My History of Perforated Paper

by Claudia Dutcher, copyright 1999.

You may not copy this article or any part therein without written permission of the author.

If you were hoping to find lots of historical documentation about perforated paper, you won't find much. Most, if not all the written history about this unique punched paper that was used for stitching as early as 1840 through the end of this century is out of print. What I offer you here is my history of perforated paper. This knowledge began with my first piece, a bookmark stitched by my great grandmother and received by me when I was twelve. It continued when I began to cross stitch and discovered the current punched paper still available today for needlework. It continues to grow today as I add paper samplers to my collection of pieces from the past.

You've all seen at least one paper piece, perhaps in your grandmother's house. The most recognizable type of these pieces were the motto samplers. These were typically rectangular, most around 10x21 inches, that stated sentiments or biblical scriptures. Many a Home Sweet Home, God Bless Our Home, and Rock of Ages, to name only a few, hung in a parlors all over this country at the turn of the last century. You may not have known that these were paper. You certainly knew they were some form of needlework, perhaps some form of needlepoint. Those old needlework pieces were actually done on punched paper also called perforated paper.

In the early days punched paper came in many sizes. The paper made then and now is made from a durable very plyable paper stock that in most cases can last just as long than any linen. This paper had holes punched in it by specially cut dyes at an even spacing per inch. Depending on the dyes the holes were larger or smaller in size and spacing. The more holes per inch the more tedious the process. Surprisingly in the 1840's they were punching paper with as many as 20 to 24 holes per inch. The 1840's being the end of the sampler age, in order to make the paper as similar to linen as possible, my theory is that they wanted as many holes per inch as possible. Most linens were a finer weave and the paper needed to compare in threads or holes per inch to entice women to stitch on it.

My first paper piece was a bookmark that I received in a family Bible when I was twelve. It was punched with 20-24 holes per inch and was stitched by my great grandmother in the 1850's. An urn with flowers and her name, Mary, were stitched with one ply of fine wool. This piece was stitched in a half cross stitch. This was typical on fine punched paper pieces probably because the holes were so small. Bookmarks stitched from the 1840's to 1900 are still fairly easily found. Most of these are done on smaller paper, anywhere from 16-24 holes per inch. The bookmark for the summer 1999 issue of The Needleworker, from which the reproduction pattern was derived, was originally stitched on 20-22 count paper. Since the smaller punched paper is no longer available today, it was reproduced on 14 count paper and 24 count congress cloth. Bookmarks have survived fairly well because most have been protected by being hidden in Bibles or family records.

By the 1860's the punched spacing on the paper was getting larger. The paper was punched with 16-18 holes per inch. Scriptures or mottoes were pen and inked on the paper and covered over by the stitcher. These were hand drawn and took a steady hand and time to complete. Most of these Victorian motto pieces had calligraphy like letters. These letters were covered with a half cross or tent stitch in variegated threads. The most popular for color for the lettering seems to be any combination of variegated red wool. The background embellishments that often look like running vines were stitched in cross stitch or half cross.

By the 1880's the tedious process of hand lettering had been replaced with a printing process that stamped the design to be stitched directly on the paper. These early stamped pieces were faster to produce and were stamped on paper punched with holes usually 16 to 14 per inch. These may have been sold with a color guide as there are different symbols for different parts of the picture just as we use symbols for counted cross stitch today. No stitching guide survives and I have seen many of the same slogan stitched with different colors and different threads. By the 1860's and 70's paper was being produced in 21 inch widths and the 10x21 inches for motto samplers became the standard size. This size could have something to do with the width of the paper available or the fact that a fairly complex scripture or saying can be nicely fit into that size paper. For either reason these were mass produced printed pieces ready to stitch. One of my pieces has on the back of it the name of a music and picture store in Philadelphia. From the number that still survive I imagine that this was a popular and easy way to add needlework to your home.

From the 1880's to 1900 you can find more elaborate stamping on the paper. Many pieces were stamped with complex patterns, almost filling the entire paper. These were stitched over, as best you could, or left unstitched with only the lettering completed. During this period you will find that many pieces were framed with foil behind them. This gave a unique sparkle to the piece and made them even more decorative. By this time paper was being punched at a size close to 14 holes per inch. Most of the stitching on these samplers was done in half cross or tent stitch using wools, pearl cottons, stranded cotton and silk. Besides the rectangular pieces, there were larger 16x20 inch pieces with houses stamped on them along with God Bless Our Home. These skill of the stitcher was evident in the embellishment of these larger pieces.

Not all paper pieces were mass produced. During this time, but especially from 1860 to 1880 you can also find unique examples of stitchery. I own several mourning samplers and have seen a family record or two stitched on paper. A mourning sampler is a commemorative piece stitched to remember a loved ones passing. The name, years of life and death date of the deceased was stitched along with a sentiment. During this Victorian age, where mourning a relative could be an elaborate process, it was not unusual to see a sampler stitched for the deceased. The choice of punched paper as a stitching ground made sense because it was easily available and a familiar medium to work on.

From 1900 to 1910 the motto samplers were still being produced but not in the quantity or quality they once were. Paper size and count was pretty much limited to 14 holes per inch in only 10x21 inch paper cuts. The stamping was now done with a colored ink, mostly blue. The preciseness and the placement of the stamping itself was a little more haphazard and the designs were simpler than their counterparts of twenty years earlier. And then punched paper disappeared.

In the early 1980's a company called Yarn Tree Designs began to manufacture punched paper. Remember, the more holes per inch, the harder it becomes to punch the paper. The dyes available a hundred years earlier could not be effectively reproduced today. The only size paper available today is the standard size of 14 holes per inch. The punched paper of today is very durable and very similar in weight to the paper of yesteryear. The process of producing the paper is closely guarded secret. Paper is cut in two standard sizes, 9x12 and 12x18 inch pieces. The most familiar use of perforated paper today is perhaps in the Mill Hill bead kits from Gay Bowles Sales. Some designers, such as Anne Powell LTD. have attempted to recreate the style of the old motto samplers by stitching similar sentiments on fabric instead of paper. In order to participate in the current revival of reproducing antique samplers, some designers and paper collectors have even tried to tea dye the current paper available in order to make it look older and then try by stitching to recreate old paper pieces, just for fun. If you would like to participate in that experience, take a look at the Welcome Home Motto Sampler in the summer 1999 issue of the Needleworker magazine.

Whatever your history with punched paper, I hope reading this has added a little to your knowledge of this stitching paper that has been around for a long time. Give it try, it's a lot of fun to stitch on!