Authors Susan Greening Davis and Sally Criswell found Sibbel's sampler in Belgium, fell in love with it and brought it to America. Through their research, they have opened a window for us to see what life for Sibbel was like growing up in the 1700s, learning needlework techniques and coming to love stitching.

Within these pages is an interpretation of Sibbel's young life in a Netherlands charity home. As Sibbel creates the motifs in her sampler and learns special joining stitches, you are invited to stitch along. What you will have created is a stunning showpiece. In the project pages, you can create many of the items Sibbel would have made, such as her leather pincushion or the gorgeous stitching weight used to hold her sampler in place.

So collect your favorite stitching tools, find your most comfortable chair and take a journey with Sibbel.