Meet “Loop Around”: Weaving Stories Through Tufting

Meet Loop Around: A Place Where You Can Indulge Yourself in the Art of Tufting

The art of tufting, with its colorful threads and the soft or even rough textures it creates, was initially unknown to me. But after meeting Loop around and Myrto Kondylopoulou, I quickly realized that it has managed to carve out a special place in the hearts of those who discover it. Through the simple motion of the needle, thoughts, memories, and emotional quests are transformed into something tangible, something that is not only visual but also sensorial.

At the heart of this process is Myrto, a young creator who, with no prior experience, found tufting as a refuge and a means of self-expression. With no prior experience, other than childhood memories of watching her grandmother embroider—and marveling at her patience and persistence—she never imagined that one day she would hold a needle in her own hands. Life, however, has its own ways of surprising us.

It was during the lockdown period due to Covid, when the need to escape from the routine led Myrto Kondylopoulou to endlessly scroll through TikTok. That’s when, by pure chance, she came across a video about tufting. “As soon as I held the needle in my hands, I fell in love with it,” she tells me, smiling. It wasn’t long before she got her own equipment and started experimenting. Her first work? “A small, crooked rug, which I thought was perfect at the time!” she laughs.

A year later, she decided to open her own space. There, she organizes embroidery workshops on weekends, where people of all ages and skill levels are introduced to the art of needlework, the Puch Needle Workshop. Inspired by the world around her—planets, flowers, stars—these motifs are transformed into cute keychains, coasters, small frames, tote bags, or anything else one can imagine, which the participants take home with them.

Tufting, which requires more specialized equipment, is organized by appointment, either for small groups or individual students. Each tufting workshop consists of two classes, giving participants the time to learn the technique and create their own piece.

“Most people choose square shapes and paint abstract designs,” she tells me, showing me a rug full of bold lines and colors. Her eyes light up as she talks about the process. “It’s very liberating—seeing your design take shape, becoming tangible. And the same is shared with me by those who participate. They all come with the certainty that their hands don’t work and that they won’t be able to do it. As soon as they start, they realize how wrong they were, and that brings them joy.” Every workshop is also an opportunity for connection between people.

Each workshop is not just a lesson in technique, but an opportunity for connection between people. As the needles move rhythmically over the fabric and the colors intertwine, hands relax, voices grow warmer, and laughter becomes more spontaneous. “We start as strangers, but by the end of the lesson, we’re talking like friends. And this is something people really seek in the workshops,” Myrto says, smiling.

Often, spontaneous conversations spring up around her tables—about life, the small joys of everyday life. Sometimes, even silence is full of meaning. Tired or thoughtful people sometimes leave feeling lighter, as if they have left something behind along with the threads that fall to the floor. There, among the colorful designs and stitches, not only rugs are made—but small communities are created. “Little circles are formed, which people really need.“

Tufting is a technique for making rugs and fabric decorative items, done either manually or with a special tool called a tufting gun. Essentially, it’s a process where threads are “stuck” onto a fabric base, creating dense and textured surfaces. In recent years, tufting has become particularly popular in DIY and artistic creation, as it allows for the creation of colorful and unique rugs, pillows, and wall decorations.

At 29, Myrto is absolutely happy with this choice. Together with her friend Giorgos Kranitsas, they work closely, creating art products and decorations for spaces that people have come to love.

Giorgos Kranitsas (aka @jione_vandalfunk_), born and raised in Karditsa, also remembers himself drawing since he was 9 years old. Art was always present in his life, but he never pursued it professionally. Instead, a few years ago, at 18, he came to Athens, a city he loved, to study culinary arts. He worked for years in restaurant kitchens, living the demanding pace of the profession. Until Myrto spoke to him about her new dream. “I left the kitchen one night for tufting. I didn’t even think about it. It’s the second art that has kept me,” he says.

At first, he had reservations seeing the trend on TikTok. “What are you doing now, playing with threads?” he remembers saying to Myrto, who, with disarming honesty and a touch of lyricism, responded, “They’re colors, too.” And while the thread color palette might be limited, and mixing colors isn’t possible, as he puts it, “If you pick up the weapon in your hands,” referring to the needle, “you immediately realize the power and potential it has. You can create incredible large-scale works that would be extremely difficult and time-consuming with a brush.” he says.

Now, he paints, creates street art, and works hand-in-hand with Myrto, creating pieces that blend painting with textile art, gradually taking on some decorative and functional items, like chairs, which we admired at the “ELLADA 2.0” exhibition by HIN in Hong Kong a few days ago. “We had met him in Kypseli before we did the exhibition. In the neighborhood of Kypseli, we’ve set up our space, a neighborhood we love, a meeting point for many people with common concerns, and above all, a passion for art,” says Giorgos.

When you immerse yourself in creation, time stops, I think. And just like that, in a few hours, you can have a piece of yourself in front of you, to see and touch. Because tufting, apart from its visual delight, offers a unique sensation. The texture of each piece feels like a game of senses. You touch the surface, and the threads come to life under your fingers. Some are soft and fluffy, like clouds in the sky, others tighter and denser, giving a sense of stability. Each design breathes with its own texture – sometimes rough and intense, other times smooth and fluid. Every piece seems to be more than just an aesthetic creation. And the most important thing: it can carry your exclusive signature.