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Shakespeare Connected - Marking Time in Shakespeare’s England

SAMPLER

10th May 1687. Elizabeth Herne completes this sampler and decides to proudly embroider her name and date onto it to celebrate the achievement. Embroidery was a skill learnt at an early age and Elizabeth was therefore likely to be young. Although many girls who made samplers weren’t expected to earn a living, needlework skills were an important part of their development, anticipating the future running of a household. Samplers weren’t just decorative but would be referred to and passed on to other female relatives. Elizabeth therefore uses the date on her sampler to forever mark to future generations of women the moment she mastered these stitches.

Link to other resources: https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/blogs/shakespeare-100-objects-sampler/

 

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