Essential Materials for Weaving Tapestries with a Loom
Discover the materials you need to create tapestries on a loom, with Diana Cunha
Fiber Art
Discover unique fiber art techniques, such as macramé and crochet, and learn how to develop your own style with help from artists around the world.
Fiber Art
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Teacher CraftMacramé Tutorial: Basic Knots for Borders and Braids
Learn the basic, step-by-step macramé techniques to give shape to your design, with Mariella Motilla
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What is Macramé?
Learn about the origins of this knotting technique Macramé is a craft that has only gotten more popular thanks to its Instagram-friendly aesthetic and how easy it is to use to decorate and add personality to our homes. Discover more about the origins of this technique and how you can start knotting beautiful pieces yourself.
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15 Contemporary Designers Working with Prints
Be inspired to create unique and charming clothes with the beautiful print work of world-renowned fashion designers Julia Pelletier (@julia_pelletier) is a textile designer who has specialized in silk screen printing, drawing, and teaching for over 15 years. In her Domestika course, she will teach you to combine creative techniques to design unique garments. Creating art that you can wear is a great way to show off your style and personality. Before you get started on your creation, she encourages you to look to some of today’s most creative contemporary designers working with prints for inspiration. Find the list below:
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Teacher CraftCrochet Tutorial: How to Read a Pattern
Learn how to read the symbols on a crochet chart and understand a pattern, with Steel and Stitch Crochet charts, patterns, and their symbols can be intimidating to anyone starting out. However, they are a lot simpler than they might appear. In this tutorial, Emma Friedlander-Collins, also known as Steel and Stitch (@steelandstitch), explains how to decode a crochet chart, explaining what each abbreviation and symbol means and and how to use this helpful tool in your next design.
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5 Tips for Working With Embroidery
Get expert advice on how to improve your techniques and turn pro People have embroidered for centuries, using this technique to decorate and customize garments and make them more special. Over time, this practice has evolved. Once embroidered pieces were something only the rich and powerful could afford. Now, they are commonly owned by people from all different walks of life. Embroidery is a versatile form of expression with few restrictions, popular across numerous cultures, from east to west, and which has become a very accessible art form. Paula Linard (@paula.linard) has over five years of experience as a professional embroiderer. For her, this medium offers infinite possibilities, from decorating paintings, personalizing clothing–both old and new–to making more elaborate pieces. "There’s a great demand for pieces made for babies or to give as gifts. We just need to develop our drawing skills a little more in order to put our stamp on a piece. We need to focus on the artistic side of this craft, which is a form of expression. It's good to try and create your own drawing, evolve your own line–it doesn't have to be perfect. I like to observe and appreciate the imperfections in my stitches and drawings. It doesn't always look so attractive at first but the final result always makes me happy, because I have created it with my own hands, from start to finish. That is invaluable", she says.
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What is Crochet?
Learn about the origins of this artisan technique Not long ago, crochet was considered old-fashioned and unattractive. However, like many other crafts, this fiber art technique has recently been given a modern spin and thus a second life. Discover the types of personalized pieces you can create armed with thread and a crochet hook, such as clothing, accessories, toys, and decorations.
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Teacher CraftNeedle Felting Tutorial: Tips For Conserving Your Work
Juanamatú shares three practical tips for keeping your felt toys in good condition Needle felting is a technique that involves felting wool with a barbed needle and sculpting it into different shapes. With a few materials, patience, and a lot of creativity, you can use this technique to make adorable toys to decorate your home. Katerin J Gómez–the creative mind behind @Juanamatú–is a needle felting toy artist who sculpts memories into decorative objects. She creates toys inspired by your pets, loved ones, and favorite characters. However, what is the best way to take care of these companions? In this tutorial, Katerin shares some practical tips for keeping your felt toys in good condition. You can watch the video below:
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Teacher CraftCrochet Tutorial: How to Take Body Measurements For Pattern Making
Learn to take your own body measurements with Alimaravillas, and create a crochet pattern Before you start to crochet a piece of clothing, there’s an essential step: taking your body measurements. In order to get the right results–and to avoid ending up with a sweater that is too short or your head not fitting through the hole for your neck–it is essential to learn how to take measurements correctly. Alicia Recio Rodríguez, known as @alimaravillas, is an expert in crochet. In this tutorial, she talks us through how to take our own measurements without needing anyone else’s help so that we can create a pattern. You can watch the video below:
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Teacher CraftNeedle Felting Tutorial: A Step-by-step Guide To Making a Strawberry
Learn how to sculpt a simple strawberry out of wool using needle felting techniques It takes great patience to sculpt art toys out of wool and create the shapes you desire. However, the results are worth the time they take: needle felted creations are simple yet beautiful, charming both children and adults. Portuguese artist Maria Filipe Castro, better known as droolwool (@droolwool), is a needle felting expert. She loves bringing colorful characters to life. She has exhibited her creations in galleries and also sells them through her online shop. In this tutorial, droolwool will show you how to make a simple strawberry using common needle felting tools and materials. Discover more in the video below:
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How to needle felt a rotten apple with a worm
Maria Filipe Castro, better known as Droolwool, teaches you how to create a rotten apple with a worm for Halloween This rotten apple with worm is an art toy that is part of the Apple & Worm series by Droolwool (@droolwool). This year, she's taken inspiration from Halloween to create a new, scarier version. To recreate this piece, you will need wadding, carded wool in four different colors, and felt needles of different sizes, with one thick and the other one thinner. The colors you use are up to you, so feel free to customize your piece and pick ones that you like. Follow these simple steps to create your own needle felted rotten apply with a worm:
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Free Download: Vampire Plush Toy template
Get your materials ready and get to work on this stuffed vampire bat The Textile Toy world is an art form that Omar Gad, founder of the Piti Piti studio (@pitipiti), is an expert of. Starting with designs that he first creates on paper or the computer, he creates a whole universe of characters by giving them volume and shape and transforming them into adorable stuffed animals. He is sharing this bat pattern with huge eyes and ears, and sharp vampire teeth, with Domestika. Time to recreate one yourself.
