Meet Jess, a freelance designer with some fantastic quilting designs! 🌼
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a married Mum of two teen boys and we live in Bath. My husband and I met in London and moved here over 20 years ago. We were living in London and wanted to move out to settle down. My husband was working in Bristol during the week and my late Mum suggested we look at Bath. She told him if he took me to see the quilts at the American Museum here in Bath and “let her think” then I’d move. He did, she was right!
When and why did you start crafting?
My Mum was an amazing crafts/needlewoman – she could (and did) make everything and taught me to sew from an early age. I made my first tiny quilt for my doll, Ma Beans, when I was 8. She gave me my love of fabric and colour and we used to draw and sketch constantly. One of my favourite birthday presents was a massive box (I think it had had a washing machine in it) filled with cardboard tubes, paper, ribbon etc. The best ever present.
Would you say you have a signature design or aesthetic? Can you tell us more?
I’d say classically clean and modern, colourful, and illustrative with humour. At least I hope so. I love creating quilts, cushions, and home wares. Using modern fabrics in a traditional setting, I guess.
You’ve designed projects for some of our favourite fabric brands and magazines, what does your creative process look like?
When I’m a given a magazine brief it’s usually to work with a fabric collection, to show off the prints to a theme. So, I work within the parameters set (word count and picture number). Plus, the steps need to be easy to follow. I’ve created magazine work for almost ten years now, so can now work out in my head the stages and shots needed for a variety of projects from the start. I’ve been lucky to work with some fabulous fabrics from different fabric companies. One of my favourite projects was my Tomten’s Christmas quilt I created for Lewis & Irene. They wanted to show off the fabric, which included a border print and panel with 21 5in illustrative squares. I was thinking about pieced stars to show off the panel illustrations and noticed that one of the 21 5in squares had a white background. None of the others did, so that made sense to be the star at the top of a tree, with the tree made of stars floating in the night sky to match the fabric. With magazine work I create the text in Word and email it over along with the shots I’ve taken. But for my own patterns I create them and the illustrations in InDesign. Another part of pattern writing I love. You have the Tomten’s Christmas quilt pattern I created on your website as a free download.
Are there any fabrics or designers that you’re loving at the moment?
Lewis & Irene, Ruby Star Society, Dashwood Studio, Heather Ross, Tula Pink, Sally Kelly, Jill Howarth (delighted you’ve bought in her new range), Art Gallery Fabrics, Rifle Paper and Liberty are my favourites. I also love solids – Kona, Bella Solids and Dashwood Pop. I love AGF solids for raw edge applique, they have the same non-fray quality as Liberty lawn, brilliant!
Which of your designs or projects are you most proud of?
I’ve made so many projects for others, so I’ll just talk about my own name ones. Holly Berry quilt because I love the design and it’s my first quilt pattern under my own name. Apple as it’s so so moreish. I’ve made so many now I’ve lost count. Retro Baubles as I love raw edge applique and vintage Christmas decorations, and it’s a pattern using my own illustrations. I have a large stack of projects and quilts coming up and really love my next release coming up very soon.
Does your home reflect your crafting passion?
Oh yes. “Do we really need another cushion/quilt/random decorative object that you’ve made?”. Why yes, we do boys (kids and husband), yes, we do.
Three things you would love to learn/master/execute …
Adobe Illustrator, FPP, budgeting (ooh that new fabric I’ve never seen before looks nice…)
Do you have any tips for readers developing a crafting passion?
Just do it. Whatever it is. I have a passion for fabric and all manner of crafty things. They bring joy. Give it a go. Everyone starts somewhere and the more you do, the better you get. And there is nothing wrong with buying fabric and hoarding it. We all do! It’s better for you than cake and it lasts much longer.
Do you have anything that you’re working on right now? Can we have a sneak peak…?
Yes, when the kids go back to school! It’s a tiny thing, but also very moreish.
And finally, what’s your number one crafting tip?
Don’t cut fabric when you’re tired, especially using a rotary cutter. Also, you can never have too many seam rippers. I have loads!