Sampler c. 1938

This needlepoint sampler was made by Lovina Swine in 1838, when she was just 10 years old. Can you imagine? The whole thing’s stitched in these tiny, careful crosses of thread, a whole world built up, pixel by pixel. I think of Lovina sitting, maybe near a window, carefully following the pattern, but then also adding her own flair with the birds, the flowers, the house, each little stitch a decision, a tiny act of creation. The colours are muted, soft creams and reds and greens, which gives it a dreamy, timeless feel. The way the stitches build up texture, the subtle shifts in colour… Look at the little birds perched along the wall near the bottom; each one is slightly different. To me, these stitches communicate not just skill, but also Lovina’s intention, her attention to detail, and maybe even her longing for the world outside her sampler. It makes me think of other artists who use repetition and pattern to create something both intricate and deeply personal, like the obsessive drawings of outsider artists. It’s a reminder that art-making is a conversation across time, each artist building on what came before, and each of us bringing our own perspective to the work.