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Teacher CraftMaterials: Needle Felting
The designer Maria Filipe Castro, as known as droolwool, shows us the extensive list of tools and objects that she uses to make dolls with felt, wool, and lots of creativity Maria Filipe Castro is a toy artist, specialised in the design and production of characters and figures made with textile materials like felt and wool. She regularly exhibits her creations and sells them on her online store. In her Domestika course, focused specifically on the manufacture of toys and animals through needle felting, this designer, as known as droolwool (@droolwool), uses different types of needles, brushes, wool, cutters, scissors, and other tools. In the video below, droolwool shows us these materials in detail:
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Teacher CraftUpcycling Tutorial: How to Start Patching Your Clothes
Learn to prepare patches to repair your clothes with Ofelia & Antelmo Fixing damaged clothes is not only good for our pocket, but also for the environment. Patches are a canvas on which you can paint, draw, and embroider: they allow us to extend the life of our favourite garments in style. Gabriela Martinez, specialist in embroidery and textile art and creator of Ofelia & Antelmo (@ofeliayantelmo), will show us the first step in fixing and adding personality to our torn or stained clothes with patches that you can even embroider if you so fancy. You can see the tutorial here.
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What is Amigurumi and What do I Need to Start From Scratch?
This crochet and knitting technique makes any day-to-day object irresistibly adorable While it’s practically impossible to pronounce this crochet technique’s name, anyone who tries falls in love with it. Amigurumi allows you to create sweet little characters and other items in a soft, adorable style. Something this kawaii and lovable had to come from Japan, but what is Amigurumi? And how can you start making such wonderful creations? We spoke to Leire Villar, aka Ameskeria (@ameskeria). This amigurumi and crochet specialist talked to us about the nature of her craft and revealed everything you need to give amigurumi a go. Discover her tips in the video.
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Materials: Crochet
Steel & Stitch gives beginners a primer on the different types of crochet hooks and tools One reason why crafting can be intimidating is that it’s difficult to know where to begin. Before you can make your first stitch, it’s important to have selected the correct materials and tools since these elements will greatly impact the process, and result, of your project. The tools you use in crochet can do more than shape the yarn itself. As a repetitive physical motion, crochet can put stress on your wrist or tire your hand if you don’t pick wisely. In the video below, crochet and upcycling expert Emma Friedlander-Collins, also known as Steel & Stitch (@steelandstitch), gives a primer on the pros and cons of different types of crochet hooks, as well as other tools you can use to take your projects to the next level.
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The History of Embroidery: From Tutankhamun to the 21st Century
Before the advent of machines, embroidery served as a language that helped us understand the world When was embroidery first used? And where? Although these questions may seem simple, they are very difficult to answer. Examples from different cultures have been found all around the world. It’s an intrinsically human art form, the techniques of which have remained the same throughout centuries. Having endured the test of time, in recent years we have seen embroidery make a comeback and its popularity soar. Traditionally, embroidery was labeled a “feminine” activity. This mindset meant that society viewed it as a simple pastime. However, at the same time, it became a very intimate activity: a way of recounting history in secret. Do you want to learn more? Watch the video below!
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Teacher ArtTextile Museum of Canada: Free and Unlimited Inspiration Online
Explore fashion history from around the world through the Textile Museum of Canada’s digital collection Located in a modest neighborhood in Toronto, the Textile Museum of Canada was founded as a museum of carpets in 1975. Half a century later, it is one of the biggest textile museums in the world. Having digitized its entire collection, today it is a global reference, housing more than 15 thousand pieces that have been used throughout history by people from different places around the world. Its collection helps us better understand and appreciate the history of clothing and the customs and cultures of past and present civilizations. The museum’s collection includes every type of garment and item of fabric imaginable: uniforms used in ceremonies and rituals, carpets, blankets, bedding, hats, bags, and shoes. It’s an anthology that inspires and educates, not just when it comes to fashion, but any creative or scientific field, due to each piece’s historic significance.
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What is Shibori?
