Michelle Staub ⋆

Stitching Sabbatical

Stitching Sabbatical began in 2014 in a tiny, unglamorous, studio apartment in Ohio. Feeling listless and uninspired during the summer months, I decided to take up embroidery as a way to earn some extra income.

I started my embroidery journey by creating portraits of video game characters but soon wanted to try new things. One day, on a whim, I decided to embroider my favorite photo of my cat and I instantly fell in love. I’ve been creating embroidered pet portraits ever since!

For me, Stitching Sabbatical has always been about celebrating the love we share with our pets. It’s so rewarding to create a personalized piece of artwork to commemorate a pet and celebrate its life. If the pet has passed away, helping someone through their grieving process (and potentially making their day a bit brighter) really fills my heart. Every stitch is stitched with love, and I think that translates throughout my work. I aim not to just stitch ‘a dog’ or ‘a cat’, but YOUR specific pet. I want their personalities to shine through each piece!