The Sampler Consortium’s first project has been to increase access to online sources of information related to historic samplers and other girlhood embroideries. This effort can be found online at:

SamplerCentral is a collaboratively developed, annotated list of “bookmarks” to online resources with information about samplers, sampler collections, sampler research, and related topics. At present there are more than 480 web sites listed, annotated, and tagged. The web sites are in reverse order of their entry, which means that whatever appears on top is the last one to be entered. To the right is a list of tags, which, when selected, automatically draws up only those web sites containing that tag. So, if you select “Dutch” you will get a list of only those web sites related to Dutch samplers. If you scroll down the list and select “museum” (under the label “Organization”) you will see only those web sites tagged with the word “museum”. If there is a web site that is not listed, but you think is appropriate to include, please send the URL (web address), along with information you feel should be included in the annotation, to: info@samplerconsortium.org.

Database of American Samplers

We are now working on the Sampler Consortium's second project: an online, searchable database of all known American samplers and other girlhood embroideries. This is a monumental effort and to accomplish it we are seeking funding from public and private sources across the country. At this very moment, we are writing a grant proposal to the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund a pilot project that would: (a) develop the technological infrastructure for this national online database, and (b) pilot test the database with four or five organizations interested in putting their sampler collections online. The goal is to support the study of historic samplers and other girlhood embroideries by increasing access to detailed information and images that are of high quality, accurate, standardized, and searchable.

You are warmly invited to join us in these efforts by becoming a member of the Sampler Consortium.

Your membership shows support for the above projects and assists us in documenting widespread interest in the study of needlework samplers and other girlhood embroideries. Please be sure to include your email address – that will allow us to send you news on conferences & exhibits, as well as updates on our funding, additions to our website, and other membership benefits. We will also inform you of new projects related to historic embroideries as they develop and how you can be involved. Membership is currently FREE, so please consider joining today! We look forward to learning of your interest in historic needlework.

To join the Sampler Consortium, please do one of the following:

Fill out the Membership Application form using the free Adobe Reader software, and then send it in one of the following ways:

1. Print and Mail to:
Sampler Consortium
1244 Walnut St., Suite 220
Eugene, OR 97403

2. Print and Fax to: 1-541-346-2565

3. Fill out and Email to info@samplerconsortium.org

Note: If Adobe Reader is not your default PDF program, save the form by right clicking and selecting "Save this Link...". Then start Adobe Reader, and open the form from the File Menu.

If you have questions about the application, please call the Sampler Consortium at 541-346-6513 or 877-909-2525 (tollfree). Leave a message and someone will return your call. We apologize in advance for the impersonal nature of this arrangement, but we do not yet have any office staff dedicated to answering the phone.

We look forward to receiving your membership form and to learning more about your interests in historic needlework samplers and other girlhood embroideries. Your support is critical if we are to be successful in accomplishing our goals. Thank you very much for your interest!