Art
Samplers were practice pieces where young girls learned needlework—a skill every woman needed to master. Embroidering letters, numbers, and patterns taught both technical skill and discipline. They were displayed as proof of a girl's education and readiness for adult life.
Art · Full story
Your fingers are sore. You've been sitting at this sampler for weeks, pulling the needle through linen over and over, following the pattern your mother drew. The alphabet is nearly done. When you finish, everyone who visits will see what you've made—proof that you're becoming a proper young woman.
Reflect
What skills do we teach young people today that signal they're ready to grow up?