Janet Clare’s Larking Fabric Collection for Moda — Mudlarking-Inspired Quilting Cotton

Janet Clare’s Larking collection for moda fabrics is inspired by the art of mudlarking — finding china chips along riverbanks and transforming them into beautiful quilting cotton designs. Featuring hand-painted floral quilting fabrics in weathered blue tones, with teapot motifs, ditsy prints and low-volume blenders, this collection captures the charm of found treasures.

We’re always excited to explore the stories behind fabric collections and Janet Clare’s latest Moda collection “Larking” is a true gem. This collection is all about collecting and noticing all the little glimmers of the everyday.

The Story Behind “Larking”

Inspired by the increasingly popular trend of mudlarking – the act of searching for historical treasures along riverbanks – Janet’s new fabric line captures the quiet thrill of collecting tiny, often overlooked treasures.

Over the years, Janet has gathered a beautiful stash of china chips on dog walks and adventures. These small, patterned fragments were tucked away in her studio, occasionally decorating plant pots until one day she saw them with fresh eyes.
“I thought – I’d love that as a fabric.”

She laid the pieces out on a white background and photographed them, creating an almost tile-like composition. The final printed fabric is stunning and showcases the charm of these found objects in textile form.

Building a Beautiful Collection
But a fabric collection needs more than one showstopper. With Moda, Janet typically creates around seven coordinating designs, mixing:
Bold storytelling prints
Ditsy motifs
Stripes and florals
Useful low-volume prints and blenders

For “Larking”, she began pulling motifs from her china chips – teapots, sprigs, little floral flourishes – and transformed them into patterns. These designs were all painted by hand before being sent to Moda’s design team in Japan, who translated them into digital files for production.

A Collection Rooted in Blue

If you know Janet Clare’s work, you’ll know she has a soft spot for blue and “Larking” is no exception. The collection plays with beautiful tones that reflect the washed, weathered beauty of pottery worn smooth by time.

Janet’s designs always begin in her sketchbook, and she sends the entire book to the Moda team – not just to show the art but to share the full story behind each collection. It helps the designers understand the narrative, mood, and visual rhythm she’s aiming for.