Modern Folk Embroidery and the creator behind the brand require no introduction. Jacob's designs, influenced by centuries of craftsmanship, bring joy, excitement, and a touch of history to many individuals worldwide. I have long admired Jacob's creations and am thrilled to own a stunning collection of his designs, beautifully displayed in my home.
This month, I had the honor to interview Jacob de Graaf of Modern Folk Embroidery about his journey in cross-stitching, inspirations, and future plans. Despite my initial nerves, Jacob responded promptly to my questions within a day. Thank you so much, Jacob!
How did you first start cross-stitch designing?
J: "I started cross-stitching when I was really young. I grew up with a mother who did lots of textile arts (spinning, knitting, crochet, sewing) and also made dolls and did lots of other amazing creative things. So it wasn't strange for me to be surrounded by a true maker. I was a curious child so I asked, and then was taught lots of stuff. I also was fascinated by cross-stitch charts so I got some graph paper from my sister and started making little folk-like cross-stitch patterns with a felt-tip pen. I must've been about 12 at that time. As drawing and painting took over as I grew older, textile arts disappeared to the background but I never lost my love for it".
Tell me more about you and your business. What inspired you to start your own brand?
J: "It was after graduating with a BA in Fine Arts that I opened a little art gallery/studio in my hometown where I would work and study things. I got intrigued in the paintings of Hans Holbein the Younger and was fascinated by the embroideries found on them. I started charting them and trying to embroider them to get a feel of what they would've looked like. From there, I went back to cross-stitch. I couldn't at the time find any patterns that had my interest, so I started designing what I wanted to stitch for myself. Someone then mentioned that I should try and start selling them online in an Etsy shop - and that's how I started Modern Folk Embroidery".
How did you choose your business name?
J: "The name can be read in different ways. "Folk" can relate to folkloristic art which is the main inspiration. But it also relates to people - pretty much like "Folks" in the USA, "Folk" just describes a group of people - a community if you like. So the "modern folk" might be seen as a community of people in the present who have a longing for folklore-inspired embroidery patterns".
What’s the secret to your design process and what do you enjoy most about it?
J: "I don't think there's really a secret to my design process, and each design comes about rather differently. I'm always really open to different things, so inspiration can come from multiple sources: whether that be music, painting, architecture, or antique embroideries that I have in my personal collection or that I find in museums. I really love that I simply do not know where a pattern might go when I start designing it - sometimes I start with a pincushion and it turns out to be a massive project. So it's that element of letting yourself be surprised which is one of the most exciting things".
Describe your design style and share what inspires your style.
J: "My designs all have a folkloristic style - even though there are patterns that are quite different, I think that they are all recognisable as Modern Folk Embroidery patterns. I love working in monochrome, and this forces you to make different design choices as well. For me, folklore art has a directness which is something so delightful - there is no immediate snobbery, but just a deep love for decorating and telling stories through pattern and shape and colour. This directness is something that I try and capture in my own designs as well - I hope they reflect a certain joy for the materials that you work with".
What’s your favourite design and why?
J: "It's so hard to pick a favourite design and cowardly I think the most recent design always feels like the moves beloved design. One pattern that I am really proud of however is the 2021 SAL which became a huge success with so many stitchers all over the world. It was the first SAL that I did that really blew up and was worked by so many people. Seeing folks stitch it and enjoying the process, and then reading all the comments is one of the most extraordinary things that you can experience as a designer".
What do you hope people get from your designs?
J: "I don't think it's a stretch to say that a lot of us at the moment are going through a lot of stress with what's going on politically in the world. Every day elected officials seem to throw new insanities at us - and it's hard to take that all in. The act of sitting down and looking after yourself and taking time to make something beautiful with the sole purpose of making something beautiful in this world is a beautiful notion, and I think it is more important now than ever. That way we can look out for ourselves and for our loved ones and do some good in the world. They might be small ripples but they all add up in the end".
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from turning your passion for cross stitch into a business?
J: "I'm not sure if there's one big wise lesson that I have learned - except to be open and keep learning, and not assume that you know everything already - but that there is a lot more to learn".
What fun things can we expect from you in the future?
J: "Well, I'm really excited about my Patreon page that I have just launched - it's a page where I can show a little more about what inspires me, where I can share music, and where it's a lovely gathering of "Folk". I'm looking forward to hosting some Zoom chats soon as well. It's an inspiring endeavor for me as the support from the Patreons allows me to do more research into textiles and samplers, and in return, I can share those findings on my page".
Thank you so much Jacob for taking your time during your trip to India, for answering my questions and sharing more about you and your phenomenal work.
Be sure you follow Jacob on his Instagram account for all the sneak peeks and updates. You can find all of Jacob's designs on his website Modern Folk Embroidery in PDF format or through the Evertote website, Jacob's favourite collaborator who sells a lot of his patterns in print form, as well as exclusive collaborations you won't find anywhere else. Print patterns can also be found from your favourite LNS.