Ruth Elder (Alabama) & Ann Kardos (Massachusetts)

Less is Not More

Cross stitch diptych
Stitched by Ruth Elder / Collaboratively designed by Ann Kardos & Ruth Elder

Ruth: “This diptych serves as a reminder that when people and/or resources are taken away, production and services will decrease.”

Ann: “This statement seems obvious, but technical services budgets and staffing are often cut while we are expected to offer the same level or even more services.”

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Ruth Elder is a cataloger at Troy University in Troy, Alabama.

This cross stitch features two related pieces. One piece says “We cannot do MORE with LESS.” The second piece says “We can only do LESS with LESS.” The words are stitched in blue, green and red. There is a yellow and green border on each piece.

Ruth contacted Ann with an interest in the Unseen Labor project but was unable to design a piece within the timeframe. Ruth offered to help in other ways or to stitch other people’s patterns. Ann told Ruth that she had a number of simple ideas, but no way to stitch everything herself. Ann scanned and emailed out some rudimentary patterns, and Ruth turned those patterns into something beautiful.