Meet the Team

These are the wonderful people behind the products that Briar Patch proudly brings to you.

Owner/Founder/Knitter/Crocheter/Maker
Janette Osborne

+64 21 890 933 Email Janette
Janette Osborne
Owner/Founder/Knitter/Crocheter/Maker
I started my career as a secretary, and worked my way up to typewriter and computer sales in both Wellington and London. At 24 I returned to full time study and qualified as an accountant. I worked as a management accountant in a range of private and government entities before going out on my own and establishing Briar Patch.

In addition to all things natural in knitting and crochet yarns I have also undertaken contract work for various organisations in the areas of management accounting, due diligence and risk management. In recent years I have been working in governance roles. As a Chartered Director I have held roles as company director and chair in the wool industry. I am currently an elected trustee on our local electricity consumer trust and also an elected Rural Councillor on our local Waitomo District Council.

I also provide hands on help on the farm when needed and save Kim from the mountains of paperwork and compliance that continue to evolve with sheep and beef farming.

In my "spare" time I love to knit, crochet and sew and love getting together with other knitters at our local knitting groups.
Farmer/Shearer/Fencer/Builder/Plumber
Kim Osborne
Kim Osborne
Farmer/Shearer/Fencer/Builder/Plumber
As well as being my wonderful husband, Kim is the all-round doer! He is out there every day looking after his 5,500 sheep - no matter what the weather - rain, wind or sunshine.

He has been farming at Te Toko Station since 1984. Back in the 80s when times were tough and interest rates were 20% plus Kim also worked off farm shearing and fencing, bringing all his wages back to the farm to make sure his parents didn't lose what they had worked so hard for.

He is also pretty proficient with a tractor and digger as well as being outstanding making anything out of wood.

Kim is incredibly proud when he sees a photo of something created out of the wool he has grown and also really enjoys meeting keen knitters and crocheters at Wool festivals. Those of you who visited Woolfest in Auckland may well have been entertained by Kim's description of how hemp yarn is made.
Founder Hana Ceramics
Hannah Osborne-Allen
Hannah Osborne-Allen
Founder Hana Ceramics
Hannah Osborne is a former New Zealand rower and Olympic silver medallist from the Tokyo Games. During her time in the team she became drawn to pottery and the hands-on process of creating something functional from raw materials.

She started Hana Ceramics as a way to explore this interest more seriously. Her work is grounded in simple, practical design, often influenced by natural textures and forms. Each piece is made by hand in small batches, with a focus on durability, balance, and everyday use.

Hannah has a degree in Environmental Planning made possible after receiving the Prime Minister's Scholarship through her rowing career, which supported her university studies and ceramics courses.

She works from her home studio near Cambridge, with her husband Anthony- a former NZ rower; and their daughter Lily. Currently on maternity leave, Hannah continues to make pottery, finding inspiration in the slower rhythm of life.
Hemp for Knitting Founder/Owner/Designer
Lana Hames
Lana Hames
Hemp for Knitting Founder/Owner/Designer
Lana is the wonderful creator of the Hemp for Knitting range of yarn and the designer of the amazing range of knitting patterns for each of the different types of yarn.

It all started in 1997 when Lana attended Stitches West for the first time. She knew she had found "her people". Lana returned home inspired to somehow make hemp textiles a business. It took 3 years of planning, designing and research. In 2000 Lanaknits Designs Hemp for Knitting was launched.

Lanaknits is based in downtown Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. Lanknits website is www.lanaknits.com If there are products on Lana's website that Briar Patch doesn't currently import but you think we should - please let us know at admin@briarpatch.co.nz
The Woven - Founder and Designer
Michelle Joy
Michelle Joy
The Woven - Founder and Designer
Michelle is the founder and creative behind The Woven Co. She founded her business on love, back in 2015 - a love for knitting, a love for wool and a love for community, fun and adventure! Here we are 10 years in, and she is so proud to still be 100% a New Zealand business! Michelle's great quest is to share the joy of knitting, colour, creativity and take our incredible NZ fibres to the world. She hopes you'll enjoy her world of fun easy designs, gorgeous natural fibres and fresh colours to make your heart sing!
Adventurer, Writer and Illustrator - Alfredo & Thor
Pip Bowker-Napp
Pip Bowker-Napp
Adventurer, Writer and Illustrator - Alfredo & Thor
Pip has called Waitomo home for most of the past 10 years, with a few adventures and travels woven in along the way. She loves the area for its warm, tight-knit community, her incredible (and slightly crazy) group of friends, and the stunning, peaceful landscape that surrounds it. A lifelong lover of picture books and a keen illustrator, Pip has always been drawn to creative storytelling. Combining her passion for drawing with her love of writing, this book has been a joyful project from start to finish - from the first words to the final illustrations and everything in between.
Creative, Poet, Writer, Photographer - Co-Founder A Great Backyard
Brydie Walker Bain
Brydie Walker Bain
Creative, Poet, Writer, Photographer - Co-Founder A Great Backyard
Brydie is a high country poet from Waitomo Caves, a published playwright, and a keen eye behind the lens. When she's not organising weddings or adventuring through the bush with her boys, she's crafting poetry and capturing the beauty of Aotearoa with her camera. Her debut poetry book, The Windwhistle Gate, is a stunning collection of poems paired with breathtaking New Zealand photography, taken by both Brydie and her husband, Corin. A beautiful gift for anyone seeking inspiration, comfort, or a touch of magic. Brydie's work has featured in the Dominion Post, Stuff, and Calico Publishing. Her writing explores themes from motherhood and grief to the beauty of everyday life, earning her a loyal following on Substack and social media. She has been shortlisted for the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award, and her plays have been performed in Hamilton, Auckland, and London. Find The Windwhistle Gate under Gifts & More - New Zealand Books. Find more of Brydie and Corin's work at their own A Great Backyard website at www.agreatbackyard.co.nz