Published: May 12, 2009 10:30 pm         

Otter Creek Guild student group reproducing samplers of Oblate Sisters by hand

TERRE HAUTE — The Otter Creek Middle School Sampler Guild is proud to display its newest reproduction samplers from the Oblate Sisters of Providence, an order based in Baltimore.

A sampler is a piece of linen that schoolgirls would use to practice their stitching and embroidery skills. “This would have been an actual class in school,” guild sponsor Valinda Titus said.

The embroidery would then be used to mark household clothing and linens such as tablecloths, napkins and bedding; the items would be marked with initials and small decorative motifs.

“Antique schoolgirl samplers have become popular with collectors over the past 10 years,” Titus said. “Those with name, date and a historic background that can be documented are in high demand.”

The samplers of the Oblate Sisters were originally done by day and boarding students of St. Frances Academy and date to the 1870s.

The Oblate Sisters of Providence began in spring 1828 when four women of African descent began the order. They became the first sustained congregation of women religious of African descent in the world, Titus said.

The Otter Creek Guild student group began by securing permission from the head archivist of the Oblate Sisters of Providence Archives, and a contract quickly arrived with permission to begin reproducing the samplers by hand.

The students quickly began when they received compact discs of detailed photographs of the original samplers.

Each stitch is graphed by hand using special graph paper designed by Stephen Joseph of Terre Haute South Vigo High School and his printing class.

The second step of the process is to match the original threads with colors that are available. The group always uses a company called The Gentle Art, which has a hand overdye process that makes the embroidery thread look antique.

The Gentle Art is a longtime sponsor of the Otter Creek Stitching Guild. Once the thread matching is complete, stitching an actual model of the sampler is the final step.

The eight student stitchers began the project in the fall under Titus’ direction; Titus is their social studies teacher. The student guild members are Merit Bell, Layne Curley, Emily Denny, Heather Dunham, Laura Johnson, Tina Keilly, Kaylee Sanders and Shelby Spice.

Titus describes the students as highly skilled, dedicated to the art of stitching and interested in the historic background.

The first of the samplers is currently being stitched by Terre Haute South Vigo High School teacher and master stitcher Sally Creason. After a recent illness, Titus and her guild turned to Creason for help with the first sampler.

The Oblate Sisters will sell the graph (pattern) as a fundraiser and possibly market the designs as a kit. Read more about the order at www.oblatesisters.com and in the December 2008 issue of Ebony magazine.