About Jenny
Jenny is a modern quilt designer and teacher known for her colourful, curvy machine pieced patterns.
Jenny Haynes (née Nilsson) studied Pattern Cutting and Tailoring in her native Stockholm. Soon after, she followed her passion for fabrics and moved to London to study Fashion and Textiles at the London College of Fashion. She went on to develop her own label ‘Papper, Sax, Sten’ (that’s ‘Paper, Scissors, Stone’ in case you’re wondering!), creating award-winning designs that reflect her many different influences. She is based out of Sheffield, now.
Her bespoke quilts and furnishings are recognised for their clean and simple, mid-century modern design. Jenny mixes rich colours with pastels and is not scared of a colour clash. She often uses her trademark curves together with solid fabrics, while remaining faithful to her Scandi’ roots.
Jenny’s work was recognised in Summer 2015 when Jenny was invited by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, along with 18 other Swedish designers, to be a part of Heal’s Swedish Summer Exhibition. Heal’s have a long history of promoting Swedish design with exhibitions in 1923, 1951 and 1971.
Her quilts and patterns appear regularly in books and magazines, including Thames & Hudson for the V&A and in Patchwork & Quilting: A Maker’s Guide, ‘Designed by teachers and practitioners at the leading edge of today’s craft revival.
Two of her quilts won awards at QuiltCon 2019 in Nashville. QuiltCon is arranged by the Modern Quilt Guild and is the biggest exhibition of modern quilts in the World.
When Jenny isn’t designing her curvy and quirky quilt patterns, she teaches at the V&A as well as giving talks and running workshops for Guilds and textile venues in the UK and abroad. She also offers live online workshops.
You can watch Jenny demonstrate how to sew no pin curves in this episode of The Makers Studio series.
Signature Technique
Colourful curvy quilt patterns
Top Tips
- Use a shorter stitch length (1.8) for stitching curves to give your block extra strength and to avoid splitting in the seam.
- When colours clash a bit it gives your quilt spark.
- When sewing curves, always start with the smallest curve then work your way up.
- Your finger is the pin when sewing no pin curves.
- Always finish all of your piecing before pressing your block. It’s easy to stretch your block out of shape if you press before you are done.
- Press your seams open for a flat, block print like finish.
- Use a tailor’s block to help you seams stay flat.
- Precise and variable quilting designs help to enhance the organic shapes in your quilt.
Videos
Patterns
Posts
War Horse Memorial Purple Poppy Appeal
We want to create Britain’s Biggest Knitted Purple Poppy to help us launch our 2019 Purple Poppy Appeal in support of animal and military charities – and we need your help…If you can’t knit but want to get involved then you can make poppies out of purple felt or fabric. All contributions welcome! We have reintroduced the purple poppy emblem to recognise and remember all animals – in war or in peace - that give service, support and companionship to people all over the UK and beyond. What we will do is sew them altogether to make a giant cloak and we plan to have a very special celebrity or two wear it for us ahead of our national day on August 23, 2019. There is a simple pattern which should make a good number of poppies from one ball of wool or yarn, Please send your poppies by Friday 19 July 2019 to The War Horse Memorial, 18, Ascot Towers, Windsor Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7LG.
Quilt Now Readers’ Makes Competition Winner – Issue 63
Quilt Now magazine love to see what their readers have been making. This months Star Make winner for ssue 63, was Anna. She created this stunning long-tailed tit design using the exclusive pattern included inside Quilt Now’s RSPB Garden Birds Blocks book with issue 61. Doesn't it look stunning on the grey cushion!
justhands-on.tv website launch featured in Craft Focus
Our new website launch is highlighted in Craft Focus magazine. We are excited as they talk about the improvements we have made to the site. For example we have a new filter section that makes it easier to find videos. We have many new tutors on the site and they are in the article as well. You'll also find a quote from our CEO, Steve Barton.