Jo Carter from Two Owls Design on her career as toy designer

But Jo Carter’s boys simply have to persuade their mum to go to her studio at the bottom of the garden.

The former Penketh High student has what some youngsters might call a dream job as a soft toy designer.

With more than 20 years of experience, Jo has designed patterns for factory production, sewing magazines and has even demonstrated on shopping TV.

The Grappenhall resident makes all her designs from home to create kits for a variety of skill levels

But the lockdown has finally given her the chance to put in action something she has been thinking about for a long time – launching her own online store.

Jo now sells original soft toy kits and patterns and has found that sewing not just for a job but as a hobby has helped her cope with the day-to-day stresses of the pandemic.

The Grappenhall resident’s webshop has also become an instant hit which she thinks is partly to do with people looking for new outlets during the lockdown periods.

Through her company – Two Owls Design – people can buy soft toy kits for any skill level, including total beginner.

Jo Carter in her soft toy studio pictured by Dave Gillespie

Jo said: “I think this sort of thing has been gaining in popularity, especially following the Great British Sewing Bee on TV.

“But definitely lockdown has been a factor with people looking for new things to occupy their time and learn new skills while they were stuck at home.

“Making anything with your hands somehow makes you feel better.

“I think it relieves stress because it takes all your focus so it takes away any distracting thoughts and can be quite soothing.

Jo Carter in her soft toy studio

“It is satisfying as you can see the results almost immediately.

“It’s the first time I’ve done direct sales and one of the reasons people like it is because it’s just me.

“If people get stuck on things they’ll just drop me a message. It’s good having that connection with customers.”

Jo, mum-of-two to Aidan, 13, and Rowan, 10, also offers free downloadable patterns for people to get a taste of what she does and has made a bear pattern aimed at total beginners.

Jo Carter in her soft toy studio

She added: “Sometimes you can come to a project and find it a bit intimidating so I did a really simple pattern so people can give it a try and see if it is for them.

“My son Aidan tested it. He was 12 at the time and I gave him the instructions and some fabric to see if he could make it and he did a really good job of it.

“My youngest son Rowan is really good at coming up with names for them. If they want something, they’ll just say to me: ‘Can you make me this?’”

These days Jo cannot imagine doing anything else but she actually fell in soft toy design by accident.

Jo Carter in her soft toy studio

Jo, who also sews her own quilts, said: “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at university. I wanted to do a creative degree but couldn’t make my mind up so I took a temp job.

“The company I was working at got taken over by a company called Furrytails and they trained me up so I came into it by accident really.

“I started off working on promotional soft toys. Andrex was one of the most recognisable brands that Furrytails worked with on some puppy soft toy patterns.”

It has become more than just a job since then.

Jo Carter in her soft toy studio

Jo, who grew up in Penketh, added: “When I worked for factory production I didn’t really sew as a hobby but when I had kids I wanted to make things for them as well.

“Now I do it all the time and it’s nice because lots of people send me pictures once they’ve made a kit of their child or grandchild with it. It’s lovely.

“I know the long connections people can make with soft toys – I’ve still got a white teddy bear from when I was two.”

Having her own studio in Grappenhall has also kept things on an even keel for Jo during the challenges of lockdown.

She said: “It’s nice having my own space and hear the birds in the trees. It’s quite relaxing.

“It’s good to have it outside and it provided a break from whatever else was going on during the lockdown such as home schooling.”

For more information or to view Jo’s shop visit twoowlsdesign.co.uk