Jessica Abbott

Meet Jessica

Pellon: Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Jessica: Inspiration for my work can come from anywhere. It gives me the greatest joy to design for my children, and as the girls are both starting to learn how to express their different styles and tastes, it has been fun trying to learn how to please both them and me. Inspiration comes from my every day life – people watching, magazine flipping, church going, Pinterest browsing life. 

P: What does your creative process entail?
J: My creative process is all over the place. Sometimes it is fueled by a need…for example, right now my daughter needs a new winter jacket. But the projects that get me excited are the ones that jump to the top of my to-do list. Perhaps it’s a special fabric that I stumbled across and can’t wait to work with. Or maybe I was inspired by a little apparel detail I stumbled across and cannot wait to see how I might be able to incorporate it into a kid friendly design. I have found that by simply looking at a garment, I can deconstruct in my head how to make it. And sometimes that alone is the thrill of the challenge. But any which way it goes- I just need to create. It drives me to dream bigger, reach higher, and satisfies the artist in me.

P: Why do you enjoy sewing/crafting/quilting?
J: I don’t know if I can really pinpoint why I enjoy sewing. It is something I picked up on a whim 7 years ago, and I haven’t been able to put the needle and thread down since. I know I receive great joy in watching my kids run around in handmade creations because I know how much love went into them.  I take pride in that. I also know I love helping and teaching others, when I hear feedback from someone who has used one of my tutorials – I am so thankful that I was able to help them in that process. It is a way of giving for me.

P: Do you create mainly for satisfaction, gifts,art or another reason?
J: I create mainly for satisfaction. Is that bad? Sounds so selfish when I say it like that. But I do, I create mainly for my children or friend’s & family children.  They are just always on the top of my list!

P: What tips or tricks learned through experience can you share?
J: There are so many tips and tricks that could be shared here. I believe in being a part of the sewing community in order to get the most out of your passion. The ladies and group of friends I have made on-line that I connect with on a daily basis are an amazing source of inspiration, help, and friendship. So get involved…stat.  Another question I get asked a lot, is how do you do it all? The answer? I don’t. But I do prioritize…dishes happen to be on the bottom of my list. And lastly, what do you do when you run out of inspiration? I take a break!  We all get lack luster every now and then. Give yourself the freedom to slow down. Sew some basic circle skirts if you must, or a trusted pattern that you know and love, but don’t force it. It always comes back. In the meantime, kick up your feet and read a good book!

P: When and why did you start sewing/quilting/crafting?
J: I started sewing 6 years ago when my family was relocated to Munich, Germany. I was in a new country, did not know the language, and was a brand new mother with a 2 month old baby on my hands nonetheless. For some reason, the thought came to me that I wanted to learn how to sew. After a quick lesson from my Mom on straight stitching, I was on my way…and I never looked back.

P: What inspires you to start a project?
J: Fabric, fabric, and more fabric. I am such a fabric junkie, it’s pathetic really. But there you have it. I see a fabric, I love it, I have to have it, and before you know it – it is coming home with me. I can always tell when a fabric was a good purchase if I start to sew something with it right away. It’s the ones that sit on the shelf with the thought of saving it for the perfect project, that 9 times out of 10 are still sitting there today.