German samplers, with their numerous motifs, are a feast for the eyes. They contain many symbolic designs based on biblical stories and secular life. They include one or more alphabets in various forms, but verses are not found on these pieces. This sampler from the Bavarian National Museum in Munich is more than three hundred years old. It is originated in the region of Nuremberg. An abundance of flower motifs are spread over the picture. Next to surface filling you find two alphabets, stripes with geometrical and plant patterns, flowers in a vase, four single flowers and a cartouche in form of a circle that incorporate a floral design and enclose initials. Generally, spelled names were not found on German samplers.

Many thanks to the staff of the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg, for sending us photos and their kind support.

The choice of fabrics and threads was the most difficult job for Dorothee Kandzi. Dorothee has tried to use fabrics, threads and colours which are as close as possible to those of antique samplers. Some of the samplers you see above are stitched on 200 year old linen, like Denmark 1825 and Johann Sibmacher Sampler 1601. That requires lots of practice and patience, because the linen is woven irregularly. A good choice for todays stitchers is the very fine 40-counted linen produced by Permin of Copenhagen. Antique samplers are nearly always stitched with silk on fine linen. Au vers a soie, a Parisien company, offers silk threads of very high quality in more than 400 different colours. That allows the reproduction samplers to have the warm and delicate shades of the antique samplers.

The kits always come with the finest Danish 40 count linen and silk threads from Au vers à soie.