About Janice

Quietly refined objects in wool and porcelain. Designed to last.

I’m Janice Brower, maker, designer, and owner of Janice Creative. I live in Indiana with my husband, Jeff, and work from my home studio creating pieces in wool and porcelain.

I grew up in a large, loving family in Colorado and learned to knit as a young girl. I later studied English Literature and Art History at the University of Colorado, Boulder. After graduating, Jeff and I married, and I worked for several years while he completed graduate school.

When we started our family, I chose to devote my time to raising our two daughters at home. During those years, creativity remained a constant part of my life. I maintained an active knitting practice and gradually began developing my skills in pottery as well.

As the girls grew, I devoted more time to building my skills in both ceramics and fiber art. I learned the art of needle felting and spent many hours fulling (wet felting) my knitted designs, exploring how knitted wool could be shaped and sculpted through this process. 

I have had a knitting project on my needles for most of my adult life, sometimes creating commissioned pieces while continuing to develop my own designs. Over time I began selling both my knitted work and porcelain ceramics at local art fairs and beyond. Before long, what began as personal creative work quietly grew into a small business. 

 

My Craft

Today I divide my time between textiles and ceramics.

My wool pieces begin as deliberately oversized forms knit in 100% wool. They are then fulled and shaped, condensing the fabric into a dense material that can be sculpted into refined forms. Designing these pieces requires thinking several steps ahead, anticipating how the fabric will transform as it is worked and finished. Some of my designs also incorporate needle felting.

In clay, I create wheel-thrown, hand-built, and slip-cast porcelain. My work focuses on balanced forms, quiet surfaces, and clean lines. The pieces often appear simple, but achieving that simplicity requires careful design and control of the material.

Across both mediums I am drawn to objects that feel calm and enduring. One of my early knitted backpack prototypes has been in regular use for more than fifteen years and still looks nearly new, a small reminder of how satisfyingly durable a well-crafted 100% wool object can be. 

A Creative Path

Over the years I have continued to build my skills wherever life has taken me.

While living abroad during Jeff’s sabbaticals, I sought out opportunities to learn from artists and craftspeople. In Cologne I studied Continental-style knitting, expanding beyond the English method I originally learned. In Kyoto I explored Sashiko and Kintsugi, traditions that emphasize patience, repair, and the beauty of careful work.

After settling in Indiana, I studied ceramics at Purdue University while continuing to build my own studio at home. In nearby Peru, Indiana, I also studied machine knitting.

From 2015 to 2024 I owned and operated a paint-your-own-pottery business. During those years, I also taught knitting and needle felting classes in the community. After selling that business, I chose to focus fully on producing my own work and publishing my knitting patterns.

In the Shop

Here you will find small-batch shop updates that include:

• Finished wool pieces
• Porcelain ceramics
•  Downloadable PDF knitting patterns
  • Including detailed written instructions along with links to short video tutorials that help guide makers through each step of the pattern

Each of my products reflects years of study, refinement, and practice. I work primarily with natural wool and porcelain because they are materials that hold their structure, age beautifully, and reward careful craftsmanship.

My goal is to create thoughtful, well-made objects that bring quiet beauty to everyday life and remain part of a home for many years.

Janice