How the Library Works
Subscribe. Pick a tier. Start borrowing. Here it is in 48 seconds.
Prefer a video file? Watch or download the MP4.
Step by Step.
- 1
Subscribe on Substack
Subscribing to Twist & Ply is free. Library memberships are purchased through Substack too.
- 2
Pick a Tier
Community is free. To borrow, buy a Supporter, Scholar, or Sustaining Scholar membership on Substack. Compare tiers below.
- 3
Find It
Search our online catalog. It’s free for everyone.
- 4
Request It
Request the title from the catalog. We’ll confirm and get it ready.
- 5
Borrow It
Pick it up at Studio 302, 2000 Edwards St, or we mail it anywhere in the U.S. Postage is on us, both ways.
Members Keep the Doors Open.
Membership pays for borrowing: pick a tier and borrow in person or by mail. Founding rates are a discounted price for early subscribers. Memberships fund the collection and keep it open.
Community
Free
Always free
No borrowing
Twist & Ply journal, library updates, and free catalog browsing.
Supporter
From $75/year
Founding rate
Borrow 2 books at a time, in person or by mail
Photo highlights from our rare-book deep dives.
Scholar
From $150/year
Founding rate
Borrow 5 books at a time, in person or by mail
Full video of every rare-book deep dive, plus early class enrollment.
Sustaining Scholar
From $250/year
Founding rate, locked for life
Everything in Scholar
First look and hold priority on new acquisitions, a quarterly advisory vote on a curator-vetted shortlist, and permanent name recognition.
Free to subscribe, paid to borrow. Subscribing to Twist & Ply on Substack is free. Library memberships are purchased through Substack too, as paid subscriptions. Subscribe free today and we'll email you the moment paid memberships open.
Memberships aren’t donations. They pay for borrowing privileges, so they generally aren’t tax-deductible. To make a tax-deductible gift, see Donate.
Cancelling. A borrowing membership can't be cancelled while any books, tools, or equipment are checked out. Once everything is returned, you can cancel anytime.
The rare-book deep-dive video series launches in 2027.
Three Ways to Borrow.
The rarer the book, the closer it stays to home.
Borrow It
Standard circulation. Borrow with your membership, in person or by mail.
Borrow It With a Deposit
Rarer or more valuable titles. A refundable deposit secures the loan.
Read It Here
Too rare to leave the building. Study it on site, under staff supervision. Rare books are never mailed.
Every title’s lending category is shown in the catalog. Deposit amounts will be posted when the library opens.
Read the explainer as text
What is Substack? One home for our journal and your membership. Substack is a subscription publishing platform. It delivers Twist & Ply, our free journal, with four sections: Founder’s Notebook, Collection Notes, Threads & Techniques, and Studio Diary. It also runs library memberships.
Become a member. Subscribe. Pick a tier. Start borrowing. Community is free: journal, updates, and catalog browsing. Supporter is from $75 a year and borrows 2 books at a time, in person or by mail. Scholar is from $150 a year and borrows 5 at a time. Sustaining Scholar is from $250 a year: everything in Scholar, plus a voice in what we buy next. These are founding rates, a discounted price for early subscribers.
What’s on the shelves. 2,500+ books, patterns, and tools in 16 categories, from embroidery, knitting, and crochet to weaving, lace, quilts and appliqué, sewing and tailoring, textiles, fibers, knots and braids, lettering and calligraphy, books, boxes and paper, art and design, inspiration, other crafts, and the reading collection.
Checking out a book. Find it. Request it. Borrow it. Search free at library.fiberartshouston.org. Pick up at Studio 302 in Sawyer Yards, or we mail it to your door. Postage is on us, both ways.
Three ways to borrow. The rarer the book, the closer it stays to home. Standard titles circulate with your membership, in person or by mail. Rarer titles are lent with a refundable deposit. The rarest are read here, in the library only.
Passing on the knowledge. “Carrying forward that which our hands once knew by heart.” Every membership keeps techniques moving from one maker to the next. The library opens to members in October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Do I need to live in Houston to borrow?
No. Members can borrow in person at Studio 302 or by mail anywhere in the United States, with postage paid both ways. Rare, in-library-only titles are the exception: they are never mailed and can be studied on site.
How many books can I borrow at once?
Supporter members borrow 2 books at a time. Scholar and Sustaining Scholar members borrow 5. Community (free) members can browse the catalog but don't borrow.
Can I cancel my membership?
Yes, once everything is returned. A borrowing membership can't be cancelled while any books, tools, or equipment are checked out.
What is Substack, and why do you use it?
Substack is a subscription publishing platform. Subscribing to Twist & Ply, our journal, is free, and library memberships are purchased there as paid subscriptions.
Why do some books need a deposit?
Rarer or more valuable titles are lent with a refundable deposit that secures the loan. The rarer the book, the closer it stays to home.
Have Books to Share?
The collection grows through Pass the Thread, our donation program.
Donate Books & Tools →