Jessie Chorley

A Life in Stitch, Paper and Ink

" My name is Jessie Chorley. I grew up high in the hills of North Wales, close to the foot of Mount Snowdon. My childhood home was a traditional Welsh miner’s slate cottage, nestled at the bottom of a valley. I was home-schooled with my elder brother by our mother, the well-known textile artist Primmy Chorley. Art and embroidery were at the heart of our education, with a special focus on traditional crafting techniques.

It all began with my very first stitches. My mum would take her big wooden case down from the shelf, hidden out of reach from little fingers, and let me choose my own cloth and threads. I started playing with fabric before I could walk or talk, and was soon introduced to more materials, tools and techniques – so began my adventures with stitches, paper and ink, all under my mum’s expert guidance. My remote countryside upbringing, through art and crafts, formed the germ of the life that I now live as a London-based artist and travelling stitcher.

Today, I consider myself a Londoner. I moved from Wales to London in summer 2002, just before starting a BA in Fine Art Textile Practice at Goldsmiths College, University of the Arts London. While studying, I chose to dedicate my life to making beautiful things by hand and, shortly after graduating from university in 2005, I established my business, committing in earnest to being a full-time artist, designer and maker. Over time, I have also become an author, tutor and owner of a beloved independent shop."

We're proud to host Jessie at Loop as a teacher of embroidery and stitching. We also stock her books and some of her wonderful brooches.