Artisan Spotlight
Artisan Feature – Barbara Schär of Stitching Wonderland!
Jewelry Design and Photos by Barbara Schär / Stitching Wonderland
Barbara Schär is the maker behind StitchingWonderland, creating embroidered jewelry and art from her home in a small Swiss village near the mountains. She started out with felting, but over time embroidery took center stage—and now she blends the two in her own intuitive, handmade way. Her work is full of texture, natural fibers, old treasures, and a whole lot of heart.
We’re so grateful to Barbara for taking the time to share her creative journey with us. Keep reading to learn more about her!
Please tell us a little about yourself!
Barbara: I’m a self-taught embroidery artist and also a trained felt artist. Textiles have always been a part of my life. As a child, I started sewing my own clothes. I still remember how proud I was to wear my self-drafted fake fur coat in pink back in the ’80s.
I started as a felt artist, so my first attempts at embroidery were on felt. Slowly, embroidery became more and more important in my work. Today, felt is just the background of my embroidery.
I live in Switzerland, near the mountains in a village. I’m married and I have two daughters.
How long have you been creating your unique jewelry/art?
Barbara: I started my fiber art journey about 25 years ago. I have been making jewelry for about 15 years.
How do you approach the design process for your art/jewelry pieces? Do you have a specific creative routine or method?
Barbara: Most of my work comes straight out of my head. I rarely do sketches—that’s why I call my art intuitive. I often find color combinations in nature.
Can you describe your process for selecting and preserving materials for your art/jewelry?
Barbara: I only work with natural fibers such as wool, silk, and cotton—some of them plant-dyed. I also love to work with old treasures that have a history. I often receive gifts from older ladies who entrust me with their valuable textile treasures. That’s why I own a lot of old silk threads, handmade lace, and precious fabrics.
Good quality jewelry parts are hard to find and took me a lot of research and time to source.
Can you share any funny or memorable stories related to balancing work and home life?
Barbara: Balancing daily life with a family, a small part-time job, and my artistic work is often very challenging. However, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
In the early stages of your creative journey, what choices did you make to support yourself financially?
Barbara: To this day, I have never given up my part-time job. This gives me financial security during tougher times.
Can you tell us about your main venue for selling your creations and how you’ve navigated the challenges and successes associated with it?
Barbara: I sell most of my art at craft or design markets. Many people now know me and appreciate my work.
At the beginning, I always had to justify my prices. I had to explain that everything is handmade and takes hours to complete. I think, since so much is produced cheaply these days, people are starting to appreciate handmade goods more.
How many shows or venues do you typically attend in a year?
Barbara: Between 5–10 events.
Have face-to-face interactions at shows led to follow-up sales on platforms like Instagram or Etsy?
Barbara: I’m always present at my events and sell my art myself. I have a website, and I often receive requests via Instagram.
How do you stay creative and motivated during challenging times in your business?
Barbara: Motivation is never a problem because I love what I do and I never run out of ideas. Sometimes, when life is challenging, I take little breaks—like a walk through the forest—to find my way back to myself and to my creativity.
How does living a creative life contribute to your overall happiness?
Barbara: I couldn’t live without my creativity. I need to express myself. I have to work with my hands.
It just makes me happy to create beautiful things. Sometimes I’m almost moved to tears when people buy my jewelry and enjoy it so much. I receive a lot of admiration for reviving such an old craft. All of this touches my heart and gives me strength.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or share?
Barbara: There is magic and beauty everywhere—go and look for it. Sometimes you just have to dig deep enough.
You use Nunn Design Jewelry Findings in your work. How did you come to discover Nunn Design, and why do you trust your jewelry to our products?
Barbara: I think I discovered Nunn Design through another embroidery artist.
Your items are very good quality, beautifully designed, and definitely made with love.
Thank you, Barbara, for taking the time to inspire us!
We loved getting a glimpse into Barbara’s creative world and hope you found inspiration in her story. You can see more of her work at StitchingWonderland – and maybe even bring a little piece of her wonderland into your own.
Connect with Stitching Wonderland:
Visit her website: https://www.stitchingwonderland.ch/
Follow her on instagram: @stitchingwonderland
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