The Thread of Life is a contemporary art project using the traditional medium of cross-stitch. It consists of 83 works from contributors around the world, based on a strand of DNA, and a large scale sculptural cross-stitch piece by Sharon Mossbeck.
The work is inspired by the Three Fates, or Moirai, of Ancient Greek Myth. In myth, each of the Moirai spins, allots and cuts each person’s thread of life, thus dictating their lifespan. Their names are Clotho (the spinner) Lachesis (the allotter) and Atropos (the un-turnable, the who cuts the threads).
Find out more about the project HERE.
The Thread of Life [Cross-stitch]
Sharon Mossbeck. The Thread of Life. Aida, cotton, clay. 2016
Sharon Mossbeck. The Thread of Life. Aida, cotton, clay. 2016
Fragments
Fragments are un-stitched sections of the original Thread of Life pattern.
Fragment 1. Cotton on Aida. 2016
Fragment 2. Cotton on Aida. 2016
DNA Strands
Miranda Sky. Is it a Boy or a Girl
Natalie Freeborn. Untitled
Gail Parkin. The First Step to Discovery
Christine Thompson. The Doctor’s Flower
Hazel Wagstaff. Jeans for Genes
Jennifer Lashmar. La Vie en Multicolore
Āngela Lavilla Canėdo. Blood and Colours
Dianne Hayes. I AM STRONG AND FRAGILE IN THE SAME BREATH
Suzanne King. DNA – A Stained Glass Window
Kathy Rayworth. Life at Twilight
Erica Ritter. Untitled
Elizabeth Silvester.Identity (Some Medical Knowledge)
Lynne Gledart. A Rambling Life
Su Rollinson. Untitled
Myfanwy Evans. Untitled
Sylvia Sparrow. Untitled
Janet Elizabeth Pritchard. Life’s Rich Pattern
Wendy Williams. Journeys
M Morson. Love of Life
Jane Sargent. The Full Spectrum of Life
Cecily Kenyon. Room for Improvement
Trish Knowles. Shades of Darling Roses
Sharon Hall Shipp. Recombinant 2005
Alison Keenan. My Double Helix
Sue Sammons. The Cycle of Life
Janice Bradley. DNA
Hayley Ashcroft. Inner Woods
Bonnijo Grace Chervenock. Untitled
Rosemary Singleton. My Character (What Makes Me Who I Am)
Niki Tyler. Polycystic Kidney Disease
Courtney Battistone. Untitled
Andrea Temporal. Changing of Seasons
Stacy Fite-Herman. Talk Nerdy to Me
Mike Robson. SVUK (Systematic Variation UnKnown)
Sophie Cooke. Fire & Ice
Sarah A. Oldham. The Thread of Life
Lyndsay Cecil. Rainbow of Love
Viktor Gavyliuk. Ornamental DNA
Viktor Gavryliuk. Wheat and Cornflowers
Tanya Ahmed. 3 Generations
Catherine Harrison. Hermes Trismegistus
Jane Hardstaff. Inherited Characteristics
Pam Hallam. Positive and Negative Image
Kerry McSeveny. Untitled
Unknown Artist. Untitled
Laura Simms. Out of Darkness Cometh Light
Anne Simms. WWFC in My DNA
Sarah Markall. Untitled
Corinne Clemson. Blackwork is in My DNA
Jenny Mardle. DNA Stitchery
Glynis Candler. Different from Me
Hannah Clarke. Untitled
Hannah Clarke. Scraps of Life
Melissa Dove. Chemistry of Life
Teresa Howes. Barcode of a Bumble Bee
Catherine Howes. DNA: Do Not Attempt?
