When I travel, I’m always keen to meet local craftspeople and learn about their traditional methods. On my recent trip to Mexico I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet artist Tim Hinchliff. He has been yarn painting for over 30 years and has created so many beautiful pieces. Tim made all of the paintings shown in this post.

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Yarn painting originates from the Huichol tribe. It is an ancient Mexican folk art technique dating back thousands of years.

I tried my hand at painting with yarn and found it fun, relaxing and almost mesmerizing. You really get into the zone using just your hands and eyes. No batteries required!

One of the best parts about yarn painting is that you can create a design that tells your own story, using symbols. It reminds me of how embroiderers customize their designs to tell a story about themselves or the people who receive their Embroider Buddy® creations.

To create your own yarn painting you need a board covered with sticky wax and resin, colourful yarn, small sharp scissors, creativity and a lot of patience! Make sure to outline your symbols with contrasting colours to really make them stand out.

Check out this great tutorial I found about Huichol yarn painting.

Have you ever tried yarn painting or another form of folk art?