About Judy Ross

Judy Ross is a New York based designer and artist. Traveling in India to work as an independent textile designer, she developed a passion for the centuries-old hand embroidery technique known as chain stitch, used by men in the Kashmir region to embellish shawls with traditional paisley and floral patterns. She lived on a houseboat on Upper Dal Lake while collaborating with the master embroiderers to develop a line of impeccably stitched contemporary wool scarves.

The scarves introduced a clean new style to the local tradition – pared down and colorful with a modern sensibility. Two decades later she still works with the same artisans and has established a trusting and loving relationship with them. These artisans continue to bring her hand-rendered sketches to life as smooth, dense, fully embroidered fields of perfect stitches.

From embroidered scarves, her product line has expanded to home textiles: pillows, rugs, fabric by the yard, curtains, bedcovers, and wall hangings.  Judy Ross Textiles also produces furniture pieces such as stools, cubes and screens. 

Judy Ross Textiles’ collection of hand-knotted Tibetan wool rugs interprets her trademark clean, graphic aesthetic at a larger scale. Her products are sold worldwide at high-end stores.

Three examples of her chain stitch designs are in the 20th-century textile collection of the Art Institute of Chicago: a wool shawl, a Boxstep linen panel, and a Procession runner. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto’s iconic Stool 60, Judy collaborated with Artek to produce a limited edition line of stools that feature her signature chain stitch fabric designs.

Judy Ross Textiles produces two collections each year and collaborates with interior designers, and architects on custom projects.  Her bespoke work can be seen in luxury hotels, buzzworthy restaurants, and home around the globe.  Clients include Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, W Hotels, Wyndham Worldwide, and Barneys New York. 

We offer presentations, design consultancy, and collaboration on all types of textile projects.  

Keith Recker conducted a charming interview with Judy Ross for Hand/Eye magazine. Click here to read the article.
Click here to view a video of Judy Ross painting her collection. Click here to learn about our artisans and the chainstitch process.