Discover this traditional Japanese technique for dyeing textiles Costume and textile designer Carolina Raggio (@carolina_45) reinterprets ancestral techniques to achieve modern results. Carolina is the creative director of her own eponymous brand, for which she develops timeless garments and accessories. In this blog, Carolina explains more about the history of this technique and how you can experiment with it to create unique designs and patterns.
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10 Free Resources for Fashion Design
Check out some websites, apps, and free tutorials to start creating your own garments
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5 Fashion Design Courses to Create Garments From Scratch
Learn how to design clothes and accessories with resources at hand If you have the fashion design bug, but the idea that you need very specialized knowledge is preventing you from giving it a try, this post is for you. These experts in fashion design and artisanal techniques will help you discover that manufacturing clothes and accessories using different contemporary styles is easier than it looks. Textile Silkscreen Printing with Stencil, a course by Festela Store In this course, you will learn to create unique garments by stamping your own designs with artisanal techniques explained by Festela Store, a clothing brand that has adopted the slow fashion movement. The method is applicable to all kinds of garments. You will start by creating a mood board to inspire you, experiment with various materials, and create your own fabric stamps.
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How to Create a Decorative Tassel
Learn a quick way to create tassels to decorate clothes, jewelry, and accessories with Binge Knitting Binge Knitting (@bingeknitting) is a duo of designers and weavers made up of Bárbara Bremer and Carolina Herrera. They knit all kinds of fashion and home accessories with traditional crochet or crochet and needle techniques. Both infuse in their pieces with a contemporary vision of design and sustainable fashion.
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Teacher CraftHow to crochet a slip stitch and chain stitch
Steel and Stitch teaches the fundamental stitches you'll use in nearly every crochet project
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What is Tapestry? The Definitive Crochet Technique
Learn about this thousand-year-old crochet technique that allows you to create state-of-the-art fabric patterns Tapestry is one of the oldest forms of textile weaving. It has been used to create almost everything from tunics to purses, table clothes to upholstery, and even some of the world’s greatest pieces of textile art. In general, tapestry refers to a weaving structure that uses discontinuous weft to create an image on the fabric and is always done by hand. It’s a crochet technique that allows you to weave drawings, geometric or not, based on a pattern that follows a grid of different colors, similar to what we would do if we were to draw an image pixel by pixel.
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Teacher CraftUpcycling Tutorial: 5 Hacks to Transform your Clothes
Learn easy ways to upcycle and remake your wardrobe with Steel and Stitch Repurposing and revitalizing items in our wardrobe can save money, help the environment, and produce one-of-a-kind pieces. Crochet designer and author Emma Friedlander-Collins, also known as Steel and Stitch (@steelandstitch), specializes in upcycling and remaking objects. Here, she shares a few simple ways we can extend the life of our wardrobe by using simple techniques to create pieces that are original and full of personality.
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What is Latch Hooking and Locker Hooking?
Discover these two embroidery techniques that can create a multitude of decorative objects Latch hooking and locker hooking are two modern textile techniques that appeared at the beginning of the 20th century that allow the creation of a wide variety of things, from tapestries to pillows and mats. Colors and textures are brought together by weaving wool and other materials into a mesh. Mariana Baertl (@marianabaertl) is a Peruvian textile artist who specializes in the creation of woven and embroidered pieces for interior decoration who is an expert in these two techniques. Her main source of inspiration is the natural and organic world. All her pieces are made by hand with fibers from across the world.
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What Is Fashion Upcycling?
Ximena Corcuera sheds some light on the current global trend of design sustainability Ximena Corcuera (@ximenacorcuera) is a fashion designer who, from an early age, has been interested in experimenting as a way of life. She is an expert in fashion, and in design that is sustainable and experimental. She is passionate about responsible fashion, so we decided to talk to her to find out more about the concept of upcycling, and how to embrace a trend that is gaining more and more strength in the design world. What is upcycling and what do you do with it? Upcycling is a recent term and it is used to describe the techniques that encompass the idea of transforming residues or refuse to create new items of value. It can be applied to all sorts of designing or manufacturing: furniture, garments, textiles, decorative objects. etc.
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5 Arm Knitting Artists That You Should Get To Know
Be inspired by these textile artists who knit using their hands instead of needles Arm knitting is a technique that takes the basic rules of knitting with needles and replaces the needles with your hands and arms. The results are soft, oversized pieces that accessorize your living space. The majority of artists use a special type of wool, known as Merino wool, that comes from Merino sheep. Get to know these artists and feel inspired to create your own designs! Javiera Ortiz (@inspiratemirando) Chilean textile artist Javiera Ortiz, who created the studio Inspírate Mirando (@inspiratemirando), specializes in knitting and fabric dyeing with a contemporary edge. She is also a photographer and costume designer. She works with XXL knitting, giving it a modern twist, and divides her time between Chile and Australia. She recently launched her Domestika course, Introduction to Arm Knitting and Wool Dyeing.
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Embroidery Tutorial: Herringbone Stitch
Follow this step by step guide to learn how to illustrate with a herringbone cross-stitch technique, with Yolanda Andrés
