Diana Lee has always been a hobbyist. A “serial” hobbyist, as she puts it, as she has always loved making crafts and things with her hands. For all of 2021, she’s been doing something she’s never done before: Tufting. The art of rug making using a gun, wood frame, yarn, and cloth. She found the idea on Tik Tok and the artist in her was intrigued.

“It’s just so different, making a rug, something that’s tactile,” Diana said. “I just wanted to try it.”

Maedup’s yarn is imported from New Zealand through Tuft the World.

The first rug she made was for her brother, and then she got addicted. The side-project turned into a local business named Maedup (the name’s meaning is the Korean craft of knotting). The rugs she makes are lightly colored, abstract and each rug is a stand-out piece.

Diana’s business Maedup had their first pop-up at the August 27th May’s Night Market and to put it lightly, it was a hit. Market go-ers were asking about this business for days to come, our best customers purchasing an item or two.

Diana made this checkered-print runner rug that will be at the pop-up on November 6.

Diana, 25, even scored a collaboration with another vendor Shape Shift Clay, a small ceramics biz that makes pastel marble-inspired mugs. One of Maedup’s products is mug rugs, so it just made sense.

“She does these really cool marble mugs that are so unique, and I thought ‘maybe we can try some of that,’” Diana said. “We both spent quite a lot of time in Chicago, so that was a lot of the inspiration for it. The lake colors and the city colors.”

Diana says tufting is not always forgiving. It takes time and patience, and can sometimes be dangerous when she uses sharp carpet tacks. It is also 100% original work. Diana, an artist and graphic designer in her day job, draws the rug designs by hand first. Then she frames the piece, and then the tufting begins. The process takes up to two days per rug.

The yarn used to make the rugs are also 100% sustainable. It’s bought from Tuft the World made with sheep’s wool and natural dyes. It’s an expensive aspect to the craft, but she says it’s worth it when you know where the product is coming from. The colors are limited, which is a challenge she’s learned to work with.

The designs for her rugs are inspired by past paintings she’s done, architecture she’s seen in the cities she’s seen while studying abroad in Korea and Europe, and by her love of art history. She also welcomes commissions from folks on Instagram who are looking for a specific look.

“Doing graphic design, you make it, look at it, and think ‘that’s cool,’” Diana said. “But having something physical to make and share with someone is special.”

Shape Shift Clay and Maedup are having a pop-up together at the Luminary Arts Center in December. You can also check out her work at the Green Shag Antique Mall on Manchester Rd.

Maedup is also popping up at May’s Place on November 6th from 11-4. Come check out her work and shop our new vintage!

Story Written and Photos taken by Content Editor Hayley Abshear

Photo and Styling Assist by Bri Allen