There is a very nice online article on the website of the Victoria and Albert Museum about their collection of historical needlepoint samplers at:
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/embroidery-a-history-of-needlework-samplers
They were able to collect over 700 samplers that range from as early as the 1400’s to pieces stitched in the twentieth century. Three images of samplers from their website article are pictured below.
Samplers were used to show the skills of the sewer, and they contain examples of the different types of stitches that each sewer has learned. Often, there were alphabets and numbers displayed, showing that the sewer could include monograms or important dates on their pieces of needlework.
Some basic stitches are shown in the video at the bottom of this page.
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Given by Admiral Sir Robert and Lady Prendergast.
