Jen Goodwin

Embroiderer

Teaching royal threads

Jen makes colourful, complex embroidery pieces that blend tradition and contemporary art
She worked on a number of items for the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
She studied at the Royal School of Needlework, where she now teaches up-and-coming embroiderers

Jen Goodwin is a skilled embroiderer who fell into the craft by chance. Today, alongside restorative work on ecclesiastical and historical textiles, Jen works on highly valued and prestigious projects, including Kate Middleton’s wedding dress in 2011, Queen Camilla’s Robe of Estate and the Royal Stole for King Charles’ Coronation in 2023. "I have been interested in stitching since I was a child. At seven years old, I cross-stitched small Christmas decorations. As a teenager, I became interested in more complex techniques such as blackwork and goldwork," she says. Jen was not sure she would be able to make a practice out of embroidery until she found the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. Intrigued, she wrote to the school, joined the apprenticeship, graduated and embarked on a fruitful career in embroidery. She became a tutor at the School, specialising in a variety of techniques including blackwork, silk shading and goldwork.

Interview

What was a turning point in your career?: I decided to take a leap of faith and quit my part-time job to work for myself. I had just been involved in a prestigious studio job for the Royal School of Needlework, and I remembered how much I wanted to make embroidery my practice, not just something to enjoy in between working to pay my bills.
Is your practice rooted in tradition?: My entire practice is based on tradition, whether it is through making pieces using traditional methods or sharing these traditional skills with others. I think it is wonderful that embroidery is more visible now. There are many contemporary embroiderers who have a wide profile.
What does contemporary innovation in your craft look like?: Technical accuracy is very important to me, so I find applying traditional skills in a contemporary way quite challenging. However, I think it is possible to stretch the boundaries of technique in interesting ways to create traditional pieces that feel modern in their interpretation.
Do you integrate technology into your craft?: I still design all of my pieces by hand in a sketchbook. However, technology allows me to digitally tidy up my designs and colourise them to help me imagine how they will look once embroidered. I also film a lot of my teaching content to allow students to gain as much technical knowledge as possible when they are exploring techniques themselves.

Jen Goodwin is a master artisan: she began her career in 2000 and she started teaching in 2003