A Centralized Marketplace and Toolkit for Fiber Artists


Collaborative project with Affan Ashraf, Kareena Patel and Mustafa Arshad

A Centralized Marketplace and Toolkit for Fiber Artists


Collaborative project with Affan Ashraf, Kareena Patel and Mustafa Arshad

A Centralized Marketplace and Toolkit for Fiber Artists


Collaborative project with Affan Ashraf, Kareena Patel and Mustafa Arshad

Role

UX Research &

Design

UX Research

& Design

UX Research & Design

Timeline

November 2024,

4 weeks

November 2024,

4 weeks

November 2024, 4 weeks

Methods

Contextual Research, Participatory Design,

Figma Prototyping, Usability Testing

Contextual Research, Participatory Design,

Figma Prototyping, Usability Testing

Key Outcomes

Designed a cohesive desktop hub for a disjointed multi-platform process

Designed a cohesive desktop hub for a disjointed multi-platform process

Confirmed ease-of-use for crafters at multiple expertise levels through testing and a participatory design workshop

Confirmed ease-of-use for crafters at multiple expertise levels through testing and a participatory design workshop

Integrated a web extension tool to solve material sourcing pain points identified in our user research

Integrated a web extension tool to solve material sourcing pain points identified in our user research




Click here to jump to final designs ↓










Click here to jump to final designs ↓

Click here to jump to final designs ↓

Context & Opportunity

As an avid crocheter, I pitched an idea to my classmates: a space to buy, sell, and turn Pinterest boards into a list of suggested materials, getting straight to the fun part. (Crafting ASAP!)

Our project concluded in 2024, however…

In early 2025, JOANN Fabrics (our primary research site) unfortunately shut down all its outlets.

The silver lining is that I now feel confident showcasing this work. Even though it is a conceptual passion project, it contains concrete ideas that can be built further to contribute to the cause of keeping the joy of crafting alive.

The one silver lining is that I now feel confident showcasing this work. Even though it is a conceptual passion project, it contains concrete ideas that can be built to further the cause of keeping the joy of crafting alive.

The one silver lining is that I now feel confident showcasing this work. Even though it is a conceptual passion project, it contains concrete ideas that can be built to further the cause of keeping the joy of crafting alive.

Initial Research Findings

We analyzed the typical digital toolkit for crafters. Platforms like Etsy and Ribblr focus on finished items and patterns, while retailers focus on supplies.

These stages are quite fragmented, which forces users to toggle between sites.

Before designing a solution, we needed to further validate our assumption: Did crafters find this disconnect frustrating, or was the hunt actually a part of the joy making?

We explored this question by interviewing four types of crafters, from beginners to sellers, and mapping their workflows. The results highlighted the fragmented ecosystem that creates friction at multiple stages, chipping away at the joy of the craft as users get tangled in the logistics of it all.

Contextual Research

We visited local Joann and Micheals outlets to observe shoppers and interview employees.

We visited local Joann and Micheals outlets to observe shoppers and interview employees.

We visited local Joann and Micheals outlets to observe shoppers and interview employees.

We watched customers wandering aisles, struggling to translate a picture on their phone into the materials they should be looking for.

Employees acted as consultants, suggesting what to buy rather than just where to find the items. While they enjoyed these interactions, not all employees knew the nitty-gritties of crafting.

Also, stores often lacked stock of the exact material colors customers wanted.

Participatory Design Workshop

To get past generic feedback, we ran a workshop with a specific design probe. We showed crafters a photo of a green striped sweater and asked them to:


Map it - Walk us through the start-to-end process of making this.

Break it down - Identify exactly where the process gets difficult.

To get past generic feedback, we ran a workshop with a specific design probe. We showed crafters a photo of a green striped sweater and asked them to:


Map it - Walk us through the start-to-end process of making this.

Break it down - Identify exactly where the process gets difficult.

To get past generic feedback, we ran a workshop with a specific design probe. We showed crafters a photo of a green striped sweater and asked them to:


Map it - Walk us through the start-to-end process of making this.

Break it down - Identify exactly where the process gets difficult.

The following insights became the blueprint for our two standout features 

  • One of our participants was stuck at step one. She had the vision but felt limited by local inventory and couldn't find materials that matched quite right.


  • One participant knew how to make the sweater but struggled with writing down the pattern steps to share with their friends and family.

The following insights became the blueprint for our two standout features


  • One of our participants was stuck at step one. She had the vision but felt limited by local inventory and couldn't find materials that matched quite right.


  • One participant knew how to make the sweater but struggled with writing down the pattern steps to share with their friends and family.

The following insights became the blueprint for our two standout features 


  • One of our participants was stuck at step one. She had the vision but felt limited by local inventory and couldn't find materials that matched quite right.


