Jenni Smith's new book Quilting with Liberty Fabrics is the first quilting book to be officially endorsed by Liberty. Jenni had been granted rare access to the Liberty design studio and historic archives, and celebrates the iconic designs that have made Liberty London one of the world's most iconic fabric manufacturers. Jenni is a quilt teacher, dressmaker, and pattern designer based in Yorkshire, UK.
We caught up with Jenni to find out a bit more about her new book, her inspiration, and her work with Liberty!
How are you Jenni? How are you coping?
Sewing and quilting has definitely helped me stay sane in the past year, even if it is only for a very short time each day and I have gained great satisfaction from finishing off many unfinished projects. I have three children at home, so it has been hard to work on my business, but creative ideas still appear in my head on walks and in amongst the chaos of daily life, so I am filling up my notebooks for when normal life resumes!
For those that don’t know you, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am in my early 40s and live on the edge of Ilkley Moor. The locals call me Sewing Jenni! I guess I am quite eclectic on the sewing front and make the majority of my own clothes as well as quilts. I am self-taught and previously worked in TV production but have always been crafty. Having children inspired me to make more and my hobby developed into teaching friends and then setting up my own studio. Liberty fabrics have been a passion since the age of eight when I used to visit a local mill shop close to my home. It took many years of persistence to find the right opportunity to work with them and it is truly a dream come true.
Your new book Quilting with Liberty Fabrics looks stunning. This is the first quilting book to be endorsed by Liberty, how did that come about?
It’s a long story but essentially, I managed to get some export funding to visit Quilt Market in America a few years back to present my dressmaking patterns to potential buyers and do some research. I also displayed my work and gave demonstrations for Aurifil Thread, who I work with as a designer. On the last day I was introduced to a member of the Liberty team just as they were starting to market their new range of Quilting Cottons. From there I designed some projects and met members of the design team and legal team, etc. and then I had the idea for the book. I studied Art History at University, so the book is more than just patterns and celebrates the incredible heritage of Liberty and it was the idea which really sold it to Liberty and my publisher, Lucky Spool. Then several years of work followed to get to the finished article!
What was it like working with Liberty?
The design team at Liberty were an incredible help and allowed me access to the archive. Together with my studio manager Kay Walsh I created all of the unique quilt designs, but they gave feedback on them and really helped with fabric choices. Liberty also allowed us access to the store for the photography which was such a fantastic experience. The team travelled all the way from California to photograph the quilts and capture the spirit of Liberty and its home, London.
Can you tell us a little about the book?
There are 15 quilts to celebrate the 145-year history of Liberty - one project for each decade. I investigated what makes a Liberty print so unique and why it has such a special place in people’s hearts. There are personal stories in there too and a beautiful swatch library. It includes Tana Lawn fabrics and quilting cottons and many skills including English Paper Piecing, traditional piecing, appliqué, foundation paper piecing and more. It is a hardback book with a slipcase too so looks pretty special and I hope it will get people who haven’t considered quilting before excited to give it a try.
What’s your favourite piece from the book and why?
The Love & Kisses quilt was made by over 60 people worldwide, including many of my friends so that will always have a special place in my heart because essentially the pleasure I get from quilting is very much about the community of people I have met through this incredible craft. The quilt also has a real eclectic mix of fabrics and I love that Liberty works in myriad combinations. There are quite a few I would like to make again in different fabrics, but I am even more excited to see how other makers put their spin on my designs. I think that is when the magic will really start to happen!
What are you working on at the moment?
I am doing a fashion collaboration with the British clothing label O Pioneers, lots of virtual workshops and lectures and hosting The Big Janome Skillshare, a national competition to create more quilters in the world.
Do you have any exciting plans for 2021?
The book is making its way into shops worldwide and once it is safe to travel, I am hoping to teach the projects outside of the UK. The big dream is to visit Japan, study their textiles and go fabric shopping. There are a few more big projects in the pipeline, but they are top secret for now!
Quilting with Liberty Fabrics is available from Search Press, RRP £29.99.
Learn to quilt online with Jenni at www.justonequilt.com.
Follow Jenni on social media:
Website: www.jenni-smith.co.uk
Instagram: @jennismithsews
Youtube: Jenni Smith Sews
Facebook: Jenni Smith Sews
