Sampler 1661-63 Margret Barber This band sampler by Margret Barber, probably worked between 1661 and 1663, is divided into rows within three larger sections, each of which showcases a specific technique. The top two-thirds of the sampler includes motifs easily classifiable into standard categories, such as alphabetic characters, geometric designs, and floral motifs, worked in silk and linen on a linen ground using several common stitch techniques. An embroidered alphabet marks the end of the top third of the piece. The middle third is worked with white thread on a white ground, a technique commonly known as whitework. This middle section features scattered design motifs and concludes with an embroidered rendering of the makers name and dates of production.The bottom third of the piece is worked in reticella, a technique that originated in the late fifteenth century. The technique developed from cutwork and utilized stitches common to embroidery. Threads were pulled from a plain weave