Stitched Stories
Stitched Stories
How Inclusive Textile Art Creates Spaces for Collective Learning & Body Celebration
How Inclusive Textile Art Creates Spaces for Collective Learning & Body Celebration
In the world of sexual wellness and education, conversations about anatomy, pleasure, and care are often clinical, uncomfortable, or simply absent. For this project, I set out to explore how tactile, playful, and approachable design could support inclusive, real-world UX research in public spaces.
This pop-up event brought together my handcrafted crocheted vulvas, an educational flyer titled "Why Crochet Vulvas?", and informal qualitative research prompts to spark curiosity and conversations about bodies, pleasure, and the often-overlooked clitoris. The goal was to create a space for reflection, storytelling, and connection—all with user research at the center.
The idea emerged during my time at SexTech School and was further inspired by my engagement with Flossy, a platform dedicated to helping everyone find their unique pleasure through high-quality products, open conversations, and safe spaces for exploration.
Flossy's commitment to empowerment, intimacy, and integrity in the pleasure space aligned perfectly with my goals of creating accessible, shame-free environments for discussing bodies and pleasure.
I wanted to apply a collaborative research lens to a public-facing, interactive experience that could challenge stigma, center diverse voices, and build community through creative expression.
This was a self-initiated, community-centered exploration with three key components:
Crocheted Vulvas
Tactile, handmade representations designed to spark curiosity and normalize visual and physical engagement with vulval anatomy.
"Why Crochet Vulvas?"
An informational flyer that explained the purpose of the artwork—to invite conversation, promote pleasure literacy, and destigmatize vulvas in public and design spaces.
Pop-Up Conversations: I facilitated informal discussions using prompts about pleasure, anatomical knowledge, shame, and curiosity. The format was flexible, low-pressure, and rooted in consent.
Playful, tactile objects like crocheted vulvas lowered the barrier to entry in intimate conversations.
Visitors were eager to share personal stories, frustrations, and questions when given a safe, welcoming space.
Many participants expressed a lack of formal education around vulvas and clitoral anatomy—even among those working in wellness or healthcare.
This kind of embodied, object-centered research encouraged both emotional connection and knowledge sharing.
The installation successfully demonstrated how physical artifacts can act as powerful UX research tools.
It laid the groundwork for future workshops and pop-up activations around pleasure, anatomy, and design.
I’m using these learnings to shape my approach to UX research in taboo or stigmatized spaces, such as sexual wellness and intimate health.
Continue hosting pop-ups that use tactile art and community dialogue as research tools
Develop a scalable workshop or zine-based toolkit inspired by these activations
Present insights at sex tech events and educational forums
Keep blending art, research, and public engagement
💖 PS – The vulvas are available for adoption (and yes, that means you can buy one 😍).
Each is handmade, one-of-a-kind, and full of soft data. Want one for your own space, event, or workshop? Let’s talk. 💖