‘We’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not’

Last Spring, we asked Janet Clare to share the inspiration for her Weather Permitting collection and that's the first line she wrote.  Here's the rest...

I’m sitting down to write this during our school Easter holidays. It’s been raining, drizzling or pouring for a hundred days in a row (I might be exaggerating a little) and is a ‘quite cold actually’ 12 degrees outside.

Did you know that it rains on average for 156.2 days a year here?  (Here being Hampshire County on the South Coast of the United Kingdom.)

If you’re planning any social event which relies on being outside, ‘weather permitting’ is a standard addition to the invitation. My boys’ school sets two dates for sports day every summer- if it rains on the first (which it will) everyone knows to turn up on the second. And if it rains on the second (which it likely will) well, we’ll try again next year!

It’s said that the only topic of conversation here in the UK is our charming weather. And I’d like to tell you that it’s not true but, well put it this way (and you’ve all read the first paragraph) I haven’t had too many conversations where it hasn’t come up!

It was high time this Brit designed some weather inspired fabric!

Every collection starts with a little glimpse of an idea, a Pinterest page and a sketchbook.

The sketchbook is where I start drawing my ideas for prints and playing with colors.

I love to read and often treat myself to books about the subject I’m drawing.

An idea can take years to become anything in the real world. But that’s half the fun- follow your interests and see where they lead you.

I draw every design by hand, sending my original paintings and drawings to Moda, who work their magic and turn my doodles into the beautiful fabrics we all know and love.

All around the world the weather in all its wild variety affects everyone’s day (for better or worse) and whilst a little rain may well stop the cricket match it takes more than that to keep us from our sewing, quite the opposite- inclement weather is our friend!

My fabric weather is polite and friendly: a little warm rain on a summers day, a good breeze to blow the cobwebs away and fluffy white clouds floating by in a blue sky.

You know, nice weather!

And now it’s over to you, what will you sew with ‘Weather permitting’? Quilts for explorers and travellers, daydreamers and scholars, something for the classroom, nursery or family room, for holidays, picnics and beach days, cuddling on the sofa days or even those feeling ‘under the weather’ days?

So, the weather outside may well be frightful but inside the forecast is warm with a high chance of stitching!

New fabrics need new quilt patterns.

Thunder and Lightning.

Newton.  

Greenwich.

Update:  As you're reading this, I'll be in Houston getting ready for Fall Market and Festival.  I will have a Gallery Exhibit showing my studio, my quilts and a little bit about me - more on that coming soon.  I'll also be sharing my next collection, Origami.  Here's a sneak peek of that.

Cherrio,

Janet