I am Jane I live in Leeds UK with my husband, teenage daughter and a lively black cat.
I like doing all sorts of craft and don’t focus on one in particular, I’m sure it would be easier if I just did one thing. The main things I do are card making, quilting, knitting and beading. I am strictly amateur league at them all. I also cross stitch occasionally and like to try out new crafts if I can understand them or get someone to help me. I used to work with children so have an interest in children’s crafts, the messier the better as long as I don’t have to do the clearing up!!
My grandma and mum taught me to knit when I was at junior school and I knitted from then on. Over the years I learned cross stitch and simple machine sewing. I got into card making in 2003, mainly to use up bits and bobs that I had around, but it kind of went mad and I started to buy products and make more cards. I set up my website Crafty Jane’s to sell the cards and take orders for personalised cards. Well actually my husband set up the website, I am not that technically minded. In 2006 due to being pregnant and due to my husband and I both being ill my website fell by the wayside. My website is called Crafty Jane’s, not very imaginative really. I have thought of changing it, but as I own the domain name that is still what the URL would be, so not worth changing.
In 2014 I started to write a blog, it was Crafting with ME a play on words as I have ME/CFS. I also have a Facebook page in the same name. My website and blog are now combined in this new website. I still have the Facebook page
Finally after 10 years of motherhood I was persuaded to start up my website again to sell the things I make. A friend encouraged me and set it up for me as he thought my craft was good enough to sell after sharing my makes in my blog posts and on Facebook.
My favourite thing at the moment is the stitched cards I make, using patterns from sites like Stitching Cards, Ann’s Papercraft, Form a Lines.
I also love Iris folded cards and use cards and patterns from Dee Craft, I love personalising them and making them bright and cheerful.
I like making cards as it is fairly quick and I like to make them simple, but fun. They are usually easy to do and can be portable, I can even do the stitched ones laid in bed if need be.
I was also very impressed that I managed to make a quilt, there is a mistake in it, but I don’t think it’s too obvious.
Quilting is very time consuming, I have another one which has been 6 years in the making. The cutting out and planning takes as much time and energy as the sewing. The Quilt is in it’s final stages so is quite awkward to handle too. I have just signed up to an online quilting class, so hope to get motivated again, but I am not really lacking ideas and motivation, just energy and strength!
I think this necklace has to be the most impressive thing I have made, but I had never worn it as the ends were sharp and it was uncomfortable to wear. I cut the drops off to wear it. Sadly it has now fallen apart and needs restringing, nothing to do with me cutting the drops off, but very frustrating.
I like the jewellery making, but it can be quite fiddly and tiring and I have trouble following patterns.
I am lucky to have a husband who lets me buy craft products, within reason and who doesn’t complain too much if things don’t get used! I have probably spent as much on storage as products! When Emily moved into her new bedroom I gained a craft/sewing room and was hoping to be able to leave projects on the go and save some of the tidying up each time I am doing something, but this hasn’t worked out as the room is also used for, storage, a spare room and now my husbands office as he works from home due to Covid 19.
I think my next craft to learn, is the art of taking photos that do justice to my makes.