I was taught the basics of sewing, cross stitch, crochet and knitting in middle school, but never really put that to practical use except for the occasional repair of rips and tears in clothing, fixing fallen buttons or re do the trouser hems.

Subsequently, for the better part of my life, my tryst with the needle and thread had more to do with placing surgical sutures on human tissues in the setting of the OR and I took great efforts to ensure my patients had the least conspicuous surgical scar that blended with the surrounding skin tone and texture.

12 years ago, whilst preparing for the Canadian Medical Licensing Board exams, cross stitch canvasses provided the much needed distraction from the routine of reading medical text books and attempting mock exams. That marked the start of my midlife passion of needle art.

My first few canvases were traditional cross stitch using DMC/ Anchor cotton floss on a 14 or 18 count canvas. I worked on getting the tension right for an even finish as I played with extensive palette of colours. As my confidence grew, I continued experimenting with different stitches, threads and finally moving on to using beads and ribbons to add texture to the final product. For most of my creative works, I have used the floral theme as it provided endless possibilities to work with form, colours and textures.

What started as a distraction has now became a passion. From conceptualization and execution to the finished final canvas averages anywhere from 4-6 months. Needle art provides me the much needed relaxation and helps me unwind after a physically long and a mentally exhausting day at work. It helps channel my creative streak, giving an expressive medium to the artist within me.

So far, I have shared my completed needle art with just a few friends. I have never had any public display of my work. This website is an attempt to widely share my passion with friends and family around the world. I invite you to browse through each of my completed pieces of art. You can expand on the pictures to appreciate the intricacies of the stitches used. And then, I request you to leave your reviews- your honest suggestions to help me improve upon my work. Thank you so much for your valuable time.

Finally, I’d also like to thank my son Aliqyan for putting together this website- it took a little cajoling to nudge him into action, but he rose to the task and delivered much more.