Embroidered in Bengal, India for the Portuguese market, this colcha, or bedcover, is a result of the interchange of goods and cultural influence between two trade markets. The style and materials are typical of India, but the universal theme of good triumphing over evil is illustrated through a mix of local and European imagery. Eight...

See how embroidery is made by hand in this short video. Nguyen Le of knitknit demonstrates the basics, including satin stitch, chain stitch and french knot technique. She also adds a backing fabric to the project as an extra optional step. This piece took about 3 hours total. About this series: Design Dictionary is a...

I had the pleasure of meeting recently with Ton Vriens, a Dutch documentary filmmaker and journalist who, through his foundation Turtle Tree, is working with women in Haiti to develop a felt-making co-operative, with the goal of achieving economic and social independence for the members of the self-governed group. Haiti is one of the poorest...