“I started to crochet as a hobby 5 years ago, while on maternity leave and giving up smoking. I soon found I had a bit of a flare for making up my own patterns and designs and with a little encouragement, I started to sell at craft fairs and local markets and got such a great response. I then joined up with Louise and was able to move into wholesale.
We moved into wholesale three years ago with are first store, Notcutts in Pembury, not really knowing what, or if the hats would sell. With a few tweaks, we now sell pompom hats and fingerless gloves and are stocked in national trust properties in Kent and Surrey as well as Hever Castle and independent shops. We also recently won a twitter competition to have the support of Theo Paphitis with a yearly conference to meet and quiz business experts. FullaBeanies is growing from strength to strength and we are looking forward to doing some trade fairs in London and Birmingham next year as well as increasing our wholesale into other garden centres and tourist shops.”
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Back in 2012, Janet found herself yearning for a new challenge to occupy her time, after her children had graduated babyhood and were sleeping through the night. A swift Google search for ‘cheap hobbies’ led her to discover crochet. Cue a trip to the shops for equipment and a YouTube tutorial or two, and Janet had begun honing her new skill.
Fast-forward five years, and Fullabeanies has evolved from an evening-hobby to a full-blown fashion business. Based in Rusthall, a bustling English village in Kent, Janet works with her compact team, transforming colourful yarns into beautiful hats, full of personality, with a style to suit everyone.
Being a mum, Janet is all too aware of the importance of practicality, and creates her hats using 100% acrylic wool, for maximum durability and ease of care. Her customers testify that hats they’ve owned for years remain in fine condition, through wear and washes.
Janet is a self-proclaimed rock-chick, and is most definitely leading a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, touring the craft fairs and festivals with her original, handmade designs. Janet has combined cosiness and comfort with quirky and bright to create her irresistible range of woven garments.
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