Journal

Studio Notes: Introducing Leilawalter.studio
Studio Notes: Introducing Leilawalter.studio
As always, the new year brings with it a new energy of clarity and a focus of direction. I am so grateful for all that this journey unfolds, teaches and... Read more...
Press Feature: House & Leisure, "Holiday," Holiday Home
Press Feature: House & Leisure, "Holiday," Holiday Home
Our Parachute silk and Colourfield cobalt artworks featured in House & Leisure's Holiday Home styled shoot at the iconic De Es, Camps Bay. Read more...
Press Feature: House & Leisure "Embrace," Textures of Culture
Press Feature: House & Leisure "Embrace," Textures of Culture
Leila Atelier featured in House & Leisure's Textures of Culture, a feature on artists and makers working with cloth. Read more...
Art Feature: 'Stratum: A triptych' at TWYG African Textile Talks 2025
Art Feature: 'Stratum: A triptych' at TWYG African Textile Talks 2025
It is an absolute honor to present 'Stratum: A triptych' as the backdrop to this years edition of the ever inspiring TWYG African Textile Talks. Here's a quick snap before they... Read more...
Press Feature: House & Leisure, "Harvest"
Press Feature: House & Leisure, "Harvest"
"Gates of the Sun" (2025) featured in the Rust & Sage edit of House & Leisure's Shop the Look, Harvest edition. Read more...
Art Feature: When Surfaces Speak at La Motte
Art Feature: When Surfaces Speak at La Motte
"Weave, stitch, mould, felt, sculpt - all methods to celebrate the textures of winter. When Surfaces Speak returns to the tangiblewithin a world that increasingly prioritises the digital and the... Read more...
Studio Notes: Crops
Studio Notes: Crops
A studio snap of Crops, and an opening into a whole new material world and way of working. Read more...
Art Feature : Terra Forma at LIM
Art Feature : Terra Forma at LIM
Bringing deep textural resonance to LIM's latest winter curation. Read more...
Art Feature: May Your Waters Find Stillness at LIM
Art Feature: May Your Waters Find Stillness at LIM
My latest work, "May Your Waters Find Stillness," looking so at home at LIM. Continual gratitude to this visionary store for their trust and the gorgeous presentation of my work. Read more...
Press Feature: Gamut Cushion, House & Leisure "Unwind"
Press Feature: Gamut Cushion, House & Leisure "Unwind"
Honoured to have our Gamut Cushion, handwoven with locally sourced, natural handspun mohair and cotton, featured in the latest issue of House & Leisure "Unwind", Summer 2025 edition of Shop... Read more...
Press Feature: House & Leisure x Float, "Unearth"
Press Feature: House & Leisure x Float, "Unearth"
The Nadi Throw was featured in House & Leisure's Shop the Look segment, Volume 13, in partnership with Float. Read more...
Studio Notes: Mason Shoot
Studio Notes: Mason Shoot
I'm incredibly grateful for the experience of creating our latest shoot in collaboration with two close friends whose creativity I admire and deeply respect. It was also just a lot... Read more...
Studio Notes: A New Name: Leila Atelier
Studio Notes: A New Name: Leila Atelier
Beginning the transition from Crosspolynations into a new, simplified foundation: Leila Atelier. Read more...
Studio Notes: A Note on Materials
Studio Notes: A Note on Materials
This is a conversation I find myself having often enough that I feel it's worth putting in writing here. When crafting anything, one's possibilities are limitless, but to create something,... Read more...
Studio Notes: Our First Open Studio Day
Studio Notes: Our First Open Studio Day
Weavers are known to be somewhat quiet, introverted types who dedicate long, patient hours in solitude to the craft. But the reality is that connection lies at the root of... Read more...
Introducing Our Newest Weaver: Zanele
Introducing Our Newest Weaver: Zanele
Now for what's probably the most exciting news to come out of this studio this year: my dearest studio assistant Zanele is now a weaver! Late July this year I... Read more...
A Bittersweet Studio Change
A Bittersweet Studio Change
For those who may know, I've been sharing the studio with my dear friend Kyle for the last 11 months. He's been the most wonderful companion and support, bringing calm,... Read more...
Decorex JRNL : Crafting Connection Through Cloth
Decorex JRNL : Crafting Connection Through Cloth
A huge thank you to Decorex for featuring Crosspolynations in the 2022 edition of JRNL, the digital directory featuring the latest trends, insights, contacts and ideas in the decor and... Read more...
Loom Number Two!
Loom Number Two!
At the end of 2021 I decided I wanted to be the kind of person who sets goals. I took a week off over the end of the year and... Read more...
WELCOME TO OUR NEW HOME | THE PALMS
WELCOME TO OUR NEW HOME | THE PALMS
Packing up and relocating is never an easy move to make, but when its time to do so, there’s simply nothing to do but to get down to it! Read more...
WOVEN STORY | Q&A FOR DESIGN INDABA EMERGING CREATIVES
WOVEN STORY | Q&A FOR DESIGN INDABA EMERGING CREATIVES
A woven story 2022 Design Indaba Emerging Creative Leila Walter used a life-changing experience in India as inspiration for her own weaving studio. Read more...
