the MAIWA JOURNAL

HAND PAINTED CLOTH

Hand painting cloth with natural dyes is an ancient practice in India, known as kalamkari—which translates to “pen work.” The freedom to place natural colour in a painterly way requires considerable skill and natural dye knowledge.

Thursday, February 26, 2026 No comments

CARRY SOMETHING SPECIAL

Traditional embroidery has always had a role in the world. It has always been a visual statement of skill. It has always been an expression of beauty. It has always worked to transform a plain piece of cloth into something extraordinary.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 No comments

Shop the Sale

MAIWA’S ARTIST APPRECIATION SALE

A rare chance to get 20% off everything site-wide.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 No comments

Maiwa’s clothing line exists to value and celebrate handmade cloth.

Monday, February 09, 2026 No comments

Make Your Comfort Zone Into Something Beautiful

Our hand block printed bedding usually steals the show—but we have so many more textiles to share.

Thursday, February 05, 2026 No comments

THIS LAUNCH BRINGS YOU TWO JACKETS

These jackets are made from beautiful kantha quilts. Favourite prints, saris, and beloved lengths of cloth are stitched together with plain and coloured threads.

Tuesday, February 03, 2026 No comments

NATURAL DYES – NATURAL COLOUR

We use natural dyes extensively in our own production. This is the best way to know how a dye behaves and to see the changes that happen from harvest to harvest.

Thursday, January 29, 2026 No comments

SAJOU

EMBROIDERY & SEWING SUPPLIES

High quality embroidery and sewing items designed and made in France with a commitment to the art of yarn and textiles.

Shop Our Collection of Sajou Items

Sewing pins with glass head featuring the rosette motif represents three girls embroidering "Maison Sajou - Fancy Work".

Darning wool, made by Sajou, can be used for mending or embroidery. Laine St. Pierre is a blend of wool and polyamide, giving it more strength and durability – so if you are darning your socks, your mend will be more likely to stand the test of time.

This yarn is composed of 4 strands that separate easily, offering flexibility in the thickness you choose to work with.

This red Sajou album N°916 shows the main stitches in traditional embroidery. The names are indicated in French, English and German.

A set of sharp darning needles made by Sajou presented in a booklet printed with an Art Nouveau motif.

This beautiful perlé silk thread is glossy and resistant. It is traditionally used for buttonholes as well as topstitching on fabric or leather. It can also be used for cross stitch, bobbin lace or braids and trimmings. It was also commonly used in days gone by: in tapestries the finer details like the faces and hands of the figures, the centres of certain flowers or animals eyes were sewn with silk threads to obtain a contrast with the wool.

An assortment of 15 sewing needles.

High quality 100% waxed linen thread wrapped on a circular star card that keeps the thread organized between uses. This thread is perfect for bookbinding and hand stitching leather goods.

Shop Our Collection of Sajou Items

Shop all Embroidery Supplies

Shop all Sewing Supplies

Tuesday, January 27, 2026 No comments

AJRAKH

HAND BLOCK PRINTED BEDDING

Ajrakh is a traditional block printing technique practiced by artisans living in India's Kachchh Desert. For centuries, wooden blocks have been used to print eloquent geometric patterns on cotton.

Thursday, January 22, 2026 No comments

For nearly 40 years our dedication to craft, artisan work and natural colour has stayed strong. Now we are using YouTube to share these stories.

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 No comments

NEW SHAWLS

BY LENA LADAKH

The Changthang Plateau, located in Ladakh, India, is a striking high-altitude expanse that stretches into northern Tibet. Renowned for its breathtaking scenery, stunning mountain ranges and extreme climate, this semi-arid plateau sits at an average elevation of about 4,500 meters (14,800 feet).

Thursday, January 15, 2026 No comments

NATURAL INDIGO

THE COLOUR THAT CONNECTS US

The fact that green plants can give us blue colours is something that never ceases to amaze us. We try to get to know as many kinds of blue as possible. From the natural indigo we sell and use in all our clothing, bedding and cloth: (indigofera tinctoria) which is grown and harvested in India, to the robust and remarkable persicaria tinctoria, which will thrive even when planted in our research garden in the Pacific Northwest.

Our Curated Collection of Indigo Favourites

See all Clothing

See all Natural Indigo

See all Kits

See Everything for the Home

See all Shawls & Scarves

See all Books

INSTRUCTIONS

We believe in sharing information. Find everything you need to get started in dyeing with indigo — Free online!

How To Dye With Indigo Instructions

See all Blanks

OUR WEBSITE DEDICATED TO NATURAL DYES

naturaldyes.ca

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 No comments

Craftspeople enjoy an intimate relationship with their tools. As an extension of the human hand, brushes are especially important.

Thursday, January 08, 2026 No comments

A selection of sale items from all corners of Maiwa. Clothing, bedding, art supplies, books! Amazing things — great prices.

Tuesday, January 06, 2026 No comments

IT’S A NEW YEAR, WHAT WILL YOU BEGIN?

2026 is here...a new year, filled with potential.

Thursday, January 01, 2026 No comments

These are in-depth workshops delivered through engaging high-definition videos. Our instructors skillfully guide students accompanied by detailed notes.

Workshops commence in January but students are free to work at their own pace. New content is delivered on a weekly basis until the course is complete.

"This is the best online course I've ever taken. So comprehensive, well organized, and professionally presented. It's obvious you put a lot of effort into producing it.” - Mary

Students have access to workshops for three years.

Curated supply kits are always offered at 20% off for students. Details can be found on each workshop page.

Use Discount Code: CREATIVE20 for 20% off.

maiwa.teachable.com

Sunday, December 28, 2025 No comments

OUR WISHES TO YOU

As the year draws to a close we would like to send our warmest wishes to everyone.

Wednesday, December 24, 2025 No comments

THE GIFT OF MANY OPTIONS

Give the gift of choice — with a MAIWA gift card.

Monday, December 22, 2025 No comments

Click the button below to register in our online workshops.

Students have access to workhops for three years.

Curated supply kits are always offered at 20% off for students. Details can be found on each workshop page.

Use Discount Code: CREATIVE20 for 20% off.

maiwa.teachable.com

Learn to build a range of indigo vats including organic vats made with fruits, the iron vat, and vats made with plants.

Learn a wealth of introductory and advanced shaped resist techniques on silk, linen, and cotton. Learn how to handle materials in the dye vat to get the most from indigo.

Journey Into Indigo

Learn to successfully mordant cellulose and protein fibres. Work with cloth and yarns to achieve vibrant, clear colours using classic natural dyes.

The Natural Dye Workshop

This groundbreaking workshop will lead students through a number of projects on silk, cotton, linen, wool, and paper.

Through contact printing, immersion baths, bundling and binding techniques, and the magic of indigo, this workshop will explore new, uncharted territory on textiles.

Tannins, Oxides & Indigo

Learn the process of making both pigmented and non-pigmented inks, including classics like iron gall ink as well as inks made from natural dyes like cochineal and lake pigments like weld.

The Inkmaking Workshop

Throughout history, the ability to print on cloth has created some of the world’s most desirable textiles.

The ability to deliver rich, saturated, natural dyes through the use of brushes, blocks, stencils and pens is a powerful skill.

Print & Paint with Natural Dyes

A pathway through modern science organized around the study of natural dyes. From the atom and molecular diagrams to the reduction and oxidation of indigo, to acids and bases, and all the way up to the complexity of tannin-mordant dye chemistry.

Learn why the study of natural dyes is one of the most engaging ways to investigate matter and materials.

Natural Dyes: Alchemy, Chemistry, Craft

maiwa.teachable.com

Thursday, December 18, 2025 No comments

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