Casgliadau Arlein

LINEN CANVAS, embroidered with coloured linen thread and silks in cross, four-sided, eyelet and satin stitches. At the top, in two horizontal rows separated by a wavy stem, are capital letters of the alphabet to S and L. Below, between two narrow rows of ornament, is the following bilingual text: "Corinthiaid / Ac a fyddaf yn Dad i chwi / a chwithiau'a fyddwch yn / feibion ac yn / ferched i mi medd / yr Arglwydd / hollalluog." "And will be a Father / unto you and yo (sic) shall / be my sons and daughte (sic) / saith the Lord Almighty". The English version is followed by numerals to 17 in two lines. Between the two versions is a conventional tree beneath which is a rectangular compartment of a wavy stem containing the inscription: "Elizabeth Watkins / Aged 11 1821". In the lower half of the sampler is a representation of Adam and Eve (denoted by A and E), the Tree of life (so inscribed), and serpent. Above the tree are two flying cupids and below it there is a temple. On either side of these designs are conventional flowering plants and trees, birds, squirrels, stags, dogs and crowns, symmetrically arranged in pairs. There is a narrow geometric border.

Source: Guide to the Collection of Samplers & Embroideries (Cardiff: National Museum of Wales, 1939) by F.G. Payne.