Before the weekend, I didn’t have a clue what tufting was. Now, thanks to CL Studios, you could say I’m well-versed and mildly skilled at the craft. It’s a craft that requires machine operation, coordination, and, in my beginner’s case, wool. The tufting gun works a bit like a handheld sewing machine. It threads wool into canvas and takes a moment to get used to. Not expecting to participate, I was apprehensive to give it a go but seeing the work shoppers go about their pre-chosen images I thought why not? Tufting typically results in rugs, carpets and upholstery fabrics, but in Claire and Wonek’s case, it’s an art form. They create detailed wall hangings, frames, and, dare I say, good luck charms in vibrant wools, silks, acrylics and cotton. Their artistry is something to be known and can be experienced firsthand through their weekend beginner workshops, where you can quickly pick up the basics and create semi-detailed tufts. If you discover your calling as a tufter you can request advanced workshops and work with larger canvases, more mediums and in more detail. The studio is open for anyone curious or in search of something unique and vibrant to liven up the household, commission based pieces produced by Claire and Wonek are available by request or appointment. The studio opened in 2024 after their first studio in Kopenick, which opened in 2022. The new Berlin space offers a more communal, workshop-friendly atmosphere — a place to let the creative energy flow. If you’re thinking about joining a workshop, don’t wait too long as spaces are limited.
Claire and Wonek are two multi-dimensional artists who have tapped into different mediums over the years inclusive to photography, sculpture, and woodwork. Tufting is where they’ve met in the middle. Meeting in Hamburg and moving to Kopenick to open their studio, they realized workshopping was the perfect layer to add. Attending the workshop run by this small family is a wholesome event, you can experience all these layers for yourself and take your creation home with you.
Text & photos: Ruby Watt
CL Studio, Schwedter Str.267, 10119 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
@tufting_berlin
