The Stronger Together Stitch Along

Today we’re kicking off the first part of the Stronger Together Stitch Along! It’s part of our first ever quilt and stitch along for Black History Month, to bring our creative community together to support a worthy cause and to highlight the achievements and contributions of several African American women in the fiber arts.

Through February 28, 2021, 100% of the proceeds from the sales of Stronger Together Cross Stitch Patterns and Stronger Together Quilt Patterns will go to United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The mission of UNCF is to increase the total number of African American college students and helping them persist to graduation. They do this through awarding scholarships, providing financial support to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and advocating for the importance of minority education and community engagement.

Cross Stitch Supplies

Here is what you will need to make the Stronger Together Cross Stitch:

Our cross stitch pattern is based on the quilt and comes with a bonus chart! We started with the inspiration of Harriet Tubman. She is courage, persistence, strength, endurance and wisdom. Tubman was guided by her moral compass to do the right thing and guided physically by the North Star that led her and the slaves she rescued to freedom multiple times. No matter the obstacles, risks and handicaps, she persevered.

The North Star quilt block became the star of our quilt and cross stitch. The designs contain several signs from the quilt code, selected for the symbolism of courage and goodwill toward others on the same path. The cross stitch pattern features the biography of Elizabeth Keckley Hobbs, who used her tremendous sewing skills to purchase her freedom from slavery and rose to prominence within the White House.

A photograph of Elizabeth Keckley, circa 1861. Photo credit: Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University. Unidentified photographer, Public domain.

Stitch Along Schedule

From February 1 – 28 we’ll be stitching this up and sharing updates on the blog each week. If you want to stitch along, finish each section by the day listed on the chart and bookmark this page so you can visit it.

Every Wednesday at 9 AM CST, Kimberly will be showing this pattern on our FlossTube channel. You’ll want to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any updates! You can watch our FlossTube episodes live or catch them afterward.

Here is the full schedule:

Stronger Together Cross Stitch Along Schedule

Week	Section	FlossTube Date
1	Outer Triangles	February 3
2	North Stars	February 10
3	Half Square Triangles	February 17
4	Gingham Center	February 24

Staff member, Ashley, stitched the piece in the called for colors.

We invited some friends to stitch along with us and they’re sharing their progress along the way! You can find them on social media or YouTube for more cross stitch inspiration!

Jan Hicks, Jan Hicks Creates
Rika, The House of Stitch & Stash
Dianne, Hot Mess Princess
Denise, Black Ribbon Studio
Valerie, Stitching in the Barn
Colleen and Cheryl, Stitching with the Sisterlies
Julie, Kansas City Girl in a Colorado World
Lolly, Lollypop Stitches

Join Us

EVERYONE can sew along! To join in, all you have to do is purchase a pattern and gather your supplies. Use the hashtag #FQSStrongerTogether on Instagram to see and share work from your fellow stitchers. If you’d like to make the quilt, too, check out the quilt along page! Bookmark this page and visit it every Wednesday in February for updates!