A New Yarn Tale: Mini Maiden

April 30, 20132 Comments

I recently paid a visit to Black Sheep Yarns in Port Moody, BC, specifically on a mission to purchase, and only purchase, a set of circular needles. Black Sheep is a beautiful shop and I love looking at just about everything each time I visit. As often happens, I was suckered into taking a new skein home with me. I tried to resist its charms, but like the Borg, resistance was futile.

As I tried to be virtuous, there was this skein… she was a vision amid all the lace and fingering weight yarn in the display. I tried to lap the shop a couple of time to shake her, but I kept coming back. Finally, I picked up the skein and I knew it was the deal was sealed.

And what tempted me so badly? It was a skein of fingering weight by Canadian company Handmaiden Fine Yarn. Specifically, it was a hand-dyed Mini Maiden variegated skein in the Sugarplum colourway. The colours were glorious, a deep magenta, gold, and palest blue-green. The yarn also had a wonderful sheen, and as suspected, the yarn is half silk, half wool. Perfect! I am a total sucker for silk in yarn, believe me.

I came home and I needed to play with this yarn (and yes, in case you’re wondering, I also purchased the needles I set out for). It was necessary. So I promptly made a nice ball of yarn.

I admired the yarn some more. It was delightfully soft. So soft!

Of course, by then I couldn’t just leave the yarn alone. A new design project came to mind… and it’s now incubating. I can’t wait to share the results with you soon.

I do wholeheartedly recommend picking up your own Mini Maiden to play with.

x Rena

Spring Beach Update… Err, Knitting Update

April 28, 2013Leave a comment

Crescent Beach on a crisp spring day.

I must get better at blogging more regularly. I promise I will. As is usually the case around here, things have been rather busy. But not too busy to get to my favourite beach for a walk or two. Getting outside and into nature always gives me new ideas, from colour to texture to shape.

A riot of tulips.

I saw a garden full of tulips that was an amazing sight to behold. Truly there were tulips in all the spring colours filling someone’s back garden. I was delighted. In the centre of the photo lies a very large anchor.

In another garden, an anemone was in bloom, looking gorgeous. I can’t see anemones without thinking of being in Greece, which was the first place I had ever seen anemones growing – and in the wild, too. I think this anemone has really inspired me in terms of colour this spring.

Also growing quietly in the same garden was a crop of mushrooms hidden behind daffodils. The mushrooms looked like they had been stretched and seemed somewhat mystical.

Despite the serious expression (honestly, I don’t really like having my photo taken), I really enjoyed the fresh walk earlier in the month. If you look closely, I’m wearing my sample for the new Granville Hat, which will be released in early May. The hat kept me warm against the beach breeze!

Granville has been been tended to by my lovely tech editor and my wonderful test knitters. I’m in love with the nearly anemone coloured alpaca yarn by DROPS that I used to knit up the sample. I promise to blog more about Granville for its release.

This photo is a clue for the secret project. Admire the Herdwick sheep.

My secret project is coming along well, too. I’ve finished the sample and the photography with the kind assistance of undisclosed helpers. The pattern is off to the tech editor and I’m aiming to release the hat mid-May. I’m pretty thrilled with the result.

The book project is also humming along. There will be a photoshoot or two in May to show all the pattern samples that will be in the book. I’m excited about this and trying to figure out some locations for the shots.

There’s always a few more things up my sleeve too. But in the meantime, enjoy the gorgeous spring out there.

x Rena

Spring Fever + Design Projects

April 4, 20132 Comments

Well, I think the spring fever has hit around here. I’m in love with all the blossoming and growing things.

There’s been a flurry of cleaning and organizing on the home front, and lots of work on the design front too. I have two hat designs for upcoming release this spring. One is a Top Secret project. Since it’s Top Secret, I can’t say much. Other than I’m super excited to be working with this company, hint hint. And I’ll be able to reveal what’s going on in a few short weeks, I promise.

The other spring project is in its final stages of pattern writing. Once she’s back from the tech editor, the hat will be ready for release within the next few weeks. Here’s a sneak peek…

The Granville Hat.

And the Granville Hat isn’t just a regular sort of hat. It’s a convertible hat. As in, the top goes down for the good weather, ha ha. Seriously, though, it does turn into a cowl…

The hat cinches up in the back with the most rock ‘n’ roll ribbons I could find, and the ribbons dangle nicely when Granville’s in cowl form (and do you like my sheepy t-shirt?). Granville has lots of texture and it’s a quick knit too. And it’s got plenty of style for you.

I have another, bigger, not quite as Top Secret project going on. I’ll let you in on that secret. It involves a manuscript and rhymes with ‘look’. I’m working on releasing several of my designs in booklet format, which is deep in the works right now. I can’t reveal too much more than that. I’m hoping for a release this summer, if all goes well. I always expect the unexpected with bigger projects.

I’ve also got several bigger designs in the works too. I’m working on some clothing designs in the pullover department, which will hopefully start to reveal themselves by summer to you. I think most designers usually have their fingers in lots of pie, which suits me fine because I love pie. And projects.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Fibres West 2013 held last month in Surrey, BC. I had a great time. There were lots of pattern sales and lots of blog readers and Ravelry followers stopped by and said kind things about my work. I was thrilled to hear, ‘Hey! I’ve seen your stuff on Ravelry!’ Awesome. You guys make me tingle, really and truly.

