Chloe Jo McGinty’s love for embroidery was born after her mother picked up a hoop in a charity shop for her.
“I got some scraps of material and someone who used to do embroidery gave me threads; so I just started from there,” says Chloe Jo, explaining that she taught herself the basic stitches by watching YouTube tutorials.
And what began as a hobby has now become a business for Chloe Jo, who was brought up on a smallholding in Ballina, Co Mayo and studied fine art in Sligo after school.
Chloe Jo McGinty's designs are inspired by nature.
Originally she started her business in 2018 by doing one-off commissions, including her unique “wedding bouquet” embroideries, which people are choosing as an alternative to “drying” their bridal blooms.
After sharing her creations on Instagram, however, people started to get in touch about wanting to learn the craft, which is why she developed the “Modern Makers Club”: a subscription service where members sign up to receive a kit each month complete with full colour instructions, and all the materials to create a new stitching project, most of which are inspired by nature. A three month subscription costs €84, with free postage within Ireland.
Chloe Jo's commissions include embroideries of wedding bouquets.
“Every month you get a brand new pattern and different stitches, so this month was doing ‘thread painting’ so it was quite a detailed one,” explains Chloe Jo. “Other ones could be a simple sort of line-stitch, and other times it could be focusing on a satin stitch to perfect it.”
One-off patterns and kits are also available to purchase, while other products include washable embroidery transfers for upcycling clothes, as well as the latest craze, punch needle kits. Most of her sales come from her online shop, as well as Etsy, and she believes that it’s the perfect craft to pick up in these strange COVID-19 times we find ourselves in.
“It would really encourage you to sit down, breathe and just relax and it’s a great way to switch off from the outside world and just create something. So it’s a great time to pick up a needle,” says Chloe Jo.
“It’s a great hobby as well because you can stop it, start it whenever; and it’s waiting there for you.”
For further information, visit www.chloejodesigns.com
Alice Brady went to the Royal School of Needlework in London to complete a three year degree in hand embroidery.
Dubliner Alice Brady first fell in love with embroidery in transition year.
“I really liked the precision of it I suppose and the way you can get different textures that you can’t get with painting or drawing,” she says.
So much so, that after completing a course in textiles in Ballyfermot College of Further Education, she went to the Royal School of Needlework in London to complete a three year degree in hand embroidery.
“You’re taught the traditional way to do things, but then you’re taught to explore them,” says Alice, who had the opportunity to work on some exciting projects during her course, including a piece for the launch of Game of Thrones that toured the UK.
After graduating in 2017 and returning to Ireland, Alice started her business, Be Alice. Like Chloe Jo, one-off commissions are a big part of what she does, and have ranged from wedding gifts to pet portraits.
Alice Brady's mermaid embroidery kit is her bestseller.
She also sells her own designs as kits- her best-seller is a mermaid pattern €30- and pre-COVID was teaching regular workshops at The Lab in Foley St in Dublin, which covered everything from the basics for beginners to more specialised stitches and techniques, such as ribbon embroidery and gold work (i.e. working with gold metal threads and wires).
She is hoping to start workshops again in the future once restrictions and safe social distancing allows, but in the meantime, is offering a subscription service for online tutorials, with packages ranging from €2 to €12.50 per month.
She believes a lot of younger people have been influenced by social media sites like Instagram and TikTok to try their hand at embroidery, and that it is a useful skill to have in many ways.
“It’s a great thing for personalising clothes that you buy. You don’t have to learn how to be a dress maker, but you can just add your own little touches to things,” she gives as one example.
“As well, it can be quite a small thing. You don’t have to be using a big sewing machine or carrying around a ball of wool. It’s quite easy to bring with you if you’re going places.”
For further information, visit www.bealice.ie
Read more
Learning to cycle at 37, starting to paint and finishing a family heirloom
The quilting queen
Chloe Jo McGinty’s love for embroidery was born after her mother picked up a hoop in a charity shop for her.
“I got some scraps of material and someone who used to do embroidery gave me threads; so I just started from there,” says Chloe Jo, explaining that she taught herself the basic stitches by watching YouTube tutorials.
And what began as a hobby has now become a business for Chloe Jo, who was brought up on a smallholding in Ballina, Co Mayo and studied fine art in Sligo after school.
Chloe Jo McGinty's designs are inspired by nature.
Originally she started her business in 2018 by doing one-off commissions, including her unique “wedding bouquet” embroideries, which people are choosing as an alternative to “drying” their bridal blooms.
After sharing her creations on Instagram, however, people started to get in touch about wanting to learn the craft, which is why she developed the “Modern Makers Club”: a subscription service where members sign up to receive a kit each month complete with full colour instructions, and all the materials to create a new stitching project, most of which are inspired by nature. A three month subscription costs €84, with free postage within Ireland.
Chloe Jo's commissions include embroideries of wedding bouquets.
“Every month you get a brand new pattern and different stitches, so this month was doing ‘thread painting’ so it was quite a detailed one,” explains Chloe Jo. “Other ones could be a simple sort of line-stitch, and other times it could be focusing on a satin stitch to perfect it.”
One-off patterns and kits are also available to purchase, while other products include washable embroidery transfers for upcycling clothes, as well as the latest craze, punch needle kits. Most of her sales come from her online shop, as well as Etsy, and she believes that it’s the perfect craft to pick up in these strange COVID-19 times we find ourselves in.
“It would really encourage you to sit down, breathe and just relax and it’s a great way to switch off from the outside world and just create something. So it’s a great time to pick up a needle,” says Chloe Jo.
“It’s a great hobby as well because you can stop it, start it whenever; and it’s waiting there for you.”
For further information, visit www.chloejodesigns.com
Alice Brady went to the Royal School of Needlework in London to complete a three year degree in hand embroidery.
Dubliner Alice Brady first fell in love with embroidery in transition year.
“I really liked the precision of it I suppose and the way you can get different textures that you can’t get with painting or drawing,” she says.
So much so, that after completing a course in textiles in Ballyfermot College of Further Education, she went to the Royal School of Needlework in London to complete a three year degree in hand embroidery.
“You’re taught the traditional way to do things, but then you’re taught to explore them,” says Alice, who had the opportunity to work on some exciting projects during her course, including a piece for the launch of Game of Thrones that toured the UK.
After graduating in 2017 and returning to Ireland, Alice started her business, Be Alice. Like Chloe Jo, one-off commissions are a big part of what she does, and have ranged from wedding gifts to pet portraits.
Alice Brady's mermaid embroidery kit is her bestseller.
She also sells her own designs as kits- her best-seller is a mermaid pattern €30- and pre-COVID was teaching regular workshops at The Lab in Foley St in Dublin, which covered everything from the basics for beginners to more specialised stitches and techniques, such as ribbon embroidery and gold work (i.e. working with gold metal threads and wires).
She is hoping to start workshops again in the future once restrictions and safe social distancing allows, but in the meantime, is offering a subscription service for online tutorials, with packages ranging from €2 to €12.50 per month.
She believes a lot of younger people have been influenced by social media sites like Instagram and TikTok to try their hand at embroidery, and that it is a useful skill to have in many ways.
“It’s a great thing for personalising clothes that you buy. You don’t have to learn how to be a dress maker, but you can just add your own little touches to things,” she gives as one example.
“As well, it can be quite a small thing. You don’t have to be using a big sewing machine or carrying around a ball of wool. It’s quite easy to bring with you if you’re going places.”
For further information, visit www.bealice.ie
Read more
Learning to cycle at 37, starting to paint and finishing a family heirloom
The quilting queen
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: