TurtleStitch

TurtleStitch is a tool and a community for creative programming. It is used worldwide to teach basic skills in coding, computational thinking and creative computing. As host, the Vienna University Children’s Office supports the continuous development and promotes innovative teaching methods in the global making scene.

With the graphical programming environment, simple examples can be programmed by the user, and complicated patterns can be viewed and modified by others. The completed programmes can be worked out on fabric using an embroidery machine. A special feature of TurtleStitch is the diversity of its target groups: from young to older users, gender-diverse and from all over the world. Although registration is mandatory, the project currently has around 13,000 registered users and more than 40,000 designs. A specialised registration tool makes it easier for teachers to register entire school classes and use the tool in class.

In 2017, the project was honoured with the Open Educational Resources Award for the German-speaking region (DACH). The founder of Turtle Stitch, Andrea Mayr-Stalder, has been working at the Vienna University Children’s Office since 2019 and has brought her successful development along with her. Since then, the Vienna University Children’s Office has supported Turtle Stitch, provided an organisational platform for its further development and, together with the Oseda association, acted as a hub for international networking.

Code&Craft ArtLab – Hybrid education project

It offers access to a physical location, a ‘Lab’ in the DOCK on Vienna’s Danube Canal, and combines this with the option of booking online learning formats, so-called ‘WebLabs’. The ‘Lab’ on the Danube Canal forms the centre of the activities and provides added value by offering the TurtleStitch development team a valuable basis for the further development of the software application through close contact with the user group.

For School Classes

Starting in May 2025, our project focus “CodeCraft: Digitale Zukunftsberufe hands-on“” will offer a range of activities designed especially for girls. TurtleStitch, as a fully online platform, makes it easy to get started with creative coding—even remotely. Our booking system will soon list WebLabs open to participants from all over Austria. Teachers at lower secondary level can take part in these sessions together with their students.

TurtleStitch at Kinderuni Wien

At Kinderuni Wien 2025, we’ll be offering two workshops for girls and running a hands-on booth where visitors can explore coding and machine embroidery with TurtleStitch.

For Educators and Multipliers

The CodeCraft ArtLab on the Donaukanal invites educators and student teachers to join free training sessions in TurtleStitch programming and digital embroidery techniques. New dates are coming soon.

For questions, contact artlab@kinderbuero-uniwien.at.
For updates, sign up for the Code&Craft ArtLab Newsletter.
Directions and the lab’s address are available at dock.at.

This project is funded by LEA – Let’s empower Austria, the Austrian Fund for the Empowerment and Advancement of Women and Girls.