The only downside to the whole affair was that I caught a bugger of a cold that weekend and was laid out for about a week. But I’m mended now and back on the projects…

x Rena

Fibres West 2013

March 22, 2013Leave a comment

Today was set-up day for the vendors at Fibres West, and set up we did. That is, after I had a minor adventure finding the Cloverdale Show Barn where the show is being held, since I took a sneaky entrance onto the fair grounds.

Before too long, I’d set up my booth, ready for tomorrow. Knit patterns on display and ready to go. Ready for a good sleep before tomorrow!

x Rena

Getting Ready for Fibres West 2013

March 13, 2013Leave a comment

Apologies for the radio silence – things have been busy around here as spring approaches amid the Vancouver rain. Lots of projects are on the go and I’m busy getting ready for Fibres West on 22 and 23 March 2013, held at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in Surrey, BC. It’s hard to believe that the event is only 10 days away.

As for The Red Fox and Gown, work has been going on behind the scenes on getting my booth display prepared. Things are mostly together at this point, I’m happy to say. I’m excited to sell printed patterns (on heavyweight paper and kept in a plastic sleeve) at the show, with samples of the different projects on display at the table (guess which one is me below).

I have about 10 accessories patterns ready to go, including favourites such as the Sage Woodland Hood, Cloud Cowl, the Foxy Business Hat, and the Star Slouch Hat.

I’ve also helped out my sister Krista with her preparations for RainCityKnits’ booth for Fibres West too. I spent the afternoon yesterday helping out with her beautifully dyed yarns. I got to play with Babycakes (yay!) and her gorgeous electric coral yarn in worsted weight.

I’m so glad that the Vancouver area has two major fibre events per year, 6 months apart to keep you going. I’ll also be at Knit City 2013 in October. But there’s lots to come before then, with some mysterious pattern designs in the works, including garments as well as accessories. 🙂

Please stop by at The Red Fox and Gown booth at FIbres West and say hi!

x Rena

Where’s Benny the cat?: Yarn Inventory Day

January 6, 2013Leave a comment

I was cruising the Ravelry forums last night and there was a thread about flashing your yarn stash for the New Year. I thought, what a great idea to take stock of my yarn for designing. Even better, I can geek out and put an inventory list on the computer. I still haven’t gotten to that point though. But as you can see, I have enough yarn to cover most of a bed.

The yarn is stored away from the cats, Ben and Kiki. But like a moth to a flame…

His purr was huge, his judgement possibly even more huge…

Look at that expression!

x Rena

Knot Canadian Interview

January 4, 2013Leave a comment

I had the good fortune to meet Erin of Knot Canadian through Ravelry this past week. Amazingly, she wanted to interview me about The Red Fox and Gown. She had lots of really good questions that made me think, and think hard. Not only is she great with the questions, she’s a very quick elf – the interview is all polished up and already posted on her blog, Knot Canadian. If you’re curious about what we talked about over the internet, check out the interview! Thanks Erin!

x Rena

Happy New Year Foxes!

January 4, 2013January 5, 2013Leave a comment

Hello everyone and happy 2013 to you all! Best wishes for health, prosperity and good times in the New Year. Some of you may be regulars to the blog and others are new this year following the great Ravelry giveaway of 2013.

For those who don’t know, I had a free pattern offer on Ravelry on New Year’s Day. I was off to late start, and I decided to carry through the 2nd. I’m completely floored by the incredible response from Ravelers and I am so excited that so many people were inspired by the patterns to try them out and drop me a line to say thanks. You all are the best!

And also if you don’t know, there’s a new group for The Red Fox and Gown on Ravelry. Following the momentum of New Year’s, I’ve set up a series of knit-a-longs (KALs). Join the group to share updates about your progress, photos and more. I have plenty of news to share as the year goes on, so it’s a great place hang to know what’s happening with The Red Fox and Gown.

One of the exciting developments is the pending release of the Foxy Business Hat. It’s really soon, I promise! Thanks to all of the lovely test knitters who have done such an incredible job (and joining the group above may give you some insider leads if you want to test future RFG designs). Now I need to get through the last round of edits and she’ll be ready, no later than 15 January, promise.

Another new thing for a New Year… I’m steeling against my natural aversion to seeing myself on video or photos, but I will kick off a video blog (I’m sure there’s a much cooler name for it) this month for your entertainment and information. I’ll cover upcoming news and designs, RFG events, reviews, random stories and even bits of history about fibre. I hope you’ll stick around and join the fun.

Red Fox and Gown – Video Podcast 1. Introduction and where to find us on the web.

x Rena

Foxy Business Hat: Sneak Peek

December 5, 2012Leave a comment

It’s been a productive week! I’ve fnished up the Foxy Business Hat this morning and here she is in a sneak peek. The alpaca fibre hat features cozy ear flaps and white pompoms at the end of the ear flap braids… you’ll have to wait to see those babies! But check out those lovely fox ears in the meantime! The hat will be coming soon to Ravelry and Etsy, I promise.

x Rena

Bunny ring

November 20, 20122 Comments

Today I made… a bunny ring!

x Rena