Welcome To Your Members Area

A firm favourite with crafters, Janet Clare reveals a bit about herself...

Have you always been creative?

Yes! I have always drawn, kept scrapbooks, sewn and knitted. I can't imagine life without it.

What is the first thing you can recall making as a child and who was it for?

I knitted a green teddy for a Sunday school craft competition. I had trouble understanding the pattern, so just made it up as I went along.

What did you want to be when you 'grew up'?

A fashion designer or a ballerina.

Why/when did you decide you could make a living out of crafting?

I went to Art school and have a degree in Textiles and Fashion which definitely helps. But I knew I could make a living through my craft because I wanted to so badly. I had to make it work. My motto is 'She believed she could and so she did.'

Do you have any other hobbies?

I like reading, knitting, baking and walking my dog Betty.

What craft item can you not live without?

Fabric

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take 5 items, what would they be and why?

Sketchbook and fountain pen. I capture thoughts and ideas in the sketchbooks, these are quite literally the most inspiring things I own. I love them! I draw and write everything with my foundain pen - can I cheat and have some ink as awell?
Fabric, Needle and Thread: I can't live without fabric, and I can;t use that without a needle and thread!

What's your biggest ambition in life?

To live in a house by the sea. So close that there is nothing between me and the sea.

What's been the highlight of your crafting life so far?

Having my fabric collection accepted by Moda was a dream come true.

Any advice for beginners?

Choose a project you love. Learn what you need to learn as you go and just enjoy the process. And never point out your mistakes!