A Custom Gift to Say Thank You: Stitch People School Bus Drivers
At the end of this past school year, I found myself wanting to say a very specific kind of "thank you". My eldest daughter, who is in a special needs class, finishes her school day just a bit earlier than the rest of the students. And every single day, without fail, she would run up to greet me, and then head straight for the waiting school buses to chat with the drivers.
These weren't just short interactions, either. The drivers were consistently kind, patient, and warm with her, whether they had a busload of noisy kids behind them or had just arrived after taking high-school and middle-schoolers home.
As any parent of a neurodivergent child knows, these moments of consistent kindness mean the world. So, earlier this year, well before the school year began to wind down, I decided to create a series of custom cross-stitch portraits as gifts of appreciation: one for each of the drivers she'd grown fond of.
The Whole Set
Here's a look at the full collection of pieces I stitched:
Stitching the Details
Each piece was stitched on 14ct Aida and framed in a 4" embroidery hoop. The final result: six unique hoop-framed stitchings featuring school buses and [in most cases] their amazing drivers.
Five of the pieces included a full Stitch People character of the giftee, while one featured just the bus. That particular driver had been kind but not especially interactive, so including a character felt a bit too… weird. Still, I wanted to acknowledge his quiet kindness.
To get as close to accurate as possible, not only did I sneak photos of the drivers to get hair, outfits & accessories correct, but I tried to replicate the type of bus each person drove: two types of Bluebird buses and one Thomas. I even added their real bus numbers, which felt like an important detail to include, as my daughter always talked about their bus numbers.
Here they are individually:
Close-Up Details
Here are some close-up details I especially loved stitching:
- The varying front grill and windscreen details depending on the bus brand,
- All the rear-view mirrors, lights and signs,
- The personal flair in each driver's outfit and hair,
- How the "SCHOOL BUS" text turned out in backstitch — tiny but important!
Each driver's reaction was so heartwarming — one of them even teared up! (Definitely not my goal, but I'll take it as a success anyway.)
A Heartfelt Thank You
It felt truly special to use my stitching to create something meaningful — not just decorative, but a true gesture of appreciation. These six gifts were a joy to design, stitch, and give. If you've ever thought about giving a truly custom gift to someone who's made a difference in your life (or your child's), this is your reminder: it doesn't have to be big or complicated. A handmade thank-you can speak volumes.
And if you're someone who, like these lovely bus drivers, shows kindness, patience, and inclusion to neurodivergent kids like my daughter: thank you. You might not realise the ripple effect of those moments, but I promise, they matter & mean so much. To the kids, to their parents, to the whole community. You make the world gentler and safer for families like mine, and I'm deeply grateful. 🧡
