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Joanne Harvey of The Examplarery
1802 Hannah Prescott Sampler

In 1802, Hannah Prescott, aged 16, of Westford, Massachusetts, created this elegant piece of embroidery. The sophistication of the design elements suggests that perhaps this work was her final presentation sampler. A highly detailed acorn border encompasses the striking pictorial elements. Hannah is a distant relative of Sarah Prescott (Peabody Essex Museum) whose family was heavily involved in the textile arts in the Westford area. A history of this interesting family will be included in class. During our time together, we will also take a brief look at various examples of Massachusetts samplers.

The Hannah Prescott sampler will be worked on 35-count cream linen in 30 shades of floss. Texture is created by combining two shades of pearl cotton along with the floss. The sampler measures approximately 11" x 13" and features the following stitch techniques: cross, buttonhole, Algerian eyes, satin, New England laid, and stem.

About Joanne Harvey:

We are an endeavor known as The Examplarery. Since 1976, our objective is to provide the needlework community with reproductions or adaptations worked in techniques found on the original artifacts. We have been licensed by many of the leading museums in this county: The Ford Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, The Pilgrim Society, Winterthur, Rhode Island Historical Society, DAR Museum, Plymouth Antiquarian Society, Newburyport Historical Society the Cushing House Museum, Nantucket Historical Society, Rochester Museum and Science Center, Historic Deerfield, The Abby Aldrich Folk Art Museum, SPNEA, Detroit Historical Museum, Plimoth Plantation, Museum of Art Rhode Island School of Design, Margaret Woodbury Museum, and The Peabody Essex Museum; we also work with pieces from private collections.

We have combined our reproductions with seminars and classes on historical needlework embroideries for the past 30 years. We have lectured and taught for many groups and museums. Various motion picture production companies have commissioned our work as well. Our work and published articles concerning historical needlework have appeared in numerous magazines throughout the years.

In reproducing the various pieces of needlework, we strive to replicate each piece as accurately as possible, limited only by the materials available today. Our diagrams and instructions are very precise and quite detailed. We also try to include all of the genealogical data for each piece.

Joanne’s background includes a degree in Art Educations, teaching high school art, working at the Henry Ford as a guide, supervisor, and conservation technician. I take great pleasure in sharing my enthusiasm and deep respect for historical embroideries with my friends and through teaching and lecturing.