Tag: janet clare

Moda Blockheads 6: Block 10 – Janet Clare

Moda Blockheads 6: Block 10 – What a Lark by Janet Clare

This week’s Moda Blockheads 6 block comes with a touch of British elegance, a bit of sketchbook whimsy, and a quiet sense of direction. Introducing What a Lark, created by none other than the talented Janet Clare.

Whether she’s drawing in ink, stitching by hand, or creating dreamy fabric collections inspired by weathered coastlines and English skies, Janet always brings something poetic to the quilting table—and this block is no exception.

What a Lark – A Quiet Guide

The What a Lark block is composed of simple triangle units and a strong center square, forming a design that radiates calm strength. Like its namesake, this block feels grounded, guiding, and balanced—a fixed point among the ever-shifting layout of your sampler.

There’s a certain symmetry to this one that invites peaceful piecing. I stuck with a soft palette—navy, cream, and subtle texture—to reflect the windswept coastlines that inspire so much of Janet’s work. But this block would be stunning in bold monochrome or even scrappy neutrals.

It’s a reminder that not every block needs to shout. Sometimes a quiet, thoughtful design anchors the whole quilt.

Meet Janet Clare – Artist, Author, & English Creative

Janet Clare is a designer for Moda Fabrics, illustrator, pattern designer, and author based in the UK. Her work combines hand-drawn artwork, muted color palettes, and storytelling—often inspired by nature, family, and the sea.

Janet’s quilts are known for their soft minimalism, stitched textures, and whimsical touches that make you look twice. She often incorporates free-motion quiltingappliqué, and a personal narrative into everything she creates—making each project feel like a page from her sketchbook.

Follow Janet Clare for quiet inspiration and glimpses into her beautifully creative world:

Expect coastal sketches, soothing stitching videos, and lots of timeless design inspiration with a hint of British charm.

Navigate Over to Moda

You can find the North Star block pattern and step-by-step video tutorial now on the Moda Blog. Janet’s version (stitched in her signature navy-and-cream color story) is as graceful and understated as you’d expect—truly a guiding light in the middle of the Blockheads journey.

A Stitch in the Right Direction

Have you made your  block yet? It’s a lovely moment to slow down and stitch something serene. Whether you follow Janet’s lead with calm neutrals or let it shine in your favorite color, this block is sure to become a quiet favorite.

Share your block using #ModaBlockheads and #ModaBlockheads6, and tag @modafabrics and @janetclareuk—we’d love to see how you interpret this beautifully balanced design.

Until next week… keep stitching, stay steady, and follow your North Star.

 

Until next week… keep stitching and dreaming.

Details about this program, click here.

Follow each of the designers listed below.

Janet Clare

Lisa Bongean

Corey Yoder

Betsy Chutchian

Camille Roskelley

Crystal Manning

Debbie Maddy

Jessica Rose

Heather Briggs

Jackie MacDonald

Jenelle Kent

Vanessa Goertzen

Stacy Iest Hsu

Laura Muir

Sarah Thomas

 

Vanessa Christenson – Download the pattern here.

Lynne Hagmeier -Download the pattern here.

Anne Sutton  -Download the pattern here.

Kiley Ferons-Download the pattern here.

Chelsi Stratton– Download the pattern here.

Robin Pickens –Download the pattern here.

Joanna Figueroa-Download the pattern here.

Sherri McConnell -Download the pattern here.

Barb Groves – Download the pattern here.

Thank you for following along!

Blockheads3- Janet Clare- block 12

Welcome to Janet Clare’s block in the Blockhead’s series.

Janet’s block is titled Hampshire Star and the pattern can be found on Janet’s blog.

Janet’s line, Geometry is what inspired my fabric selection for my blockhead’s blocks. I love the combination of greens and blues together. You will see her fabric used throughout the year and additional fabrics from my stash added.

There is quite a bit of piecing this week but just consider it therapy for those of us quarantined.

I wanted to share my tricks on making my block happen.

I constructed this block in quarters.

There are 4 identical quadrants to this block so this helped with the layout

or making sure I placed the triangles in the correct position, and not drive myself crazy.

I placed the pieces right on top of each other and chain pieced them, pressed each section with a wooden presser and continued to complete each of the 4 units. With so many small seams, I decided to press my seams open as I went.

Laying out the 4 units and rotating them to make sure they were going in

the correct position before sewing my final 2 seams.

Using triangle papers for this block was a lifesaver.

Lisa Bongean has created a video on how she uses the papers. Click here to view.

Have you tried the triangle papers yet?

Please stay safe during this trying time and thank you so very much for following along.

Visit each of the designers listed below for their take on the Hampshire Star block:

Be sure to check out the Block Heads Facebook Group and look for Block Heads 3 on Instagram – #modablockheads and #modablockheads3.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the
Knit and Stitch show in London, England.

Yes, glamorous job, but someone has to do it.

One of the Moda designers, Janet Clare had a booth filled with patterns, kits, stitcheries and all kinds of goodies.
Janet was wearing her iconic Artisian Apron.

I love it… wear your creativity!
Read more about Janet here.

Right down the aisle from Janet was Harriett Riddell, a performance textile artist. Yes, a performance textile artist.

I was drawn in by her eclectic table covering made from vintage linens, hankies and art. I knew there had to be a good story here.

While I did not officially meet her, I did stand and watch her work for quite a while. Harriett uses thread and a sewing machine much
like an artist uses paper and pencil to create characters.

Here is a bit of info about Harriett from her bio page.

Harriet Riddell was born in 1990 and grew up in Oxfordshire, England. Harriet is a mixed media performance artist, specializing in observational drawings using a sewing machine. Her artwork responds to and interprets the transient world on to a permanent canvas. Harriet encourages interaction by working in unusual locations and experimenting with the subjects the she chooses to stitch.

(photos used with permission of Harriett Riddell.)

At one of the fairs she “performed” while her subject pedaled a bicycle to generate power for her sewing machine.

I know I would be in better shape if I had to ride a bike to create power for my machine, but I would make a lot fewer quilts.

Thank you to Janet and Harriett for sharing your creativity with us.

-modalissa

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