This Morning in the Studio: The Story of a Tufting Session

I came into the studio a little earlier than usual this morning. While my coffee was still steaming, I sat down at the frame and picked up the tufting panel I'd been working on for two days.

There was one color I just couldn't get right. The shade of blue that was so clear in my mind never looked the same in yarn form — it came out either too cold or too lifeless. After trying three different yarns, I realized what I was actually looking for wasn't a single color, but two tones sitting side by side.

That's what tufting is like, really: the moment you make a plan, it falls apart — but the falling apart usually leads somewhere better. I lose track of time while moving the gun across the fabric; from the outside it looks like a repetitive motion, but from the inside, there's a small decision in every single pass.

By midday the panel was almost done, and that "this is it" feeling arrived. I think it's for these small moments that I do this work.

You'll be able to see this piece on our gallery page in a few weeks. If you're curious, I'll keep sharing moments like this from the studio.