Jennifer Pudney - Kelburn

Jen established Jennifer Pudney Ltd in 1990. Beginning with the needlepoint kits, the range has now expanded into a wide range of products. From tapestry, to needlepoint and cushions to felted embroidery and cross stitch. In Jen's words...

"I've known I was going to be a textile designer since I was 13 years old.

After finishing my diploma in textile design, I became a bag lady! Designing that is, for a luggage company. And it was in the plane on a business trip to Asia that I really got hooked on needlepoint. The designs were awful but the activity itself was relaxing and made those long flights pass so quickly.Over the next few years I worked for a range of companies but always felt something was missing. It was as if I was dancing to a different rhythm.

So I went back to the Wellington Polytechnic to do an Advanced Diploma in Textile Design.This is where I developed my first product - the Needlepoint Postcard Kits. I felt there was a gap in the market for something that appealed to ME!

At the time, I was exhibiting my needlepoint designs and enjoying some success selling the finished product. But I could only do one at a time - and there was more demand for my work than I could keep up with. So why not get people to do the stitching to create their own art pieces? So with a 'parental loan', I bought cottons, printed cards and packets. While it was slow hard going, I had enormous support from friends, family and some great retailers - who are still with me today!

While learning the trials and tribulations of business, I met my future husband - on a boat of all places. About ten weeks later we were married. And in a fit of sane madness, he resigned his position as a policy analyst and joined me in my very small, part-time struggling business. But what dreams!

From a small factory we have grown to supply stores and customers all around the world. Our product range has expanded - and seems to keep on expanding.

We loved what we did and the fabulous people working with us!"

But it was time for Jen to move on and now the Jennifer Pudney factory had moved into Nancys Stitch Studio with Mary keeping the dream alive. Jen has continued to design inspired by what is happening around her as she makes her way as a mother and as an artist.You can visit Nancys Stitch Studio and see all the kits, stitched samples and the production area with all the colourful threads on cones ready to be made into worms for the kits.