Rosy Iris Acuña

Alajuela, Costa Rica

Hope

French knot, woven filling, running stitch, stem stitch, fishbone stitch, chain stitch, fly stitch, crayon colors, ink pencils, buttons.

I decide to sow instead of destroy. To sow my path with love. With my steps hatred transform into peace.  Seeding human rights and nourish them. Peace begging in our home, flows into our cities, nevertheless peace is the symbol of forgiveness, of respect, of dialogue. Wherever I go, l leaves seeds of love, kindness and affection. Seeing the result of those seeds full me. Everyone in any point of their lives leaves seeds, be it good or bad. Therefore, it must always be commitment to sow love, peace and hope.

Kim Beamish

ON, Canada

Choice Cube

Cross Stitch and Beading

There are many, many choices we make in life.  To make a decision sometimes it feels like you are spinning a spinner or rolling die, like in a game.  I decided to make a cube with some basic answers to it.  These include yes, no, up, down, left right.

Cheryl Berger

CA, USA

2020 Choices

Cross stitch, embroidery stitches, applique

This year we have many choices:  who to vote for, whether to wear a mask or not, whether to take care of ourselves during this stressful year, and many more. There may not be a perfect choice, but we still must choose as best we can.

Debra Cobb

CA, USA

Irena's Courage Underground

split stitch, satin, padded satin, and stem

Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic who defied the Nazis during World War II by helping the Jews in the Warsaw "ghetto".  In spite of raging epidemics, torture and threat of being executed, Irena made the "choice" to play a major role in the Jewish underground resistance efforts (namely "Zegota", the Council for the Aid of Jews) to provide medical care, save Jewish people from deportation to the Treblinka death camp and "smuggle" their children to safe zones, via satchels, bags, trunks, suitcases, trollies, sewer systems, ambulances, etc.  Irena wrote down the names of the rescued children and the addresses where they were sent. She hid the pieces of paper in jars buried under an old apple tree.   For her "choice" to choose courage and lead the resistance, she was later nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Katherine Dossman

TX, USA

DIVORCE

I used ice dyed fabrics and cotton batting for this piece.Hand embroidered and free motion quilted.

I chose to get divorced after a long marriage when I realized I deserved to be happy by not worrying about someones else's bad choices and how they affected me.Even though you love someone you need to choose what is best for yourself. Life is short.Devoted, Intimate, Vows,Oblivious,Realize,Commited,Exit

Holly Dumont

CA, USA

The Bramble and the Rose

Cross Stitch

For Leo, We don’t have many choices.  We don’t chose where, to who or when we are born or die.  But we did chose each other. See how the bramble and the rose intertwine? Love grows like the bramble and the rose, Round each other we will twine.

Regena Florenti

CA, USA

Every Vote Counts

Basic stitches. Back and stem

Don’t sit idly by, be heard; be counted!

Angela Grasse

ON, Canada

The Road Less Traveled

Mixed media and stitch

Laura Grover

WA, USA

EGGS

Design, Photography, Transfer and Needle Painting

I wanted to be bold and challenge myself by taking on a basic shape that we see in our everyday world and giving it dimension and design. Looking at shape, light and using a limited range of color was enough to keep me constantly looking again and making decisions.

Peggy Ichinose

CA, USA

I Can’t Breathe

Appliqué, beading, surface embroidery

The police officers who killed Elijah McClain made choices that day. They chose to make a questionable stop. They chose to use a questionable hold which caused the paramedics to choose  to inject him with a dangerous drug. Elijah’s choice that day was to stop at a convenience store. Nothing else that happened was by his choice. He reacted, he pled for his life, he sobbed, he begged to be listened to & he was killed. By all accounts Elijah McClain chose to be a kind, gentle, caring man and, to the officers who chose to profile him as a criminal, none of those choices mattered. These are his reported last words.

Ka-ren Lipchik

PA, USA

Choose Happy Thoughts

Machine stitched tubes of cotton fabric that are woven together and perle cotton thread for the words on tulle.

One of my favorite quotes from The Law of Attraction.  It reminds me that I am creating my reality by focusing on the things that make me happy. 

Sara Pernigo

Bs, Italia

Never Give Up

Cross-stitch

Kate Picher

CA, USA

Pumpkin Sampler

The stitches (L to R): 1. Satin stitch covered with double herringbone 2. Trellis stitch needlelace 3. Running stitch 4. Ladder stitch 5. Open chain 6. Velvet stich (uncut) 7. Stem--Satin stitch with couched ribbon overlay.

Practice makes perfect. These are stitches I recently learned. The pumpkin is for the season. My choice during the shelter-in-place and dangerous smoke levels for days on end has been to stitch every day. It is meditative and productive. Makes me feel good in a time of much stress.

Leah Silverwood

PA, USA

A Precious Gift

Satin stitch, french knot, stem stitch, wagon wheel stitch, fishbone stitch

With the current theme of The San Francisco School of Needlework and Design's stitch at home challenge being "choices" I knew I wanted to reflect on my faith. Believing what Christ accomplished on the cross for my salvation has been the most important and rewarding choice I've ever made! This world is scary, messy, selfish and mean. I take comfort in the love my savior has for me everyday. I've had so much fun stitching this! I hope you all enjoy it too 😊 Romans 6:23 : "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Beth Woolbright

CA, USA

Japanese Seasons in Modern Motion

Sashiko, outline stitch, blanket stitch, woven wheel, rose stitch, French knots, satin stitch, chain, open chain, straight stitch, and sprat's head

When I saw this fabric print by Kumiko Sudo, I knew I wanted to stitch it.  I made a choice to use varying thicknesses of floss and densities of stitches to convey layers.  The vibrant staccato Sashiko stitches and the circular images play against pastel backgrounds to suggest motion, I think.  It's my modern interpretation of the four seasons.