  • One participant knew how to make the sweater but struggled with writing down the pattern steps to share with their friends and family.

Testing and Iterations

Parellely, we were designing screens for two main features in our ecosystem: the Material Identifier and the Pattern Writing Tool.

With material identifier (feature & extension), one can upload an inspiration photo, filter by size and craft type, and receive a detailed list of materials ready for purchase. 





With material identifier (feature & extension), one can upload an inspiration photo, filter by size and craft type, and receive a detailed list of materials ready for purchase. 





With material identifier (feature & extension), one can upload an inspiration photo, filter by size and craft type, and receive a detailed list of materials ready for purchase. 





Users loved the AI tool, but hit a wall immediately after. They would get a list of materials and have nowhere to store it for future reference.


The Fix: We added a Download CSV feature to the extension.






Users loved the AI tool, but hit a wall immediately after. They would get a list of materials and have nowhere to store it for future reference.


The Fix: We added a Download CSV feature to the extension.






Pattern writer lowers the barrier to entry with smart shortcuts. Users just press '/' to access a pop-up menu of stitches, instantly inserting complex terms with a single click.

Pattern writer lowers the barrier to entry with smart shortcuts. Users just press '/' to access a pop-up menu of stitches, instantly inserting complex terms with a single click.

Our pattern writer was too minimal. When users opened it, they froze, unsure how to start.


The Fix: We added a clear Info/Help toggle and refined the onboarding instructions.

Final Designs

With the Material Identifier, one simply has to make an image selection, enter their project specs, and a material list gets generated with direct purchase links.

With the Material Identifier, one simply has to make an image selection, enter their project specs, and a material list gets generated with direct purchase links.

With the Material Identifier, one simply has to make an image selection, enter their project specs, and a material list gets generated with direct purchase links.

Pattern writing with smart shortcuts to trigger a menu of click-to-insert stitch types.

Pattern writing with smart shortcuts to trigger a menu of click-to-insert stitch types.

Pattern writing with smart shortcuts to trigger a menu of click-to-insert stitch types.

Reflections

This was a foundational project in my journey as a UX designer. Working with my talented teammates, I absorbed UI principles and refined my eye for visual hierarchy and beautiful design. 

The hardest balance was utility vs. delight. We didn't want to automate the fun out of crafting; we only wanted to automate the frustration.

If I revisited this today, I’d explore modernizing legacy databases (like Ravelry) rather than building from scratch, focusing on making existing data accessible to new users.

As fast fashion replaces physical craft stores, we’re losing spaces that encourage creativity. I am a huge advocate for tinkering, sustainability, and upcycling. I plan to continue exploring how design can encourage the joy of making.

Explore more of my work!

Frogslayer - Kiosk design guidelines for hospitality outlets

Get in touch

LinkedIn

tanyabsingh25@gmail.com

Resume

Open to new opportunities and/or a chat :) Feel free to reach out!

©️Tanya Singh | Current as of November 2025 | 📍West Lafayette, IN, USA

Pattern writer lowers the barrier to entry with smart shortcuts. Users just press '/' to access a pop-up menu of stitches, instantly inserting complex terms with a single click.

Our Notion-esque Pattern Writer was too minimal. When users opened it, they froze, unsure where to start.


The Fix: We added a clear Info/Help toggle and refined the onboarding instructions, making features like Stitch Shortcuts intuitive from the first click.

Reflections

This was a foundational project in my journey as a UX designer. Working with my talented teammates, I absorbed UI principles and refined my eye for visual hierarchy and beautiful design. 

The hardest balance was utility vs. delight. We didn't want to automate the fun out of crafting; we only wanted to automate the frustration.

If I revisited this today, I’d explore modernizing legacy databases (like Ravelry) rather than building from scratch, focusing on making existing data accessible to new users.

As fast fashion replaces physical craft stores, we’re losing spaces that encourage creativity. I am a huge advocate for tinkering, sustainability, and upcycling. I plan to continue exploring how design can encourage the joy of making.

Explore more of my work!

Frogslayer - Kiosk design guidelines for hospitality outlets

Boba storm - Service design solution for bubble tea stores

Get in touch

LinkedIn

tanyabsingh25@gmail.com

Resume


Open to new opportunities.

Feel free to reach out! ✉️ 📩

©️Tanya Singh

Current as of November 2025 | 📍West Lafayette, IN, USA

Get in touch

LinkedIn

tanyabsingh25@gmail.com

Resume

Open to new opportunities and/or a chat :) Feel free to reach out!

©️Tanya Singh | Current as of November 2025 | 📍West Lafayette, IN, USA