as“busy a bee"

It seems that some people are able to squeeze far more time out of a day, especially those who are creatives. Such is the case with Jenny Bennett from Sale who while working, raising a family of 3 with her husband Vince, creating a large garden has also managed to become a master at her chosen passion of embroidery. It’s credit to her hard work, talent and dedication that she is sought after to share her skills with many others.

In a quaint unassuming cottage on the outskirts of Sale, once the Myrtlebank schoolhouse and shifted to its present spot in the 60’s, Jenny lives with Vince. The couple moved to the house 16 years ago and from a bare plot with 4 trees they have created “The Bee garden”. A lush and beautiful setting that in the past has hosted weddings, parties and open garden days. The “Bee” is a symbol Jenny has used for many years in her business name and the garden has been designed specifically to attract bees.

In the garden a modest building houses Jenny’s studio and classroom that on entering is a treasure trove of delights for anyone even remotely interested in threading a needle. The array of thread on display is impressive and a surprise to find behind the studio door. Equally as surprising is the inspiring story of how Jenny has become a local and international teacher of embroidery. Jennifer Bee Embroidery is renowned for the standard of her work and tutelage.

With no special training but a mother and grandmother who both sewed and handed on basic instruction, followed up with sewing classes while a student at Sale Tech Jenny used these skills as a young Mother of 2 sons and a daughter. It was to create a smocked dress for her daughter Sharna that Jenny enrolled at the then Continuing Education Centre to learn smocking. This eventually led to Jenny being offered to become a tutor herself, completing a trainers course and then beginning a career in tutoring that continues to today.

Through many iterations Jenny taught adults, children, novices and experienced sewers in a variety of venues. At one point she took the plunge and opened her own shop to not only sell embroidery supplies but also hold classes on the premises.

It must have been obvious to those first teachers of hers that her ready smile and calm patient manner gave her the perfect attributes to become the fantastic teacher that she is today. She extolls the advice of starting with a single stitch and then carrying on.

She describes the mindfulness that comes with her art form as sometimes

She describes the mindfulness that comes with her art form as sometimes life changing and with helping some participants move far beyond what they believed they were capable of and then creating exquisite works. The intricacies of her work are astounding. The variety of different stitches seems endless and combined with the almost infinite thread colours and types available it seems that the only limit to what can be achieved in this artform is the imagination.

When they moved onto their property Jenny and Vince built a studio for her to be able to take classes from home. A long work table accommodates 12 students and she operates classes Monday to Friday and has all the supplies available to be purchased by the public. Some of her students have been with her continually ever since she took those first classes way back. They all come to work on their current projects but it has also become a strong social gathering with Jenny stating, “We often solve the problems of the world over this shared table.” People have become best friends and have met people they never would have come across and bonds have gone far beyond the classroom. There are no barriers and all help each other as they can. Jenny especially is very generous with her knowledge and expertise.

Jenny shared her skills over many years with classes locally, across the state, in other states and even on specifically created ocean cruises for fellow devotees. The embroidery community is vast, loyal and addicted to this art that dates back to 30,000 years BC. Jenny is part of a long history of embroidery that was used to decorate wall hangings and clothing as well as reinforce and mend cloth.

She is equally fascinated by this history and after participating in a tour in the UK she was asked to become a tutor. She has joined several tours across the UK viewing many historical examples of fine embroidered work including such priceless garments as the Queen Elizabeth 2nd’s coronation gown at Windsor Castle. Staying in many grand houses on the tours Jenny teaches the enthralled participants. It’s an astonishing achievement that began with her school classes.

Jenny is not only an expert embroiderer, a skill she practises every day, she is also a talented designer of new embroidery kits for others. She creates her own designs then whilst completing them she makes notes on the progress. The end result is a package that contains her original design printed on fabric along with instructions and all of the threads required for completion.

A kit in the early stage of design based on British symbols for students will be ready for later in the year when she is part of her next UK tour. After the tour she will attend the 2023 World Needlework convention in London. She truly is a dynamic and enterprising woman, though you would never know it from her self-effacing demeanor. The local Sale Art Gallery has recognised her talent, including her works in their permanent collection.

Without fanfare Jenny has made a significant contribution to the world of embroidery, all on her own terms. She continues to share and participate with others and learn new skills along the way. She encourages new talent, illustrated by a recent student who wished to translate her own artwork into stitches and so Jenny obliged by helping her through the process. Her morning, afternoon and evening classes are well attended, though some still have space available and she welcomes anyone to attend. Her website www.jenniferbee.net has all the details. She is one of Gippsland’s many treasures!