How Two UX Designers from Apple Started a Tufting Studio That’s Touching More Than Thousands
I never thought I’d ever like something like this.
Karmin dropped the yarn in her hand, massaging her stiff shoulder, her eyes drifting to the twisted design on the wall. She remembered the first time she picked up the tufting gun. Her hand felt like it was nailed down, almost as though the rough canvas would swallow her whole.
From "Digits" to "Threads"
Four years ago, Karmin and Lucy were still grinding it out in Apple’s design team. They were pushed from meeting to meeting, buried under endless design cycles, working at the core of modern tech yet fully aware that they were heading toward deep vanity. Until that one unexpected event in 2021—when they discovered tufting at a small flea market in San Francisco. That instant moment of “aha” was almost beyond fantastic.They bought an entry-level tufting kit, just to try it out. Little did they know, this simple experiment would become a life-changing journey. "Back then, I never imagined I’d become so obsessed with this thing," Lucy recalled with a laugh, her voice dripping with excitement. "But it felt like entering another world, a world that actually had life."
Evenings and weekends, once consumed by tech meetings, were now dominated by yarn and canvas. At first, their creations were almost unrecognizable—frayed threads, twisted shapes, unclear patterns. But over time, they became obsessed with the process. Every stitch and every thread brought new challenges and satisfaction.
Like most techies, they couldn’t help but ask: "Could this art form be more widely embraced?" Could it help people like them, caught up in the high-pressure world, find a space to slow down and reclaim their sense of peace?
“So we took a chance on ourselves—we left our stable jobs behind and started a workshop where anyone, no matter their background, could pick up a tool and start creating.”
From"Passion" to "Profession"
The beginning was tough, with failure after failure pushing them to the edge. Karmin and Lucy weren't the type to give up easily, but when they first started welcoming students into their workshop, they realized their little space wasn’t the simple “art sanctuary” they had imagined.
Those early workshops were full of tension—not just the nervousness of trying something new, but the kind that comes when nothing quite works the way it should. The standard tufting kits were loud, heavy, and oddly aggressive in their presence. Beginners found it difficult to control the machines, and a few students—especially women and kids—struggled to hold them steady for more than a few minutes.
But Karmin and Lucy didn’t back down. They spent nights redesigning the entire course structure, simplifying the steps, and eventually found a beginner-friendly tufting kit—the Clawlab H1.
Unlike the bulky equipment they’d used before, the H1 was compact, smooth, and surprisingly intuitive. Its quieter motor made workshops feel more like shared conversations than industrial drills, and its lightweight frame gave students a greater sense of control—especially those who had felt hesitant or intimidated before.
"It’s not just about the tools themselves; it’s about how the tools make the students feel like they can actually do it," Lucy often reminds herself. “If the tools don’t spark creativity, they’re just shackles.”
This change didn’t immediately result in miracles. But over time, they began to see small shifts: students no longer felt discouraged by the complexity of the tools.What excited them most was that many students, who had initially struggled with creativity, ended up creating their own designs in just a few classes.
From “Brand” to “Community”
As their classes grew in success, Karmin and Lucy’s workshop gradually transformed from a small studio into a full-fledged creative space, offering more than just traditional classes and workshops. They started integrating tufting into lifestyle design and began creating custom art projects, bringing the craft into homes, shops, and public spaces.
As their brand expanded, they remained true to their original purpose: helping people rediscover creativity through art, breaking free from the monotony and pressures of everyday life. At a certain point, they began to think more broadly—how could this movement go beyond the studio and become something that lived within the community?
"Success isn’t just about having a big brand," Lucy reflected deeply. "It’s about seeing people who’ve undergone self-transformation through art."
In those moments, tools played an unexpected role. When they introduced Clawlab, a compact and easy-to-control tufting gun, into workshops and community events, something shifted. Its lightweight build and precision made it especially approachable for first-timers and younger participants--people, who might have felt intimidated by larger or more technical machines. “I was nervous at first, but this felt like drawing with thread,” one beginner shared. “It gave me the confidence to try something new.”
From “Two” to “All”
Karmin and Lucy’s journey is still unfolding. So far, their workshops have welcomed over 4,500 students of all age. Their small studio has grown into a multifaceted creative hub, offering daily classes, community projects, brand collaborations, and showcases at national events. Their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed—they proudly maintain a 5.0-star rating on Google and have cultivated a loyal Instagram following of over 10,000.
In this world full of stress and busyness, every thread, every stitch, every piece of creative fabric carries one message—through creation, you find your true self. And that is the greatest gift Karmin and Lucy have brought to the world.
“The power of creativity is limitless, and we’ve just begun.”
This is craft of tufting — all the vibrant tales it helps weave.
The invitation to join the journey is open to all.
