Weaving Sampler

Samplers were the perfect way for weavers and embroiderers to hone their skills. In indigenous Taiwanese communities a woman’s status was determined by her weaving talents, so practice was very important. This sampler shows off traditional Taiwanese motifs woven into the dense linen ground with indigo-dyed cotton threads. Twenty-eight small sections of designs are contained by a top and bottom border. Most are geometric, like the eight-point star and diamonds, and some are pictorial.