Jenny Haynes is a talented quilter and teacher who is the guest instructor on our Stitching in Sweden workshop. Read on to learn about Jenny’s quilting journey, her love of teaching, and what she loved about traveling to Sweden to film this workshop.
Paper, Scissors, Stone. I wanted to give a hint to my Swedish background. My favourite word is Kardemumma (cardamom) but it was taken already. Papper, Sax, Sten had a rhythm I liked and included different textures and shapes.
I was born 1971, in a small place between Upsala and Stockholm. My mum was a crafter (she still is, but not as prolific) and the house I grew up in was full of hand-made rag rugs, painted bark baskets and half-knitted jumpers (sorry mum but it’s true). I was the youngest of three with a five and seven year gap between me and my older siblings. I was lucky to be bored a lot so my imagination is WILD! I was always a frustrated artist, until I started sewing curves and making up curvy and colourful quilt designs.
I started off as a garment maker and pattern cutter but fell out of love with the fashion industry. After a pause from making I came back to sewing from a different direction. I will always be thankful to the people in the fashion industry who were so reluctant to pay newbies for the work they did. The quilting community is so lovely and I’m very happy to be part of it.
Modern I’d say but many of my techniques come from traditional tailoring techniques. I learnt so much from my teachers at Stockholm’s Tillskärar Akademi, hand-sewn buttonholes, basting, pressing techniques, fabric manipulation and much more.
I thought so but the trip to Sweden for this adventure workshop made me realise how much the different Swedish crafts are the foundation of my designs. Thanks mum! The colours, the curves and pattern repeats we saw in Dalarna made me feel very at home.
Everything. As I work from my studio, which can be lonely, I really appreciate meeting up with other quilters on line and in person. I also love problem solving and incorporating the things I learn whilst figuring things out into my classes.
Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, France, Switzerland. This year I’m going to the US for the first time Empty Spools Seminars, CA, in April/May and MISA, Bar Harbor in September). I’d love to go to Canada, Japan and NZ too.
So many!! Working with this amazing, professional and welcoming team was a joy. Seeing the costumes and Kurbits paintings at Dalarnas Museum made me feel very much at home. Mum made me wear an embroidered hat, very similar to those on display in the museum, when I was a child. I want to live in Anders and Emma Zorn’s house ’when I grow up’ and have pillows and tapestry made for me by Karin Larsson.
Thank you Quiltfolk and team for this opportunity. I very much enjoyed designing the Kurbits Quilt and I’m excited to see what people make with their versions.
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Learn more about Jenny Haynes and her work on her website: https://pappersaxsten.com/
And follow her on Instagram: @pappersaxsten
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