This historical research provides an examination of the embroidered word as a visual art piece, from early traditional examples to contemporary forms. It is intended to encourage appreciation of embroidery as an art form and to stimulate discussion about the role of historical contexts in the studio education of artists at the university level. Commonly characterized as obsessive stitchers of hankies and tea towels, hand embroiderers have recently evolved from homespun to hot. The "Home Sweet Home" stitched samplers of days gone by have been reinvented into challenging needle works by both contemporary fine artists and home practitioners. When art students view embroidery work through time and culture, they better understand that every stitch is the heart beat of a unique individual responding to the world.