“About 1849.” Except for the owner’s name, that’s really all I know about the history of this particular little sewing album. It’s bound with marbled paper card stock, edged with silk ribbon, and the colorful pages have the feel (and unfortunately the quality!) of children’s construction paper. Written inside the front cover is “made about 1849 by Mary M. Quiston, later Mrs. Reid, later Mrs. Porter.” (The “M. Quiston” might be “McQuiston.”)
Samplers of cross stitch (marking), embroidery, or darning skills have a long history in Britain, America, and Europe, but the popularity of books containing specimens of plain sewing stitches began in England in the 1810s. They were developed as part of the “monitorial” education system where pupils who had mastered a skill instructed the ones who were just learning it.
This system of “mutual education” was originally applied to basic reading, writing, and arithmetic, then to plain needlework since it was an essential part of female education. Understanding sewing instruction techniques was much easier if you had a small sample to see. Books with samples of hemming, stitching, seaming, marking, etc., were originally intended to help a teacher follow “the system” in her classroom, but also developed into treasured collections preserved by the girls who had worked them in order to demonstrate their accomplishments.
The earliest books might include a miniature shirt, cap, or apron, but it wasn’t long before they added other items like stockings, sleeves, dresses, trims, etc. to the classes. Educators appreciated the savings in time and expense that using small samples offered (and heaven knows charity schools needed to economize!) but maybe they had another reason as well: it was fun making tiny garments that were just like doll clothes! Here are some of my favorite pages from Mary’s book.
I wish I knew more about Mary. How old was she when she learned to sew? Did she have daughters who wanted to take the dresses for their dolls? I would have! Did she use her skills for the rest of her life, or pack them away, back “around 1849”?
Two Threads Back 
It’s lovely to see the samples, and all the amazing plain and fancy sewing work!
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How absolutely amazing. So small and sew delicate and so wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
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It’s a pleasure to show off their work – I wish I had a fraction of their skill and patience!
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Fascinating!
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What an amazing collection of “plain sewing”! What an absolute treasure!
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It is, thanks! I just wish it had survived intact. Sadly there are pages with damage or missing samples.
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It’s so sad that girls don’t learn these skills, now. Even when I was young we didn’t learn all those sewing skills… just basics… and making modern simple clothing. I remember, as an adult, looking at antique doll clothes, that had those marvelous tiny, dainty gathers that looked like tiny even pleats. I have since learned that, but they still amaze me!
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I agree! I remember learning to make an A-line skirt in high school, super simple with no handwork, and even that was probably the end of an era. My generation may have been the last to even take such a class – I don’t think my younger sister did. It’s good to see the fine work that used to be common and appreciate their skills!
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