We had the good fortune of connecting with Jane Haworth and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jane, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
One of the most difficult decisions I have had to make recently concerning my business is to give up taking on custom work. I have had an Etsy shop since 2011 called Quilts from Clothes and it was the growth of orders I received from there that took my business into a full-time career. Previous to this sewing and quilt-making had been a hobby for me. Over the years I have made hundreds of T-shirt and memory quilts. One year around 2015/16 I made 90 T-shirt quilts which is almost 2 a week. I love taking on the challenge of making unique quilts and being the person that someone will trust to make such special project.
But as I got into traveling and teaching quilt making I had less time to take on these projects. Making a lot of big quilts is physically hard on the body and time consuming. Over the years I have been yearning to work on my own projects and create my own unique body of work. So finally I took most of my listings down from Etsy and really there are hundreds of online shops out there making T-shirt quilts. Etsy has changed a lot since I started. and most of my later quilts were for previous customers or referrals. I decided to stop just about the same time I was asked to write a book. So I am happy for the change of pace right now and the timing has all been perfect. Just one more memory quilt on the books right now!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a full-time art quilter, writer, teacher and textile artist. My business have changed over the years and as my name gets more known, more opportunities have opened up for me. This career was not planned it has developed.
It started as a hobby as I played with fabric and photos to make unique art quilts. At the same time I started earning money from my Etsy store making those T-shirt quilts and then I began teaching quilting in a local sewing store. After I spoke with my quilt guild I realized I could also travel and teach to other guilds and I would be paid to do this. So now my business combines traveling and teaching, putting together new classes and samples as well as a little bit of custom quilt work.
I have learned that I cannot spend all my time just sewing and quilting. Much of what is required of me is being organized and staying on top of my calendar and engagements. Finding time to develop new work can also be an issue. You promote and teach a class for a few years but you still want your work and style to evolve. Carving out the time for this is what I feel is difficult. As I said I am writing a book about my technique in quilting and it will include a number of new projects so this I feel is good for me.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Auburn, CA. It’s a small country town with a lot of history from the California Goldrush days. I feel very lucky to live here as we are located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains and have easy access to rivers, lakes, wineries, farms, breweries, and great restaurants. Auburn is known as the Endurance Capital of the World as is located next to the confluence of the North Fork and Middle Fork of the American River and hosts the Tevis Cup and Western States Trail Run.
For someone visiting me from out of town, the perfect couple of days would be to explore my small town. We would start with an early morning hike in the canyon at the confluence of the rivers. See some wildlife, wildflowers and sit peacefully by the river for a while. Then head back into town for lunch at Monkey Cat or The Station in Downtown Auburn and then get to shop at many of the unique, small businesses in the Downtown district. Grab a beer at one of the local breweries ( Auburn has at least four) like Knee Deep Brewery or Auburn Alehouse. Then perhaps if we have time explore one of the many museums and learn Goldrush history. The following day could be spent again hiking and exploring one of the neighboring towns like Grass Vally or Nevada City also excellent laid back towns with history, food and varied activities on offer.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The shoutout I would give for encouraging and mentoring me through the rise of my career in the quilt world would be my local quilt guild Foothill Quilters Guild in Auburn, CA. When I joined this group in 2005 I was a novice quilter. I had sewed all my life growing up in the UK but the quilting scene was totally alien to me. I had a lot to learn and through encouragement and opportunities to see other professional and amateur quilters at work my quilting developed and blossomed. I did my first teaching gigs to those ladies and also my first speaking engagement. They are still my best quilting friends.
Website: www.janehaworth.com
Instagram: janehquilter
Facebook: jane haworth
Image Credits
James Haworth