As part of The School of Making’s Year of Color, we are looking at some of the mechanics behind exploration and creativity and how inspiration emerges. One recent standout is Brooklyn’s BLUE: The TATTER Textile Library. As its name explains, the space is a soothing collage of blue, with fabrics draped across shelves and cabinets. The interactive and ongoing art installation and research library carefully selects colors and textures intended to call out the relationship between human and cloth and the connections between color, culture, and economics.

Its deep blue shelves are lined with over 6,000 books, journals, and catalogs that are perfectly catalogued and span the subjects of the global history, tradition, making, and beauty of textiles. The library contains the personal collections of Edith Robinson Wyle, founder of Los Angeles’ Craft and Folk Art Museum (now Craft Contemporary), her granddaughter Jordana Munk Martin, creator of the TATTER Library, and Carol Westfall, renowned fiber artist and professor. The collected items identify and celebrate what different generations and cultures of makers can teach us and how they can inspire us. Martin compares immersing yourself into the library to the alchemical process of a dye bath, which can transform fabric forever.
BLUE: The TATTER Textile Library is open by appointment only. Visit their website for a more detailed dive into color, textile, and material color. View their catalog here. Find them on Instagram @tatterbluelibrary.
Images courtesy of tatter.org
Thank you for highlighting this fabulous library. What you can’t see is their creative studio space where they hold really fun and interesting classes. My friend and I look forward to the new stitch offerings and take a class every few months…we always leave energized and happy!
You are welcome! And thank you for sharing more great information about the library.
Thank you Alabama Chanin Journal. I am stepping into the beautiful world of fabric, and enjoying Natalie’s books, and the school of learning kits.
The Tatter Textile library is new to my dream destination list. I’m inspired to research and learn more closer to home.
Thank you for the kind words, Catherine. Best of luck with your research and new projects.
I could feel my creative nerves tingling!
Happy to hear that you enjoyed the post, Gail!