In September, Arlington resident Carissa Englert Malone opened TINT, which she’s dubbed “a modern makerspace,” for the legions of creative and crafty fiber artists in our area who have been missing a gathering space. “I had to trust that we were all here without a home before,” she says. “Since we’ve opened, there are all these women pouring into the shop”—for classes and workshops, or just to gather around communal seating areas to work on projects together and derive inspiration from one another.
A cozy, light-filled nook tucked into the back of a building on West Broad Street in Falls Church (it’s behind The Neighborhood Barbershop), TINT aims to be the fertile ground where your creativity can bloom. Are you a knitter? Maybe you’d like to learn how to spin—or dye—your own yarn. Can you craft yourself a handbag? Perhaps you’d like to try your skill at creating a geometric wall hanging from fabric scraps.
On the retail side, supplies are available for all manner of crafting and fiber artistry, including fabric bolts and quilting squares, hand-spun and hard-to-find yarns, and notions that help you get the job done with your own unique twist. There are also a few ready-made items available for purchase, such as totes, pouches and hand-knitted scarves. “I’m not interested in competing with Amazon or JoAnn [Fabric],” says Malone. “I want to provide more specialty items and learning experiences with experts you won’t find anywhere else in our area.”