My day in cups of tea

We asked anatomical embroiderer Cath Janes to tell us about her day in cuppas – and how her unusual business began from her hospital bed

Morning! What’s your first cuppa of the day?

It's actually a proper coffee, but I don’t make it until my daughter's left for school. The first sip is pure joy. Right, down to work, what do you do exactly?

I hand embroider human anatomy and medical illustrations. It’s pretty niche. I work from my sewing shed which means I have a five-metre commute. The first few hours are all about admin then I start stitching my latest commission. Niche indeed! How did it all start? Bored by hospital stays, I started embroidering while recovering from several surgeries to help rectify my Bell’s Palsy (facial paralysis). I had a lightbulb moment when I realised that muscle fibres looked like satin stitches. My surgeon offered to buy it and I knew I was onto something.

Elevenses! The kettle's on – what would you like?

As it’s morning, a breakfast tea does the job. No sugar, and so much milk that it horrifies most people.

Do you trust others to make it the way you like it? Nobody makes my weak and horrifying tea like I do. We’ll leave it to you then! How about lunch?

I’ll usually have eggs scrambled up with veg, a stir-fry or tuna mayo on toast, all while reading the newspaper. Sounds delish. What awaits in the afternoon?

The afternoons are all about the stitching. I pretty much fall down an embroidery rabbit hole.

Has a strong tea ever helped you in a crisis? Absolutely. I have a history of depression and 13 years ago I had a serious breakdown following severe PND and PTSD. I still have days of anxiety and flashbacks, and a cuppa forces me to slow down the panic.

The power of tea. What's your last cup of the day? Peppermint tea. I have mint plants all over my garden, so I pick the leaves and pop them in an infuser.