In celebration of NAN’s 40th anniversary, needleartists were challenged to use the ruby as inspiration for a stitched design that expressed their love of stitching. NAN is pleased to announce that Gift of Fortune designed and stitched by Ereka Funkhouser was selected as the Ruby Challenge winner from these works, which were exhibited at The Exemplary 2025. Here is Ereka’s artist statement:

This kind of overlapping geometry is not rare in Temari but usually relies on layering different colors with high contrast for unique mosaic forms. Rubies and gems are far from typical motifs. I wanted to explore how a more restrained palette could mimic the shining facets of a jewel, while keeping traditional motifs for the golden fittings. The white of the flowers connects the color scheme to the palette of Japanese lacquerware, which was instructive in its balance of excess and somber relief.

I’m interested in utilizing the traditional shapes and stitches of Japanese Temari in conversation with new subjects, so this was a good challenge. Even though it is a very direct conceptualization of rubies, I felt very much like a jeweler in chipping away in search of a good balance of contradictory forms.

The base is wrapped with yarn and burgundy polyester thread. The gemstones use DMC floss to mimic the shine of silk when in movement, and the other elements use metallic threads and DMC pearl 8.