Stitchers

Joanne C. Aker is an embroiderer on the Rhode Island tapestry panel. A resident of Portsmouth, she has been stitching for over 50 years. With the encouragement of her mother and grandmother, Joanne began learning needlework as a young child and is primarily self taught. Joanne has practiced cross stitch, counted work, quilting, crochet, silk ribbon embroidery, and punch needle rug making. While working on the panel, Joanne has used satin stitch, back stitch, outline stitch, split stitch, stem stitch, long and short stitch, and French knots. Joanne was inspired to join America's Tapestry out of patriotism she feels towards our nation's 250th birthday. Looking towards our next 250 years as a county, Joanne hopes Americans will come together in spite of their differences to seek out common goals and maintain a country of freedom, peace, and acceptance.