GBH Openvault

Erica; Ticking Sampler

Part of From the Vault. Part of Erica Wilson: The Julia Child of Needlework.

10/05/1971

Erica uses crewel yarn, which she informs the viewer comes from the Anglo Saxon word for “thread” to embroider a pillowcase on a “fanny” frame. The pillowcase is made out of ticking, a heavy cotton fabric used to cover pillows and upholstery. She shows how to thread a needle and demonstrates several stitches, including chain stitch, satin stitch, and cross-stitch. Toward the end of the episode, she shows a late 18th century schoolgirl sampler from Newport and notes that samplers were meant to be part of a young woman’s moral, as well as textile, education. The sampler reads, “May spotles [sic] innocence and truth my every action guide and guard my inexperience youth from arrogance & pride.” Erica also shows a cross-stitch sampler done by the pupils of a British missionary in South Africa. Summary and select metadata for this record was submitted by Amanda Sikarskie.


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Series
Erica
Program
Ticking Sampler
Program Number

101

Series Description

Needlework series with Erica Wilson. “Erica Wilson, noted American authority on needlework, invites the viewer to explore the exciting possibilities of indulging his creative and artistic talents. In this series of color videotaped 15 minute programs she illustrates the wide vocabulary of stitches used in many types of embroidery including traditional crewel, needlepoint, bargello, and crewel point.

As well as demonstrating these stitches, Erica gives professional hints on creating useful and decorative objects. She encourages personalizing an original or derived design through the selection of motif, materials, stitch, color, texture, and size. C. 1971-2 Series release date: 1971

Program Description

Erica uses crewel yarn, which she informs the viewer comes from the Anglo Saxon word for “thread” to embroider a pillowcase on a “fanny” frame. The pillowcase is made out of ticking, a heavy cotton fabric used to cover pillows and upholstery. She shows how to thread a needle and demonstrates several stitches, including chain stitch, satin stitch, and cross-stitch.

Toward the end of the episode, she shows a late 18th century schoolgirl sampler from Newport and notes that samplers were meant to be part of a young woman’s moral, as well as textile, education. The sampler reads,

“May spotles [sic] innocence and truth my every action guide and guard my inexperience youth from arrogance & pride.”

Erica also shows a cross-stitch sampler done by the pupils of a British missionary in South Africa.

Stitches include chain, satin, and French knots.

Asset Type

Broadcast program

Media Type

Video

Subjects
Counted Cross-Stitch
Crewelwork
Wilson, Erica
Ticking
Embroidery
Women’s Education
Needlework – Instruction
Samplers
Genres
Instructional
Topics
Crafts
Creators
MacLeod, Margaret I. (Series Producer)
Contributors
Atwood, David (Director)
Mahard, Frances (Other (see note))
MacLeod, Margaret I. (Producer)
Wilson, Erica (Host)
Publication Information
Copyright © 1971 Erica Wilson and WGBH Educational Foundation
Citation
Chicago: “Erica; Ticking Sampler,” 10/05/1971, GBH Archives, accessed April 20, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0E7C9F0814104AF680FA1E42354D4B97.
MLA: “Erica; Ticking Sampler.” 10/05/1971. GBH Archives. Web. April 20, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0E7C9F0814104AF680FA1E42354D4B97>.
APA: Erica; Ticking Sampler. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0E7C9F0814104AF680FA1E42354D4B97
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