Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Yates.
Hi Jenny, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been sewing for almost 27 years- I started taking lessons when I was 5 years old! My first teacher was a competitive quilter and also a pattern drafter. I drafted my first complete outfit at the age of 8! Later, in high school, I had a teacher who grew up in her mother’s union dressmaker’s shop, and I learned most of my alterations and draping skills. I attended the University of Florida and the School of Theatre and Dance, but instead of pursuing costuming, my specialty was props! After graduating, I spent a couple of years working at UF in office jobs until September 2016, when I was severely injured in a car accident. After a failed surgery, I suffered a laceration to my ulnar nerve and was left with a permanent neurological condition called CRPS. It is excruciating and affects the use of my left hand and arm. This condition disables me, and there is no cure. In 2017 I was given a challenge as part of my physical therapy to complete one sewing project by the end of the summer, learning how to work around my disability. I reconnected with a friend who also sews, and she introduced me to the world of bag making – and it was all uphill from there! I started teaching sewing in Gainesville in 2018. I love passing on my knowledge and bringing more people into the sewing world- through garment making, bags, quilting, upcycling, alterations, and repair. I moved to the Jacksonville area in January 2021; I have been teaching group classes at Cinnamon’s Quilt Shoppe in Mandarin and private lessons. In the past year, I have also rediscovered my passion for art quilting and fiber art, which is what I will be pursuing next! One thing I genuinely love about sewing is the never-ending pursuit of both art and skill.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggle for me was being diagnosed with CRPS and becoming disabled. I am still, 6 years after the accident, learning how to survive it. But I went from not knowing if I would ever sew again to sewing professionally and teaching others! It is still challenging for me – because of my condition. I cannot sew every day or even for more than a couple of hours at a time. I have to schedule teaching around my medical appointments and treatments. I am not able, at least for now, to do this enough to support myself fully. I’m still figuring things out, but so far, I think I’ve been steadily improving, even if sometimes it feels like one step forward and two back. November is CRPS awareness month. CRPS is an invisible disease that can cause varying levels of disability and has no cure. It is rated as the most painful chronic condition a person can have. There can be several factors to developing it, but in my case, it was a result of severe trauma to a nerve.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I sew things – and I teach other people how to sew things! My classes cover basic machine sewing skills, garment sewing, bag and accessory sewing, upcycling, and clothing repair and alterations. I teach both adults and kids. I guess I’m mostly known for knowing a lot about sewing! I’ve been absorbing as many skills and techniques as possible for the past 27 years, and I never plan to stop.
I love to make bags – you can see my winning entries at the Jacksonville Fair last year in one of the photos. In my Etsy shop, I specialize in making handbags, wallets, and other accessories. I also make upcycled items – for example, I have a line coming soon of small bags made from thrifted Hawaiian Aloha shirts. I’m passionate about reusing materials and repairing or upcycling garments instead of replacing them.
Today, I am most proud of the recent art quilt you see in the photo. It is titled “the author/1849” and is a portrait of Edgar Allan Poe. His face is made of over 100 pieces of fabric, and his clothing is three-dimensional and was made using the same techniques I would use for wearable garments. It is stitched in cursive using selections from four of Poe’s poetic works. I think he’s also a great way to show what sets me apart from others. I like to use many different sewing techniques in unexpected ways. I also want to challenge myself with artistic pieces- for example. I only used 4 Poe-inspired fabric prints by one designer for the portrait. As an artist, I take what I feel, what is special to me, what I want to say – and I turn it into something made of fabric. My tool is the sewing machine, my craft is the skill I have learned over the years, and my art is what you see.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I love to learn from just about anyone and any resource! The most fantastic place for me has been the maker community on Instagram. Everyone is welcoming and open to sharing their ideas, inspirations, and techniques. My favorite account to follow and website/blog is “We All Sew” from Bernina, USA. They have incredible tutorials and feature guest stars from all sewing genres. There’s something for every level of sewist, and I always learn something new. I get great ideas on things to add to my classes as well.
Pricing:
- Group classes @ Cinnamon’s Quilt Shoppe $25-50
- Private lessons start at $75/2hr
- Commission/custom/bespoke sewing available
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Etsy.com/shop/typewritermice
- Instagram: @typewritermice
