Janet Clare likes to create inspirational and lively designs for quilts and stitcheries that combine her unique jointed appliqué templates and free motion machine drawing technique. Much of her work is inspired by children and their purity of thought, their innocence and the joy they find in the mundane.
As an experienced speaker and teacher, Janet regularly hosts talks and workshops focusing on the design process and the creative techniques she uses. So far Janet has written five books – and has no plans to stop! Janet designs for Moda Fabrics. She also trained to be an infant school teacher. Janet lives with her husband and two young sons in Hampshire where her studio is based.
Who/what inspired you to take up sewing and how old were you?
I can’tactually remember what age I was as the whole family were very creative –my mum and aunts were all verycreativeand very domestic; they allsewed, cooked, embroidered, made costumes for schoolanddid alternations andmy Dad paints. Ithink I just learned new skills by hanging around and watching how things were made.I loved to paint and design clothes for my Sindy doll and I was always sketching.As I grew older I wanted tomake itemsfor the house, not only to bethriftybut also to be unique. I have a textiles degree whichpsychologicallyhelpsmein the businessnow asI feel I was taught to do things properly at Uni.My sonsaged 14 and 17 alsoboth know how to sewand did textiles at school and to them it is very normal tosew.We are just avery handson family with a passion for being creative and makingthings.
Who can you remember doing your first sewing with?
MyMum and auntsand Iwasluckyenough to betaught dressmaking at school –and I recall making an apron during the lesson– which I loved.
What is the first thing you made?
I made a patchwork quilt from silky, upholstery style left oversduring a schoolEaster holiday in Ireland. Imade a quilt aged 13. I also have adegree in knitwearand Ihave knittedteddies andembroideredcushions, I wasalways,as a teenager sewinganddress makingsomething unique. On my18thbirthdayI received myfirst sewingmachineasa present.
What is your favourite type of stitch?
Free motion– I like todraw with the sewing machine.
What type of sewing do you like to do?
Patchwork and quilting andapplique.I like tomake pictures with iton the fabric and it is what I am mostknownfor.
What do you consider your best piece of work?
Well –I never really consider anything I make to be perfect,however Ihave a wall hanging –Beauty of Nature a quilt that I made and probably the 1stpieceof work that Imade inmy own style – and that made me happy.
What is your very favourite thing that you have made?
Iamvery proud of my Artisan Apron.When the boys werelittle,and I was still working from home I got very distracted by chores.My work is sewing and drawing and designing so I made the apron deliberately inveryexpensive linen and it is heavilyembroidered so that I wouldn’t wear it to cook or walk the dog in.Itis myuniform for work. I wear it in the studio.I am very well known forwearing this cross-backed apron during exhibitions – ithelpsme to be inworkmode. EclecticMaker have some of these patterns in stock and people are buying them and embellishing them in their own way and wearing them in the same way – to sew in.
What is your favourite tool or gadget?
Well I have aPfaffsewingmachine,but I am currentlysaving up for JUKI,a semiindustrialtype sewingmachine.Itdoesn’t take as much space as an industrial machine but has the same motors and is fast. I am also a fan of traditional fountain pens and myfavouriteway to draw is with pen dipped in ink.
Do you have a favourite colour to workin?
I use a lot of indigowhich sortof linksback to the ink drawing. All thefabriccollectionsI designedwithModa Fabricshave indigofeatured heavily in them and this has become almost mysignaturecolour. I like them mixed with cream as they lookneutraland elegant. 
What type of fabric would you choose to work with?
I am most happy when I am in charity shops and find vintage fabricswhich are mostunique,and I love it if I finda littletreasure.
Do you prefer hand work or machine work?
Prefer to work by hand as it is more relaxing – needto be able to doboth though.
What’s your dream sewing machine?
JUKI –I’m saving up !!
My advice to a newbie would be …?
People always ask,‘what’sa goodproject for a beginner?’ My advice would be to find something you actually want to makeorneedtomakeand go from there. I feel there is no point in learning to make something you don’t want to make or even like. I would advise you to find something easy to start with – a simple skirt or a top and bepatient. Be prepared to make mistakes and learn as you go. Once made – don’t point out your mistakes to everyone – keep them quiet!
What is the piece of work that has driven you mad or been a disaster and drove you to tears?
There are so many of them and I don’t tend to unpick them if they go wrong – I justthrowthem in the bin where I can. If it’s a piece ofpatchwork,then that is usually ok to sort, but zips – zips are always a disaster for me, especially invisible ones.SometimesI can try to put them in several times before it will suddenly easily go in and I wonder what I did that was so different!
Do you make things for other people?
No,Iused to for presentsbutdiscoveredthatnot everyone wants the thingsyou’remaking or sees the work in it –I don’tdo commissionseither,but I maymakesomethingfor one or two ofmyfriends.
Who (famous person alive or historical) would you love to create something for?
I would love to hang around a famous art studioand bein the background of some famous fashion designers show – like a fly on the wall.There is apaintingby David Hockney – Mr & Mrs Clark and Percyit depicts the fashion designer Ossie Clark and the textile designer Celia Birtwell shortly after their wedding at which Hockney was Clark’s best man, both were really big in the 70s. I liked how she (Celia) designed her fabric and how she lives such a creative life – I would like to perhaps create something for her.
Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy
What’s your best sewing background music?
Depends what I am doing. If I amjust makingand havefinisheddesigning,thenIwill have musicand I have a couple of playlists on Spotify that I occasionally ask my sons to add some more, up-to-date musiconto,so I can broaden my musical horizons. I also listen to podcasts.If I amdesigning,then I need silence and nointerruptionsas I need to think.
Are you an early riser or a night bird – when is the best time for you to sew?
I ampermanentlyexhaustedand don’t feel that I am either;howeverI am definitely not anight owland seem tobe moreproductive in the mornings aftermycoffee.
What other hobbies or interests do you enjoy?
My husband and I go toPottery classes on Thursdays. I am shockingatitbutit isgreat funlearning something different. I alsowalkthedogsand readandwatch rubbish Netflix. Ido a lot of knitting andI amtrying to be a gardenerbutthat’snot going so well…!
Who in the sewing or crafting world do you most admire?
I don’t follow any other designersas I amso worried about accidentallyplagiarisingsomeone. Idon’t follow trends. Iused to have trends senttome,but I don’twanttofollow otherdesignersbecausethenI know my work is my art and not influenced by another designer.
I most admireKaffe Fassettwho is a great knitter and designer and stillpaints. He is well into his 80s and still travels around showing.I love vintage quilts and enjoyed a recent exhibition at the V & A and I also visited an Orla Kiely exhibition recently.
Janet’s studio in Hampshire
Janet Clare with her quilt – Sailing the Blue