DECOREX 100% WEAVE
DECOREX 100% WEAVE
Under the new creative leadership of Bielle Bellingham, the Decorex & 100% Design Expo of 2022 featured a selection of curated exhibitions focusing on key design, material & process driven themes. ... Read more...
KAMERS JHB
KAMERS JHB
In June I packed up what felt like my entire studio (it was in fact directly equivalent to the full interior of a Honda jazz), strapped a display shelf to... Read more...
OBSCURA
OBSCURA
Ex Hotel and Crosspolynations present Obscura a free-standing folding screen, combining the traditional hand skills of joinery and weaving. Read more...
STRIATION BATCH II
STRIATION BATCH II
Introducing the limited edition second batch of 'Striation Rugs'.Woven by hand in our Cape Town studio using South African Cotton, Mohair & vintage wool. These rugs are both luxurious and... Read more...
CROSSPOLYNATIONS : From Cone to Cloth
CROSSPOLYNATIONS : From Cone to Cloth
What goes in to the making of a cloth? To describe in words alone would fall shallow,so we decided to capture the process in motion. Thoughtfully collected by Chantel Clark and... Read more...
Kamers/MAKERS 2021
Kamers/MAKERS 2021
In the last week of October I had the absolute honor to take part in Kamers/Makers Blaauwklippen and share what I’ve been working on all winter. I am absolutely overwhelmed... Read more...
THE ORDER OF FLOW
THE ORDER OF FLOW
A while back we came across Alan Watts’ 1968 Lecture ‘Stop Thinking About Life’ in which he describes the Chinese character ‘Li’ as a form of natural order, beautiful patterns... Read more...
THE JOIE COLLECTION
THE JOIE COLLECTION
I recently had the privilege of creating a collection of custom wall hangings for The Joie Collection, a new curated collection of locally produced beautiful home accessories. I am so grateful for... Read more...
THE DESHA YOGA & MEDITATION BLANKET
THE DESHA YOGA & MEDITATION BLANKET
Its been a long time in the making, and a project which we will always remember as the one which launched our little weaving dream into the realm of professional... Read more...
THE LEFT BANK
THE LEFT BANK
We Have Moved! And we are elated to share our new home.  At the end of February we made the big decision to take apart our loom, pack up all... Read more...
HOPEFUL BEGINNINGS
HOPEFUL BEGINNINGS
In 2018 I experienced a pretty life altering trip to India. When I returned home at the end of the year, I knew it was time to really dedicate myself... Read more...
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE FUTURE
TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE FUTURE
What is a ‘sustainable’ practice in the age of the Anthropocene?  While the ubiquity of the key phrase ‘sustainable’ in marketing points towards a positive societal ideology, the finality of... Read more...
A MEDITATION ON TIME
A MEDITATION ON TIME
I first came across the above artwork in my first year at art school. I remember distinctly the joy it seemed to bring our very fashionable young lecturers and how... Read more...
STROLLING FORWARD INTO 2021
STROLLING FORWARD INTO 2021
What a wild ride we’ve been on! With lockdown restrictions picking up again, the final stroke of midnight did not quite wash us magically clear of our crazy new reality.... Read more...
THE STRIATION RUGS
THE STRIATION RUGS
Striation is a concise collection of rugs woven by hand in our Cape Town studio. Woven using vintage and locally sourced wool, mohair and cotton, these rugs are both luxurious and hardwearing.... Read more...
twyg. feature
twyg. feature
A huge thanks to the ever inspiring people over at twyg. for featuring our humble, fledgling studio on their site!  Head on over here to read my interview discussing my practice, textiles,... Read more...
ONTO BIGGER THINGS
ONTO BIGGER THINGS
In July this year the universe conspired to nudge me firmly into my path as a full time weaver. Having spent a couple months first with a small homemade frame... Read more...
YARN: THE GOLDEN THREAD
YARN: THE GOLDEN THREAD
Yarn can be described as fibre manipulated in such a manner so that it may be used to fabricate more complex forms, through an extensive variety of means including twining,... Read more...
YARN: NEW OLD FINDS!
YARN: NEW OLD FINDS!
On my weaving journey I’ve reached that point where the local hobby shop doesn’t really fulfill my needs. A 50g ball of plied cotton isn’t quite cutting it and is... Read more...
HOME COMING – THE NEXT STEPS
HOME COMING – THE NEXT STEPS
This platform was started as a means to document my travels through India with textiles. That journey has come to an end, but the fire that it lit in my... Read more...
Crosspolynations : The Back Story
Crosspolynations : The Back Story
On the 10th of May 2018 I left behind the contained and comfortable life which I had been crafting for myself in my beloved hometown Cape Town, heading east. I... Read more...
Collaborating to Revision Waste: Volunteering at WomenWeave
Collaborating to Revision Waste: Volunteering at WomenWeave
At a Khadi Unit there is bound to be a lot of yarn wastage. With the hand spinning of natural natural fibres dyed with natural dyes by hand, it is an... Read more...