Hi Guys - Today I'm thrilled to share with you the work of textile designer, Jayne Emerson. She creates mesmerizingly beautiful multi-media textiles using found fabrics and her favorite tool - the sewing machine. Learn about her journey, and the many fabulous fashion houses that have purchased her designs.So inspiring! I know you'll love hearing Jayne's story!

Hi Jayne! Please tell us a little bit about your background as an artist and how you got to where you are now.

I was introduced to the sewing machine as a creative tool by a wonderful textile teacher at school. It has been at the centre of my work ever since. I studied fashion initially and then multi-media textiles at the degree level. It was only when I won an international fabric award at college that I realized I could actually sell my embroidery ideas and they didn’t have to be printed, knitted or woven. I continued to study embroidered textiles at Central Saint Martins, earning a Masters degree in Fashion-Print... and there was no print in my final show!

How would you describe your work?

I love to explore the possibilities of traditional techniques such as patchwork, applique and machine embroidery. There is always an air of vintage about my work even when I am trying my hardest to make my work clean and modern! I use a lot of vintage fabrics in my work but also have a love of Scandinavian simplicity, sometimes I joke that my work is Victorian/Scandi!

It has always been hugely important to me that most of the fabrics I use are recycled. I run the studio on green electricity and rarely throw anything away.

Can you tell us a bit about your design process and how you come up with your ‘fabric recipes’?

My work is often informed by the fabrics that I find at car boot sales, fairs and charity shops. I love to simplify techniques and combine processes. My ‘fabric recipes’ are very often comprised of unexpected fabric combinations with a good sprinkling of water soluble fabrics and adhesives. More often than not they look a lot more complicated than they actually are!

A typical ‘recipe’ would involve tearing a vintage chiffon into unrecognizable strips, embellishing it, spacing the pieces onto crisp cotton or loosely weaving them into a modern tweed. I like breaking the rules, trying out new ideas, I constantly have happy accidents! I work really intuitively and rarely follow my notes for long. I am also really messy and love it when fabrics fall onto the floor in inspirational combinations!

And you’ve sold your samples to some amazing clients! Can you tell us a bit about what that experience has been like?

At my Masters degree show a top agent came looking for freelance print designers. They initially refused to look at my work because it wasn’t print. However I managed to persuade them and to take a look and they took me on as one of their designers. Quickly, I sold my work to Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren. I loved the fact that I could continue experimenting with multi-media fabric design and sell it to such high-profile fashion houses.

My work is used as ‘seeds of ideas’, for colour/texture inspiration or transposed into print. I worked for that agent for nearly twenty years and sold many more designs to clients that included Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. A couple of years ago my agent stopped employing freelancers and I found a new agent, this time one that specializes in weave. They have the most amazing yarn archive which I often use in my work. I find it incredibly exciting to produce ‘embroidered weaves’ that continue to mix up a whole wardrobe of sewing based techniques.

What are some challenges you’ve faced so far in your career?

I absolutely love my job and living in the countryside. I think I have always made life and work decisions that are true to myself. I find it quite difficult to be business like about my creativity; I am sure if I just marketed one idea I could build an empire (well maybe) but I have a hundred ideas a day and try to fulfill them all!

What advice can you give others who are just starting out and hoping to follow a similar path?

Do what you love and are passionate about. Keep learning, go to workshops led by experienced designers and take online courses if you can. Seek inspiration everywhere. Stay on top of trends, exhibitions and the news in general. Take pictures and gather things around you that you love. Find your strengths (these are often the things you find easiest) and make them central to what you do!

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What are your plans for the future? Any fun projects we can look forward to hearing about?

I am really excited about an upcoming project with R and A Collaborations. They are a film making duo who have made short films about many textile artists including Lou Gardiner and Marna Lunt. I'm excited to offer a visual insight into my work process and studio.

I also have a new book coming out in May called Boho Felt Crafts that I've co-authored with Rachel Henderson. I will be publicizing the book and running craft workshops at Kirstie Allsopp's annual Handmade Fair.

Can you tell us a few fun things about you that we wouldn’t already know?

While at The Knitting and Stitching Show I agreed to participate in game show called “Ready Steady Stitch” as a way to publicize one of my craft books . It was very funny. There was a huge poster of me on stage and when everyone voted half the audience held up a picture of my face!At the same show I found myself having breakfast with Kaffe Fassett and his team. They invited me over to America. I so should have followed that up!

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Want to see more of Jayne's work?

You can find her on Instagram and Facebook. You can also connect with her via her website.

As well as creating fabric designs, Jayne also runs workshops from her studio in Gloucestershire and is the author of six craft books.

Embroidered textile design with Jayne Emerson