Full Circle – The Spark of Inspiration

Every so often someone crosses your path who quietly changes how you see what’s possible.

For me, that person was Claire Montgomerie.

I met Claire about twenty years ago, when my life was gently unravelling and reforming. I was newly divorced, starting again, trying to imagine what a creative, independent life might look like. Claire was young, confident, and living it — working in Loop, a trendy yarn shop in North London.

She wasn’t my knitting teacher (my mum taught me when I was three), but she showed me something I hadn’t realised was allowed: that craft could be central, not secondary.

I didn’t tell her any of this at the time. Life moved on; the memory stayed.

Looking back now, I can see that moment planted a seed.


One small spark that would, years later, grow into a completely different life — full of yarn, learning, and the quiet satisfaction of helping other people find their own creative footing.

We never know which chance encounters will become turning points. Sometimes they just need twenty years to reveal themselves.

Nessa