Tokpa Studio

Tokpa Studio Unique handcrafted designs

What a great day! Finished this one of a kind bag with plenty of time to go to Bar Choir Bar and Best Pizza in Darwin !...
14/06/2026

What a great day! Finished this one of a kind bag with plenty of time to go to Bar Choir Bar and Best Pizza in Darwin !

Love this exquisite woven Indian silk that combines paisley (kalka) motifs, geometric checkers, and small floral butis.

I chose to place part of the paisley pattern at the very top of the bag and then also use it for the matching handles.
This gives a coordinated look, particularly if you want to turn the bag inside out and have the lining on the outside.
Yes! This bag is reversible (most of my bags are actually!).

The lining is extraordinary too- a gorgeous highly sought-after vintage fabric (Mulhouse Vintage Rose) by the famous RJR Fabrics.

Another bag that I loved making (especially combining two totally different fabrics, and the feel of the silk) and it’s priced for a quick sale! 🤞

I hope this tote makes somebody’s shopping trips feel super special - unique pairing of outstanding fabrics, yet easy to roll up and pop in the car or trolley and use every day.

Do you know how to recognise silk?I’m 99% sure this gorgeous fabric is 100% silk.I’ve done all the tricks I can think of...
13/06/2026

Do you know how to recognise silk?

I’m 99% sure this gorgeous fabric is 100% silk.

I’ve done all the tricks I can think of and it passes ALL of the tests!

I know this fabric is an authentic Indian jacquard produced by an artisanal weaving house in Banaras.

It is thick and has a beautiful soft feel, so I suspect it is a Tanchoi Silk Brocade weave.
I’d LOVE any of my Indian followers to please share what they think.

I’m using it to make a bag and would hate to advertise it as 100% silk and be incorrect. What do you think?

(I’ve included a photo of the reverse side.)

What I know about silk-
🪡 feels smooth and soft, but not slippery like polyester.
🪡 has a distinctive warmth. When you hold it, it quickly takes on your body temperature.
🪡 may have a slight “grip” rather than feeling slick.
🪡 has a natural lustre that changes colour and intensity as the fabric moves in the light. (Synthetic fabrics often have a more uniform, shiny appearance).
🪡 usually wrinkles quite easily and will retain some creases when scrunched in your hand.
🪡 when you rub two layers together near your ear you will hear a distinctive soft rustling sound (called “scroop.”)
🪡 fibres may show slight irregularities under good light or with a magnifying glass, because they are natural fibres.
🪡 a drop of water absorbs quickly and the spot darkens (polyester tends to repel water, a droplet may sit on the surface).
🪡 burns slowly and often self-extinguishes when removed from the flame.
🪡 smells like burning hair or feathers.
🪡 the ash is black and crumbly and can be crushed between your fingers (polyester melts, smells chemical or sweet, and forms a hard plastic bead).

This weekend, along with a visit to the Garrmalang Festival (do check it out, especially DANDI ART !), I’ve been pulling...
13/06/2026

This weekend, along with a visit to the Garrmalang Festival (do check it out, especially DANDI ART !), I’ve been pulling some special fabrics out of my collection and reminding myself that they deserve to be used, not hidden away in cupboards!

I’ve started working with this vintage treasure: Mulhouse Vintage Rose (I think designed in the early 1990s).

I discovered that this traditional cotton quilt print fabric produced by RJR Fabrics, is now highly sought-after! 💃🏽

“The Mulhouse line evokes a French country or 1930s vintage aesthetic.”

I’ll share what it’s becoming soon …

Fruit salad, anyone? 🍊🍓🍍I enjoy combining simple designs with just the right colour, and this one was a pleasure to prin...
13/06/2026

Fruit salad, anyone? 🍊🍓🍍

I enjoy combining simple designs with just the right colour, and this one was a pleasure to print. I think it would make a cheerful addition to a chair, reading corner, or maybe a cafe!

Who agrees that life is too short to wear boring colours?!
12/06/2026

Who agrees that life is too short to wear boring colours?!

So far this dry season, my hand printed crocodile wet bags have been proving very popular! ⚠️🐊Now that our favourite swi...
11/06/2026

So far this dry season, my hand printed crocodile wet bags have been proving very popular!
⚠️🐊
Now that our favourite swimming holes have reopened and been deemed safe enough for a paddle these bags are perfect for keeping damp swimsuits, baby essentials, toiletries, or everyday bits and pieces contained when you’re on the go.

The large bags fit a bath towel.

Thank you to everyone who has supported my handmade creations this season. 😊💙🧡

“Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.”— Sydney G...
10/06/2026

“Art has the role in education of helping children become like themselves instead of more like everyone else.”
— Sydney Gurewitz Clemens

The long dry season school holiday break begins soon!adult.courses and are excited to be collaborating again to provide some small group children’s art classes in Darwin!
(Photo of a creative student from a previous class used with permission.)

A hand printed crocodile on the softest white cotton muslin! Features adjustable cross back straps. Extra cute! Size 1.
09/06/2026

A hand printed crocodile on the softest white cotton muslin!

Features adjustable cross back straps. Extra cute!

Size 1.

✨One of a kind✨Another fun short handled shopper!Handmade quilted tote made from a print of a famous Nobu Fujiyama paint...
08/06/2026

✨One of a kind✨
Another fun short handled shopper!

Handmade quilted tote made from a print of a famous Nobu Fujiyama painting.

I have quilted this bag with a light, soft, fluffy middle layer to add texture but remain easy to fold up small and keep in your car or even your suitcase.

Fully lined with coordinating satiny acetate fabric.

The webbing handles are strong, wide and comfortable to hold.

While researching fabrics I’ve enjoyed reading about the symbolism in Japanese culture of the ‘elegant’ Crane (longevity, good luck, and prosperity) and the ‘beautiful’ Peony (good fortune, happiness).

Hopefully the owner will enjoy good bargains and happy shopping expeditions! 😘

Today I’ve been working with a gorgeous Japanese quilting cotton by Kona Bay. (Almost finished!)A classical painting by ...
07/06/2026

Today I’ve been working with a gorgeous Japanese quilting cotton by Kona Bay. (Almost finished!)

A classical painting by Nobu Fujiyama has been adapted into this luxury fabric with subtle gold metallic accents.

Fan shapes, dragonflies, cranes, and other birds are featured in the print. I love it!

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Esplanade
Darwin, NT
0800

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