Browsing by Author "Suutari, Maria"

The sampler is a work which has helped girls to practice sewing and embroidery for centuries. It is not common to sew them anymore, but there are lots of old samplers in museum collections. This study discusses the samplers at the Helsinki University Museum Craft Science Collection. The collection has been accumulated within textiles teacher education in Helsinki since the late 19th century. Most of the objects are practice works made by students in textiles teacher education. While both the Craft Science Collection and single objects of the collection have previously been studied, the samplers and the collection formed by them have been less focused on. The aim of this study was to survey the samplers of the Craft Science Collection and to analyze meanings related to sampler as a needlework and to the collection formed by the samplers. The study was carried out by using the Significance analysis method which is originally created for museum objects. The method consists of the stages of preparation, data acquisition, familiarization and contextualization. Then, the research material is evaluated with seven criteria: representativeness, authenticity, historical and cultural significance, memorable significance, communal significance, ideal situation and usability. As a result, the study shows that sampler as a needlework conveyed traditions and values. As part of studies of textiles teacher education, it functioned as practice work which formed identity and connected generations from the late 19th century until the early 20th century. The collection of samplers was found to have especially communal, historical and cultural significance. This collection conveys information about handicrafts, craft education and textiles teacher education of the past – and about the values behind them. The collection would have potential to act as teaching, exhibition or research material, but in some cases, the absence of context information may complicate it.