The Kreuzberg near Bonn - Canvaswork after a watercolor and chalk painting by August Macke - © BIZ
🎨 How it all began – The history of Tentakulum Painters Threads
The history of Tentakulum Painters Threads is inextricably linked to the life journey of Bärbel-Ingeborg Zimber (BIZ) – a woman who has been combining different art forms since her youth.
Her intensive involvement with hand embroidery soon brought her to the great names in art, especially those who experimented with textile techniques themselves or whose works were inspired by textile structures.
She was particularly fascinated by the artists of the Blue Rider – above all Kandinsky, Klee, Macke and Marc, but Gabriele Münter and Marianne von Werefkin also accompanied her on her artistic path.
The desire to combine color, form and textiles in a new way arose out of this debate – and it was precisely from this that the Painters Threads grew:
Yarn collections that look like painted pictures.
Immerse yourself in this colorful world – and discover how art and textiles combine to create something completely unique.
Full of creativity. Full of expression. And always a little different.
free three-dimensional embroidery
on hand-dyed silk organza
appliquéd on hand-carved soapstone
© BIZ
🧵 Between art and needle – How August Macke changed the view
Before BIZ became intensively involved with Stitching, her enthusiasm was primarily directed towards the Impressionists – her gaze was focused almost exclusively on this direction of art.
But with her training in hand embroidery, her perspective began to broaden.
Gradually, the Expressionists came to the fore – with their clear formal language, emotional depth and the intense luminosity of the colors.
These works exerted a tremendous creative attraction, especially for someone who works with needle and thread.
📚 The discovery of Macke
A turning point came in the form of an inconspicuous little booklet:
“Kunsthandwerkliche Arbeiten August Mackes“
In it, BIZ found embroidery designs by the artist – a discovery that touched her deeply.
A little later, at an exhibition at the Rosgarten Museum in Constance, she saw an embroidery that had been made according to an original design by Macke.
The spark had finally been ignited.
✨ Embroidering culture of remembrance
BIZ was particularly moved by a passage in the autobiography of the paediatrician C. Lindenberg, a close friend of the family Macke.
In it, he describes a visit shortly after August Macke’s early death.
The family sat together – and embroidered according to his designs.
A quiet, comforting ritual. A form of remembrance with needle and thread.
These encounters with August Macke – in books, in exhibitions, in words – have fundamentally changed BIZ’s view of the embroidery craft.
They show how strongly art, memory and textiles can be interwoven.
🧵How paint became thread - the birth of Painters Threads
The first picture that BIZ wanted to convert into a textile technique was “Der Kreuzberg bei Bonn ” – a delicate watercolor and chalk work by August Macke.
The idea was clear: thread should not consist of uniform, repetitive color sequences, but rather reflect a lively composition of the colors used – like a painted picture.
After many weeks of intensive tinkering and experimenting with different coloring methods, BIZ developed its very own technique: the Painters Technique – a method in which threads is not simply dyed, but “painted” with color.
This technique expresses exactly what the small dye manufactory wants to convey:
🎨 Exclusivity, expression, extravagance.
Each piece of yarn is unique – a small work of art in its own right.
💡 From experiment to enthusiasm
When the first yarn project was finished, it quickly became clear that the reactions were overwhelming.
Students at the International School for Textile Arts (now the Academy for Textile Design) and visitors alike were enthusiastic – and immediately wanted to work with this special thread themselves.
Initially, the plan was to use threads only for a series of embroidery packs that would focus on translating paintings into textile techniques. However, this project got stuck in the planning phase – and the thread simply took on a life of its own.
However it happened, the Painters Threads suddenly ended up in the hands of cross-stitch designers. And they immediately fell in love with the thread. The wheel started to move.
🌈 An idea becomes a movement
BIS was delighted with the positive response – but it also knew that this type of hand dyeing cannot simply be standardized.
Every dyeing is different, every batch a little surprise.
But textile enthusiasts are not put off by such things – on the contrary! The technique was refined and perfected – and series production began. This is how Painters Threads were born.
🖌️ Names with a history
Each color bears the name of an artist:
The surnames of painters(e.g. Macke), the first names of painters(e.g. Frida).
