We’re due for a BIG catch-up post! Since the baby arrived, I have fallen behind on a couple things… one of them being doing the monthly reveal for the Club colourways. But here, I want to show off the past several months…
October 2013: Autumn Wind
Dyed on our Superwash Merino + Nylon fibre base and our Tough Love Sock, this one was inspired by a poem…
“The Autumn Wind is a pirate
Blustering in from sea
With a rollicking song he sweeps along
Swaggering boisterously…”
— from the poem “The Autumn Wind”, Steve Sabol, 1974
The beginning of fall means all sorts of things — a new school year, a switch from flip-flops to boots, an apple butter canning frenzy… and in our household, it means the start of the football season. My husband has been a lifelong devotee of the Oakland Raiders, and their unofficial anthem “The Autumn Wind” is played in our house continuously in the weeks leading up to the first game of the year. I actually love this poem because it’s the personification of an Autumn Wind as a gristled and nefarious buccaneer who shakes the trees and “robs them of their gold”. I love the imagery of the autumn wind stealing all the leaves from the landscape and leaving us with winter. While the Raiders are decked out in silver and black, I chose this colourway to reflect the elegant decay of leaves… with a slightly chilly, sombre vibe.
November 2013: Wild Turkey (Grace Verhagen)
Wild Turkey (November 2013 Club Colourway) on Panda Sock
Wild Turkey (November 2013 Club Colourway) on BFL+Silk
We knew the baby would arrive some time in November, making it difficult for me to create the November colourway. I had been talking with Grace about creating a colourway for the club and she had been inspired by a family Thanksgiving. Here’s what she said:
“Here in Canada, Thanksgiving has already brought our families together and put pumpkin pie on the table. But our neighbours to the south celebrate this festive holiday in November as the weather chills and the nights become longer. Wild Turkey encompasses the warm, bold colours I crave to work with this time of year. It also pays homage to the most traditional of Thanksgiving beasts. I was inspired by the way the light played with the feathers of the heritage turkeys at my aunt’s farm this fall. My visit included photographing the hand-raised animals, enjoying the delicious seasonal vegetables from the garden, and immersing in the friendly chatter of a kitchen full of family. I want to capture the colours of love, hot drinks and timeless tradition.”
December 2013: Marju (Liisa Nieminen)
Marju on Falkland wool
Liisa returned to Finland at the end of November, anxiously waiting to see if there would be an opportunity for her to come back to Canada. December was quiet and contemplative for her and she wanted the chance to share that with our club members. She wanted to design and dye this month and we used Falkland wool and Superwash Sock. She writes:
“Inspired by a great personal journey and named after a beautiful friend far away.
At the dead of winter a quiet flicker of light keeps our hearts warm. For me the long hours of darkness are a time for reflection and contemplation, but also togetherness and profound gratitude. While we can’t always know where life decides to take us, in its wisdom it has guided us through another year that has shaped us, refined us and elevated us to something greater — and ultimately, brought us closer to each other. Marju is a quiet celebration of friendship, grace and new life, springing from the most humble of origins and lighting up our souls forever.”
January 2014: Night Owl
January 2014 Club Colourway: Night Owl on BFL+Silk
Before the baby was born, I bought a onesie with a sweet little embroidered owl with the words “Little Night Owl”. Little did I know what I was in for! This colourway, Night Owl, is inspired by the past two months of wakeful nights, deep indigo midnight skies, and watching the moon go down and the sun come up on many a cold winter morning. Dyed on one of my favourites — BFL+Silk fibre and also on Silk Crush yarn. I have intentions to eventually make this into a nice ombré yarn.
February 2014: Love Letters
Love Letters on Merino Bamboo Silk
Dyed on Merino Bamboo Silk and CashLuxe Fine, we always do a little Valentine’s colourway for February… Inspired by Pantone’s new colour of the year, “Radiant Orchid”, this sweet little colourway, Love Letters, reminds me of the innocent days before texting and snapchat. Ink-scrawled notes passed back and forth in class and via highschool lockers. Tiny packages of milk chocolate kisses and cinnamon hearts. Trepidatious steps into young love and new crushes.
March 2014: Winter Thaw
Winter Thaw on Superwash BFL
We can’t show this one to you in all it’s full colourful glory yet… some of our club members are still waiting for their packages! But we’ll update this at the end of the month…
Winter Thaw. Is it time for all that snow to fade away and the promised spring weather to arrive? Usually winter in Vancouver can be challenging to the spirits, with grey, rainy days persisting for so long. This year, we seem to be lucky with bluebird skies and greenery breaking through the cold soil already. Celebrate the transition to spring with this clear and bright new colourway.
That’s it for now! Want to join in the fun? We are starting up the next series of Club memberships in April. Sign-ups will be open until March 31! Come join the Club and you’ll receive a package of sock yarn or spinning fibre each month in a new, unique colourway.
