Shelves stacked high with bright yarn and walls adorned in a spectrum of colorful, handmade art bring to life a playground where imagination thrives. Each of these pieces aren’t crafted by professionals, but by everyday creatives. Tucked away on the second floor of Tysons Corner Center beside Level 99, Tuft Tuft is a lively crafting haven that welcomes visitors into the unique world of tufting.
Aya Terakawa, the owner of Tuft Tuft, often found herself hosting crafting sessions with friends due to her passion for DIY projects where the idea to open a crafting studio originated.
“I have always been a person that likes to do DIY projects,” Terakawa said. “Tufting was very popular back then so [my friends] started doing that in my house, and then we thought, ‘why don’t we open a crafting shop that does tufting? It’s kind of a new concept and no one in the area does it.’”
Seeing how crafting brought together people of all ages and backgrounds, Terakawa and her partner opened Tuft Tuft’s first location in Pentagon City Mall shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic ended, with the mission of providing a space where anyone–not just experienced artists–could walk out with a unique, handmade piece they were proud of. At its core, Tuft Tuft was built upon the idea that people needed a place to reconnect, put their phones down and unwind after the pandemic.
Despite the closure of their Pentagon City Mall location, Tuft Tuft’s Tysons storefront is now thriving, with the team already planning to open a new location in the area as they continue to grow. Reflecting on the early days of the studio, Terawaka recalls how central the community was as their business began to take shape.
“The first year, it was just me and my partner working and back then we had a really good time because we would see different customers every single day, we talked to a lot of the people and they have been so supportive. So I think that’s what made us continue,” Terakawa said.
While tufting is the heart of Tuft Tuft, the studio has grown over time, now offering a plethora of unique activities and workshops.
One of the most eye-catching and beginner-friendly activities they offer is acrylic pouring, a mesmerizing art trend of pouring fluid paint over 3D figurines. As the paint naturally swirls while covering the surface, they create marbled patterns that make the process both relaxing and visually satisfying. While bear figurines are the most popular among visitors, Tuft Tuft also offers Hello Kitty, Pikachu, Stitch, Kuromi and Cinnamoroll bases, each turning into a colorful, one-of-a-kind keepsake.
Decoden, another popular activity at Tuft Tuft, brings an additional notable, fully customizable craft to the studio. Originating from Japan, decoden involves decorating everyday items by piping on whipped-cream-like silicone glue and arranging charms, miniature embellishments, and sprinkles to give the item a playful and personal touch. Tuft Tuft allows visitors to bring in any item they wish to decorate in addition to providing base items–phone cases, AirPod cases, mirrors and more–along with shelves lined with themed charms and a wide selection of colored decoden creams. Each finished piece is tailored entirely to the crafter’s taste, making it one of the most versatile and expressive projects the studio offers.
Finally, Perler beads add yet another fun and endlessly customizable craft to Tuft Tuft’s roster as their newest addition. Using small, colorful plastic beads arranged on pegboards, crafters fuse together the beads in any design they want using heat to create pixel-style charms. These pieces can be turned into keychains, fridge magnets, coasters, phone charms, pins or simply displayed as decor, making the activity incredibly adaptable. With a large array of bead colors and templates available, the activity is perfect for both first-timers and those eager to create more intricate, meticulous designs.
While these are all the activities Tuft Tuft currently offers, the studio plans to expand its lineup with a new candle-making workshop in the near future.
“We always welcome ideas from customers or employees about new ideas too,” Terakawa said.
Each craft reflects the studio’s goal of making creativity accessible, approachable and fun for everyone, especially those with little to no experience. One of the employees, Sarah Nguyen, a McLean student, loves helping first time visitors surprise themselves and express their individual artistry.
“They think they have to be artistic to be able to do the different crafts, ” Nguyen said. “But everyone is able to do the different crafts that we offer due to the support that we provide them and also their creativity and perseverance in trying to do art even if they say that they can’t.”
Through its colorful atmosphere and ever-growing myriad of art mediums, Tuft Tuft succeeds in its mission of giving friends, family and even strangers a place to slow down, unwind and form connections through hands-on experience. Rather than chasing impossible perfection, the buzzing creative hub fosters imagination and embraces mistakes as what makes a piece uniquely human. It’s a unique space that opens the door for anyone, regardless of skill level, to take a step away from their screens and discover–or rediscover–the joy of creation.
As the summer settles in, Tuft Tuft offers a rare pause from the mental and physical overload of life in the form of a bright, creative escape where visitors can spend their day crafting something meaningful, memorable and entirely personal.
