SPRING 2012

ABOUT

Each ChristaLouise creation is its own world of color and texture. These unique pieces are fusions of merino wool and silk. Every scarf/wrap is meticulously hand-crafted by village women in Mexico who have been taught the fine art of nuno felting. This is an all-natural technique utilizing only soap and water. Through a process of hand massage, the individual wool fibers are forced through a piece silk fabric where they interlock and are felted to the silk itself. As the wool fibers fuse to one another, the fabric is drawn together, resulting in the puckered effect visible on the reverse side of the garment. Due to the distinct touch of each womans hands, every garment is an original, one-of-a-kind creation. By purchasing a ChristaLouise design you help enable us to teach this art form, and subsequently create employment for these women in Mexico. As we continue to grow, our hope is to expand into other developing countries, always focusing on small groups of women in need.
CHRISTA

Christa Louise

Having grown up in a family of artists, I started exploring various forms of artistic expression from a very young age. When I first discovered Nuno Felting, it was like a revelation for me. I fell in love with the freedom of design and the virtually limitless color palette. There is a magical component to Nuno felting which is the reward for the physical exertion that goes into making each piece. It truly encompasses the idea of craft as art. I tried to find women in developing countries who really needed work. Mexico was an obvious choice due to its proximity to the US, as well as the fact that my parents retired there, to a small pueblo called Ajijic, and oversee the daily operations. I taught groups of women the process of nuno felting and chose the five whom I considered to be best suited for the job. We have been working together since the end of 2009 and they are fantastic. Ultimately, I would like to have small pockets of production in various countries all over the world. I consider it a win-win scenario to be able to teach women a skill that allows me to employ them, which hopefully, provides sustainability and empowerment for their own individual futures.
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