Alice's sampler is 417 stitches wide by 414 stitches high. The sampler was worked in Cross stitch over two threads on unevenweave fabric with about 70 threads per inch. The uneven threads on the fabric is why the picture of the original does not look as square as the stitch count.

Alice's ampler is a great example of a traditional red sampler. The sampler includes alphabets, border bands, the Bristol bible, and the corner motifs that that girls added to their samplers during the 1870s.

What you see here, which is unusual, is that Alice started to pick out North Wing, New Orphan House. There was a stigma in being an orphan, to have to live in an orphanage. Not every girl wanted to be documented as living in an orphanage. The fact that there are so few Bristol samplers that remain today, compared to how many were stitched, may be due to a girl not wanting to be associated with the orphanage. Many samplers were likely pitched for that reason. We are thankful that Alice kept her sampler even though she picked out New Orphan House etc. Some collectors might think this makes the sampler less valuable, but in fact it makes it more unique and special.

Kimberly Young owns the original Alice Ellen Usher sampler. The pictures and information shared on this website have been shared with permission of the owner.