There is only one exception: ClaudeM – in homage to the unforgettable Claude Monet.
The colors themselves are inspired by the typical color moods of the respective artists:
colors that they used particularly frequently – or those that are iconic for a particular work.
📦 Collector’s items with soul
Today, the Painters Threads have a loyal and steadily growing worldwide fan base.
Many collect the colors, look forward to each new coloring – and rediscover them again and again.
And BIS?
She is still amazed at how a small idea has become such a great joy for so many.
A thread that inspires. And connects.
👉 You can find the current colors and links to the artists here.
“The multicolored yarns with the most natural color gradient ever”
(quote from Judith Baker-Montano)
From a small thread to a big movement
📦 From dock to coil – the evolution of Painters Threads
In the early days, everything was still manageable:
Ten doilies per color, five different yarn qualities – that’s how the story of Painters Threads began.
Nobody would have guessed back then that the company would one day offer over 40 different textile products in 40 colors.
Today, around 100,000 doilies and fabrics find their way around the world every year – and give the projects of the students of the International School for Textile Arts a very special character.
🔄 Growing means changing
Of course, this path was not without its challenges.
The processes before and after dyeing had to be rethought.
And how often did those responsible have to listen to the question:
“Why have you changed the packaging again?“
(The honest answer: there have been a total of five since 1995…)
With every growth spurt came new requirements, more variants, more thread, more work.
The winding and labeling of the strands in particular was a challenge that could not simply be outsourced.
Even the most diligent hands eventually reached their limits.
🛍️ Header bags – an intermediate step
Header bags were the first major solution – practical, but not ideal.
Procurement was difficult because the market was geared towards bulk buyers.
Some materials such as Soie de Paris or Soie Ovale simply didn’t fit in well.
And again it was clear: packaging is manual work – and takes time.
🔁 Snap coils: cleverly wound
The brilliant idea came with the snap bobbins –
a packaging solution that is becoming increasingly popular in hand embroidery.
✔ They can be filled by machine.
✔ The yarn ends are protected.
✔ The coils are stable, versatile – and even reusable!
Today, many customers also use them for leftover yarns or creative upcycling projects:
from colorful curtains to textile jewelry. The possibilities are endless.
And last but not least:
Snap reels are more resource-efficient than paper reels – and in this case are produced in Europe.
💡 What remains?
A clear insight:
Packaging is more than just a shell – it is part of the product.
And it must grow with the product – just like the company itself.
The winding machine was our first achievement. Even after so many years, she continues to support us in our work, even if the wrapping technique has changed in the meantime.
Production has become a little more modern in the meantime. Two semi-automatic winding machines are the little helpers here. Still a lot of manual work, but it’s faster….
Not much has changed to this day… BIZ still spends hours in the dye shop every week and has fun turning white threads into colorful ones.
Beautiful colorful world, even when drying the process is still the same as at the beginning of the adventure.
Sometimes, however, it is easier to simply place the materials outside, as here with AMC cards, and hope that no unexpected rain or storm comes up! 🌤️😊
Our mix packs also like to take a bath in the tub. Like here, for example, cocoons!
Sometimes even the master of the house has to dive into the world of ironing adventure and tame the ironing machine! 🌪️💼😄
BIZ has had many spinning jobs in her life, but she particularly likes this one: when the washing machine loses its balance again, she simply puts hers against it and places herself on the washing machine during the spin cycle! It’s always an amusing balancing act. 😄
At trade fairs, our trainees had a lot of fun as well as work (like here at the h+h cologne needlework trade fair) – especially when they were amazed at how many men were out and about in suits and ties at a trade fair for needlework! 🤵✨😄
Or the trainee is allowed to sort the strands neatly again after a visit to the trade fair. Even though it is spools today, it sometimes feels just as much like a happy Sisyphean task! 🔄😄
Trade fairs are only ever possible with much loved helpers like Manuela from Nadel und Faden in Freiburg at the L’Aiguille en fete in Paris.
Or Jan at the TNNA needlework trade fair in Indianapolis (US)
It takes an hour or two for our exhibition stands to look like this.
We don’t want to withhold this warm picture of two of our trainees from you. You certainly don’t find such loving shipping anywhere! 🌟💕