Meet the maker….
Growing up in a family of professional sewers and makers, I watched my mother working at a sewing machine from a very early age. I have always loved colour and design; stitching, textiles, and working with my hands.
I studied fashion textiles at university, specialising in Printed Fabrics and graduated in 2002. I moved to Bristol where I worked full time in fashion retail. My role as Visual Merchandiser took me across a few brands and many places around the UK. I left the retail sector to set up my own business doing upholstery and home furnishings, moving back to Somerset in 2013.
Here I got married and have been bringing up a family. Now my children are older and more independent, I have more time to concentrate on what I loved growing up. Pulling out boxes of fabrics again and delving into my stash of embroidery threads. Playing around with colour and pattern in my sketchbooks and exploring different mediums. You are never too old to learn new techniques!
Inspired by nature and the beautiful Somerset landscapes and the people within it. I use snapshots and photos I take when I am out and about to translate into paintings and drawings in my sketchbooks. These are used as a reference for the textiles pieces I make.
I love the soft texture of wool felt and how it feels when it has been stitched into. I use my needle and thread like a drawing tool to depict the details in the piece.
If you would like to discuss a commission please email janine.needham@hotmail.com