Handmade crafts such as crochet and weaving, are becoming increasingly popular, as we crave more time offline, and the satisfaction of creating something with our own hands. Warped Threads, was founded by Nicky and Courtney after discovering a mutual love for tapestry weaving early in 2014. All pieces are made by hand, by them, in Australia. These kinds of pieces are now being snapped up by people who want that handmade touch in their homes. It brings a unique, organic sense of place to a room.
Their individual creative processes are fairly organic and all of the works are one-off pieces. Any requests for reproductions of previous works will therefore vary from the original, as they don’t work with pre-determined patterns, enjoying the slight variations that make each piece unique. This is where the beauty lies.
How did you start your business?
We have been friends for nearly 20 years and discovered a mutual love for tapestry weaving early in 2014. It wasn’t long until we found our walls becoming embarrassingly full of our creations! We received great feedback about them on our own private Instagram accounts which then turned into requests for pieces by friends. So we took the plunge and started Warped Threads in 2014.
What kinds of things can people find there?
We sell hand-woven wall hangings in all different styles and sizes. We are always brainstorming new things, so who knows what we’ll be offering further down the track! We are also now offering custom pieces and workshops so you can create your own woven masterpieces.
Where can people find you and buy?
You can find us at www.warpedthreads.com.au
To view our full gallery please visit us on Instagram @warpedthreads.
What inspires you about these crafts? And what made you choose these crafts?
We love that once you know your basic techniques, there are endless possibilities for what you can create. No rules or restrictions, just weaving however you feel like it at the time. We rarely work with patterns and love the fact that we can change our mind a few times during the production of a piece. It really allows us to push ourselves and create something new and different each time.
It can be quite an “easy” craft to pick up, figuratively and literally. There are a few basic techniques, like the ones we teach in our workshops, that allow for a lot of scope with your design. And obviously the fact that you can pick up from where you left off without having to remember what you were up to or count stitches like a lot of other crafts, is a bonus.
What do you love about this kind of work and do you have a favourite piece to work on?
Having a creative outlet is really important for both of us – it keeps us sane! We love that we can just pick up the loom, pour out whatever is inside ourselves and make something that resonates other people. That is probably the most amazing thing for us – that people like the things we make. It’s really encouraging.
We’ve had a lot of favourite pieces that have since been adopted to new homes, which is always exciting. Two of our favourites would have to be ‘Calming Beauty’ and ‘Cream, Caramel & Gold’. They both proved to be quite popular and they are quite good examples of how varied our styles can be. We’re forever trying new things to keep our work interesting and to challenge ourselves creatively.
Do you prefer neutrals or colour?
We recently completed a neutrals collection and really enjoyed the results of our first-ever attempt to both work to a similar colour palette at the same time. Neutrals are always popular, however we do love colour so we will always be exploring a whole spectrum of possibilities.
What is your decorating style?
Courtney: Our decorating styles are quite different actually! I love mid-century design but I would say I am a bit eclectic. I love finding interesting furniture and bits and pieces at vintage markets. I really don’t like clutter so I am picky with what I actually buy. But that doesn’t stop me from digging through bargain bins and garage sales!
Nicky: I like to think I have quite a bohemian style. My home is filled with treasures from travels around the world. Lots of pattern, lots of colour and lots of second-hand, repurposed furniture. My coffee table is made from an old door! I also have a lot of plants… I’m trying to turn my thumb green and keep my indoor garden growing.
What do you think decorative pieces like yours bring to a contemporary home?
Being that tapestry weaving is not a new thing, we like to think our pieces bring a bit of that retro-craft into the contemporary world.
There is such a fabulous community of weavers around the world who are pushing the art forward and that is definitely what we strive to do. We don’t just want to revive weaving as a home decor trend – we intend to keep it thriving as an art form.
Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
Inspiration strikes as we work. Often the design comes from the specific yarns or other materials we choose and just forms organically as we weave. Sometimes it will be a drawing, a photograph, a piece of art or decor already in our homes or simply Mother Nature. The sources of inspiration are endless – that what makes what we do so exciting!
I just love this work and it looks like a great craft to give a go – have you ever created a woven project? We would love to hear!
Helen
xx
**updated from a post in 2014
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