The fairytale story behind Beadbadwolf Craft Studio
Where the magic happens…
A gentle hum of chatter fills the Beadbadwolf craft studio. The air vibrates with a symphony of crafting: the clinks of paint brushes against a palette, the gentle rustle of fabric, the rhythmic click-clacks of tufting guns.
Photo by: Steffi Wong
Unfinished projects peeked out from colourful drawers and shelves around the studio. In the corner, a bathtub overflowing with yarn stands under the spotlight. A kaleidoscope of sofa and chairs packs the studio, each piece wearing unique textiles, from floral patterns to striped prints.
Photo by: Steffi Wong
“I wanted the studio to be my second home, like the kind of environment where I would invite my friends over to the house to craft. Cosy, I guess,” said Cheryl Tan, 34, textile artist and owner of Beadbadwolf.
Photo by: Steffi Wong
The name of the studio, Beadbadwolf, is a spin on the fairytale Big Bad Wolf.
Source: Cheryl Tan
“I wanted something my kids could pronounce, so I used something very easy from storybooks. I don't want them to be like, ‘Oh, I don't know how to pronounce this, but it's my mum's shop,’” Cheryl, a mother of two, exclaimed.
Beadbadwolf is a craft studio tucked away on the first floor of the Stamford Arts Centre.
This studio will satisfy your crafting needs by offering a variety of craft choices including: weaving, embroidery, latch hook, mosaic art, Legopress print, and painting.
Cheryl shared the main goal of Beadbadwolf. “It is to make craft more accessible and bite-sized so that a lot of people can pick it up.” From a 3-hour Craft Buffet to Committed Craft Workshops. They provide a wide-range of programmes to cater to your learning needs.
Beadbadwolf’s speciality is their 3-hour Craft Buffet that starts from $39. “The Craft Buffet started because I wanted to offer something that has more variety and is quite fun.” This service allows participants to craft one product while mixing and matching materials. For example, you can embroider thread or paste yarn onto a painted canvas to create a mixed-medium artwork.
Apart from workshops, Beadbadwolf also sells unique handmade bags and offers custom embroidery services.
Accidental fairytale
Cheryl hesitated before explaining, “Beadbadwolf wasn’t really an intentional business, it was accidental.” In 2017, Cheryl was on maternity leave as she was expecting her second child. She started creating embroidery works for herself and posting them on Instagram.
Shortly after, a retailer reached out to her inviting her to host her own embroidery workshop. “Yeah, so that's how it all started. From one workshop, it became another, and then I really felt like it was something I really enjoyed. So I decided to offer more types of crafts, until having my own space, and what it is today,” Cheryl added. Her leap of faith from a stable nine-to-five job of eight years, sparked the beginnings of Beadbadwolf.
A sheep in wolf’s clothing
“I really love textile as a whole. It's a huge umbrella of things. I did embroidery first, then weaving, then crochet, and I really like it,” Cheryl expressed excitedly. Clearly, Beadbadwolf is a studio fuelled by her immense amount of love and passion for craft.
Photo by: Steffi Wong
Cheryl’s love for craft and textile art started back in primary six. Cheryl said, “My grandma taught me crochet, cross-stitch, and even sewing, when I was in primary school. I never felt like I was forced to learn. It was just a fun time I spent with her, doing what she liked to do.”
In 2011, Cheryl graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) with a Diploma and Degree in Fashion. “Fashion equipped me with better machine sewing skills, and gave me a more variety of textile techniques that I actually am interested in today,” she added.
Happily ever after
Source: Cheryl Tan
While Beadbadwolf strives to continue introducing craft to the community, they also have exciting plans in store. Cheryl enthusiastically shared, “I strive to create new workshops every now and then, I get inspired a lot by Pinterest and Tiktok. There are many things I want to try personally, and then make it accessible to everyone.” Some upcoming plans for Beadbadwolf include block stamping and charm jewellery craft. Without a doubt, Beadbadwolf’s story is far from ‘The End’…