Jessica Baily. This Hurts
S. E. Stevens. DNA the Source of All Life
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Common Threads. Untitled
Marjorie Ellis. Creation
Alison French. Untitled
Matthew French. Untitled
Priyanka Khanduja. Meher is my Thread of Life
Joanna Davies-Mourby. Perfectly Imperfect
Caroline Yates. BeeNA
Jacqueline Wayman. Patriotism
Anne Martin. Not Just Black & White
Allyson Constable. Dream Gene
Aydee Hawker. Battle of the Sexes
Kate Ibbeson. Generations
Ali Coldwell. Beyond Fear
Common Threads. Untitled
Alison Beck. 3D
Viktor Gavryiuk. St Georges Cross
Viktor Gavryiuk. Sharon Mossbeck
Debra Eck.Genome
Media and More Information
The project has received lots of attention from the media, as well as galleries and other venues. If you would like to be involved, write about the project, more information, or are a venue looking to work together in some way, please email me, sharonmossbeck@hotmail.co.uk
Sharon Mossbeck 
I have never completed a cross stich piece of work but am really interested in your project Sharon! I shall be watching it’s progress with interest and will hopefully be inspired to do more cross-stiching from now on! 🙂
I have just taken up needlework and would be very interested in creating a piece of work for your exhibition, it sounds fascinating. I better thinking… and stitching! Laura
That’s great. Just email me if you have any questions. sharonmossbeck@hotmail.co.uk
Hi Sharon, I would love to take part in your project. I hope you will keep us up to date with progress. I am looking forward to seeing lots of photos of all the various pieces that you receive. Good luck.
Hi Sue,
That’s great. Just email me if you have any questions or if there’s anything I can help with. You can also email me to be added to my mailing list. sharonmossbeck@hotmail.co.uk
Sharon,
I am currently working on a large project – Prometheus – not sure it would fit in with you exhibit, I am stitching for a gift for my son (his favorite painting in the Philly museum of art). Wouldn’t mind sharing the final piece? Let me know. I can send pics of my WIP. Need to get it done by September…
Hi Linda,
Your project sounds great, and thank you for your offer, but I’m afraid that the exhibition will only be for versions of the DNA pattern found on my website.
Hi Sharon, So happy to learn of your project. What is the end date for submission of pieces? Would be coming from Pittsburgh, PA, US
Hi Beverly,
It seems that mail takes around 7 working days to arrive in the UK from the USA. The last date for submissions is 1st September, so you should be fine as long as you get it sent off before then, but if you’re running late just drop me an email to let me know. My address is sharonmossbeck@hotmail.co.uk
Many thanks 🙂
Привет. Кому что подарили на день всех влюбленных?
Love this idea…will be ordering some fabric & planning my colour scheme
I’m in Florida, but would love to participate. Would you accept pieces on linen, or aida only?
Hi Margaret,
You can make the work on any material you like, as long is the size is equivalent to 14 count Aida. You can find all the information and links in the Thread of Life sections of my website, including a copy of the pattern.
https://sharonmossbeck.com/the-thread-of-life/
Hi. I’d love to do a peice for you . My email is t1ger_2@hotmail.co.uk. Let me know how to get involved.x
Hi ucy,
You can find all the information of how to get involved here
https://sharonmossbeck.com/the-thread-of-life/
Love the concept of this work and I would like to contribute a DNA piece of work for your contribution part. Could you send me the pattern and size you would like it . Good luck on your project
Hi Sarah,
You can all of the information about the project and how to get involved here. Follow the links to find a downloadable copy of the pattern too.
You can find all the information of how to get involved here
https://sharonmossbeck.com/the-thread-of-life/
Hi Sharon, I’m going to have to be a part of your project! I am asking my other American Needlepoint Guild Main Line Stitchers (Philadelphia, PA) if they are interested since we have until September to stitch. From the graph paper, it appears you want each to be a 3.5 x 9″ portion of a DNA molecule on 14 count. Are you familiar with the stiffer mono canvas? That’s what we have a ton of & in 14 count. One of our members passed away & had a roll of it that we got. Is that ground material ok for your project? Or, would you prefer the softer Aida fabric? Thanks, Melita
Hi Melita,
That’s great! You can use whatever material you like for your work. As for the pattern, you are free to adapt it however you like, and do whatever you want with it, the more creative the better! There are no rules!
I’m really interested in taking part and helping you with this project. Can you tell me what you need and how to send it to you.
Kind regards
Annette
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Hi Sharon, Sheffield was my home town, I was born there. I would love to help you. I run an embroidery group in Hertfordshire and have just read a U3A newsletter telling us what you are doing. Please can you let me have details of your pattern and size etc. Thanks, Rowena
Sorry, found all the details on Walkleyshu
Hi,
Thanks for getting in touch. If you like I would be happy to send some printed patterns with details of how to send finished work in to the galley to you and your group? You can email me at sharonmossbeck@hotmail.co.uk