This week’s Friday Feature is the wonderful Kate from See+QUIN. Kate started See+QUIN over ten years ago, having previously worked for some big names. She has created a variety of products over that time, but now specialises in colourful, fun, and meaningful chainstitch-embroidered fashion and homewares, using her vintage pink Singer chainstitch machine.
Let’s get to know more about the lovely creative woman behind the small business…
Yes, absolutely! I grew up in a wonderfully creative home filled with beautiful textiles and quirky interiors. My mum is incredibly talented, she’s always been a maker, turning her hand to everything from painting to salt dough portraits and embroidery. One of my fondest memories is coming home to find she had hand-painted a stunning Persian runner up our staircase. Creativity was woven into my upbringing, and it has always felt like a natural part of who I am.
Without a doubt. I truly love what I do and feel so lucky to be able to create every day. I try to take weekends off, but by Sunday evening, I’m itching to get back into my studio. Creativity isn’t just my job, it’s something I need to do. It brings me joy, focus, and a real sense of purpose, which is essential for my wellbeing.
My mum has been a huge influence, she’s endlessly creative and always full of brilliant ideas. Her passion for making definitely rubbed off on me. I went on to study Multi-Media Textiles at Loughborough University, which was an incredible experience. It really helped shape my love for textiles, pushing me to explore more modern and contemporary approaches to embroidery.
See+QUIN originally started in 2014 in New York, as a concept studio, designing embroidered / beaded swatches for the fashion and home industry. I would create a design, sell the swatch to a designer, and then they would incorporate it into their collections. It wasn’t until 2023, after purchasing a 100-year-old chainstitch machine, that I launched my own collection of embroidered homeware. This machine has been a game-changer, absolutely love it! Since it’s hand-guided, it gives the look of hand embroidery but with the speed of a machine. Without it, stitching a tomato ketchup bottle would take me hours!
Oh, it’s definitely a rollercoaster! There are incredible highs and unbelievably busy times, but then there are quieter weeks where I wonder if anyone is even seeing my work. I’m learning to trust the process, be more confident in my designs, and develop a thicker skin, but it’s definitely a work in progress!
One of my favourite projects was embroidering 25 different animals onto napkins for a safari-themed wedding last year. It was such a fun challenge, and seeing them all come together was incredibly rewarding.
Right now, I’m focused on getting my products ready for wholesale, starting with my napkin and table runner sets. In three years, I’d love to see my embroidered homeware stocked in beautiful shops, rather than selling exclusively online. That would be a huge milestone for me!
Yes and no! I absolutely love the creative side, I have endless ideas and would happily spend all day bringing them to life. But the business side, particularly marketing and admin, can be a challenge. As much as I’d love to just create, I know that promoting my work is just as important, otherwise, no one would see my designs!
A few things! My fiancé, John, also runs his own business, so we really support and cheer each other on during the tough times. I’m also part of Holly&Co, which is an amazing community of small business owners founded by Holly Tucker, it makes me feel like I’m part of a much bigger team, even though I work solo.
Honestly, I’d love to have funding to help me grow my business. I have so many ideas and directions I’d love to explore, but budget constraints mean I have to take things slowly. With the right support, I could bring so many of my creative visions to life and to market.
We love that Kate was brought up in such a creative home and family… it was pretty inevitable she would get the creative bug and end up making gorgeous things in her own business. If you love Kate’s creations as much as us, go check out her website: seeandquin.co.uk and Instagram: @seeandquin.
If you haven’t already found us over on Instagram – why not come say hi and give us a follow. We would love for you to join the conversation.
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