoping that the correct stitch is identified for the strawberries and that instructions for completing them as Jane did are included.
For those Wenches who care about these things, looking at the sampler itself means The Lazy Wench is using a primary source or the original object for her research. When other Wenches are reading what The Lazy Wench is reporting, information they learn from this page is considered to be secondary source material. If Wenches tell other Wenches as in, "I read that The Web Wench said it lookes like detached buttonhole." then it becomes a tertiary source to the listening Wench. It all depends on how many people/interpretations/retellings there are between the learner and the actual object.
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