Hello! I'm Jackie Stephens, a woven textile designer based in Cheshire. Studio Cynefin was established in 2021 while I was studying for a BA Textile Degree at Carmarthen School of Art from where I graduated with a First Class Honours degree. Cynefin is a Welsh word with no literal translation into English but broadly means connected to a sense of place, or habitat.
Through innovative combinations of materials and processes, I create original artworks and accessories with a unique aesthetic. Inspired by literature, legends and stories I draw on a long association between text and textiles, reinterpreting stories with thread and creating memorable narratives through the medium of handwoven textiles.
I have been weaving for over seven years, starting with rigid heddle looms before being introduced to shaft loom weaving in 2017. I now have a variety of table and floor looms including a 32 shaft Louet Megado for my most complex work although I still prefer a simple table loom for much of my experimental work.
I love sharing my textile knowledge and connecting with the local community and have been running textile workshops in village halls since 2016 before opening my own studio in 2023. Whilst I specialise in shaft loom weaving, my process also includesframe and tapestry weaving, natural dyeing, machine knitting, spinning and sewing.
My zero waste practice uses natural fibres such as wool, linen, cotton and bamboo together with recycled yarns, handspun and plant dyed fibres with accents of fancy yarns.
Alongside my practice I offer weaving workshops and tuition for all abilities in my canal side studio in a converted cotton mill in Bollington, Cheshire.
Contemporary woven textile design studio in Cheshire
Contact Us
jackie.stephens@me.com
07590 325567
01625 347966
Visit Us
Suite T1.1A Adelphi Mill (3rd Floor)
Grimshaw Lane
Bollington