Grete Rathmans 1788/89

My stitching friend always says, where there is one, there is also a second one. I found it: Grete's coloured Vierlande sampler.

Creative!
Very creative!

A piece of fine linen and some beautiful silk colours - and you can start. But how to fill the empty piece?

One searches and collects motifs, in the already existing samplers of the older sisters as well. Everything is so harmoniously designed - nothing can be constricting or overlapping, every space should be fully utilized - and perhaps everything is supplemented with own creations. An almost unbelievable variety of motifs are arranged in rows: trees of life, rosettes, diamonds and an unusual angel motif, which can also be found on many tombstones.

Becke (Büke?), Marlene, and Grete Rathmans also started their samplers in a very similar way. Grete was the most creative.

These multi-colour samplers from the Vierlande area are to be found rarely in such a good condition. That is why I am very happy and grateful to present Grete’s sampler to you. It is owned by the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg (depot, inventory number: 1903, 312).

Presumably Hartwig Rathmann is the father of Grete. He married twice, a Margarethe and later Barber Putfarcken. Grete was the 13th and youngest child, born in 1764. There are two samplers oft the sisters Becke (* 1757) and Marlene (* 1758) in the Museum of Hamburg History.

In her book "Samplers and Designs", Lorraine Mootz quotes an article in an old Harper’s New Monthly Magazine from 1885. A woman from Vierlande is saying: „More than ten generations ago my ancestors emigrated from North Holland, bringing with them all their household goods ... Our costumes are Dutch, and our language resembles the sweet speech of the Netherlanders. No, we are not Germans. We are Vierlanders, and we always shall be.“