Kniting as art: The flat fox

In September 2013, one of my Ravelry groups that I play knitting in cyberspace with, challenged each other to produce a knitted wall hanging over a couple of months. We had a couple of sample patterns to inspire us. We all had a go but overall it stretched a few of us out of our comfort zone. Prolific knitters we certainly are. Creative thinkers outside the square maybe not so much.

But it sparked something in the back of my weird little brain that I think has enormous potential as: (a) a great way to stashbust some yarn, (b) a potential way to do something creative with that stack of swatches many knitters generate, (c) a cool way to sample stitch patterns you love but without having to commit to a full garment and (d) a unique and cheap way to creat original artwork to decorate your walls. I’ve had a number of ideas about how to do this percolating in the back on my mind for quite a while and it seemed like a great opportunity to finally stop thinking and start doing.

This I what I started with: 

My idea all began with this fox square. The pattern for the fox picture comes from Knit Today issue 81 January 2013 and is is from a bag pattern called Urban Fox. I’m pretty sure that this is the pattern that made me buy the magazine originally. One of my eldest daughter’s friends is absolutely obsessed with all things fox and I thought it would make a good present for her. Turns out its going to be part of a piece of urban man cave decor.

So this is to go on the walls of my boy’s man cave to go with the taxidermy stuffed animal heads he is creating. (There are a lot of dismembered moose and deer stuffed toys in my house currently waiting for the woodworkers to finish varnishing their plaques).

Then I decided to frame the fox with a series of strips and squares in the cream/fawn wool of the background used for the fox. I took the opportunity to play with some patterns that have caught my eye (or appeal to the boy).

Strip 1: The leaf pattern used in the free scarf/stole/shawl pattern Physalis by Anna Kuduja. Knitted leaves are such fun to make.

 

Square 2: The Tardis from Bigger on the Inside from Knitty Spring + Summer 2012 by Kate Atherley. (The boy is a missive Doctor who fan).

Square 3: Lace pattern from Friday Night In Jacket by Amanda Jones from Simply Knitting Issue 102. I'm really having a bit of geometric lace phase at the moment.

And here's where the cool bit of the idea for this artwork really comes in. I decided that in order to make this a picture I wasn't going to go the traditional wall hanging route by adding a backing or edging and some sort of hanging rod to the top. I decided to use my knitted fabric to stretch over a purchased canvas.

So then I had to knit two long stocking stitch strips, one for each edge to wrap around the picture frame. I also knitted a small section of stocking stitch onto the top of the Tardis square to make this strip the same length as the others.

Assembly: I bought a pre-stretched canvas frame from our local Warehouse. (Cost $12 for three - they are about 55 cm high by 45 cm wide). I sewed all pieces together to make a large square. I blocked the individual pieces before sewing them together. Steam pressed a few stubborn seams flat. Stretched the knitted piece over the frame. On the long edges it is long enough to wrap right around the frame and tuck under. Enlisted help of the head of the household to staple the piece to the frame around the back using a staple gun. Folded knitted piece carefully at the corners and stitched in place along folds before stapling for extra security. I’d show you the back but it’s messy. Added a string across the frame about 1/3 way down for hanging.

So, I’m proud of this. Proof of concept established. I think this would work great with swatches too. A million ideas dancing in my head (and I still have two more canvases). Stay tuned.

 

(Sorry about the wide variety of colours in these photos. The yarn  I used to make this is the most frustrating wool to photograph even close to its true colour and it depends too on whether I photograph under artificial light or not. It's closest to creamish warm fawn with an undertone of grey).

F is for Foxes

The all time most popular post on my blog is How to Wear a Dead Fox (up to about 70 hits a week). This was a collection of all the amazing handmade flat fox scarves I found when searching for material for a post about a fox scarf I'm creating.

I love foxes, and not just flat wearable ones. Here a a few of my favourite handmade foxes from out there on the incredible interwebs.

Handmade ones can be incredibly realistic: from fake taxidermy like this guy by Natasha Fadeeva.

Or they can be flat cartoon-like animals like this one from Sarah Carr

Or they can be incredible cute Like Foxy Loxy by Roman Sock. (Follow the link to purchase the pattern for this gorgeous amigurumi).

or Crafty Alien's Felted Fox (available as a kit and part of the original backyard creatures collection. There is also a crochet version).

And finally, Intrepid Fox By Ella Austin. He comes as a kit to make him with all the beautiful hand dyed wool. I have the pattern for him (but not the kit) and he's on my to do list.

You can decorate your house with fox cushions.
Here's Herbert and Friend's incredibly cute Flying Fox Cushion.

Or Donna Wilson's awesome knitted fox cushions.

Or this Sass and Peril Screen-printed and fox shaped cushion.

Or you can wear your fox as a handbag.
A Fox Felt bag from Kew Botanic gardens Shop

Or a Fox Back Pack by Skip Hop

Or a Fox Ipad Case made in felt by BoutiqueID (Isabelle Dansereau) in Canada. She also makes the same design to fit phones, kindles or laptop computers. Santa I want one! Hint, Hint!

Or you can wear your fox on a jumper / sweater / pullover (insert correct word deending on where in the world you're reading this). Here's just a really brief selection to get you started.
Mr Fox sweater by Hobbs UK

Or a Girl Fox Jumper by John Lewis

Aubin and Willis Portland Fox jumper

Foxy Jumper from Jay Jays.

Cos after all foxes are known to be smart, clever, wily and hard to catch. Here's my Gradu-Fox to finish off this post. To read all about him and his friends see A Menagerie of Gradu-animals

How to wear a dead fox

I have vivid picture memories my Oma (my Dad's mum) wearing her Sunday Best, a tailored wool coat and a fox fur scarf. I'm not fond of real fox furs, the musty small of vintage fur and those fake glass beady eyes always put me off. However, I've always thought the concept is cool.

Oma (second from left) wearing the dead fox at Mum and Dad's wedding

Here are some of the best knitted dead foxes out there that I've found recently. 

Knitted fox scarf. Made by Eugenia Kim and available through Anthropologie. (Unfortunately they are sold out).

 

Nina Furher Uniques Knitwear

Pattern available from the Etsy store Pretty Flamingo

This is by an Australian Fashion label called TV.

By English Designer Donna Wilson

Knitted and Felted animal scarves by Mia Underwood

Crochet fox scarf pattern from Esty store Bees Knees Knittin

And finally two free dead foxes to knit for yourself:
From Katie Boyette at Caffaknitted,  The Stone Cold Fox Scarf.

 And from Knitty Magazine, The Vegan Fox.

 My dead fox is still a long time work in progress (about 10 years or so). The design genesis comes from three sources both predating all the foxes I've since found on the internet.

The first was a visit about 10 years or so ago to the Royal Melbourne Show. The Head of the Household and I were looking at the prize winning knitting exhibits (especially the knitted toys and novelties) and I said I could do better (there was an overabundance of Jean Greenhouse dolls and toys which seems to be the knitted toy designer of choice for the over 80 knitting brigade). So he dared me to try.

The second was a pattern for a knitted tiger scarf which I had made. This comes from an early pattern book written by Debbie Bliss for Hayfield Yarn. (And I've just realized that that this is yet another knitted cat-like creature inhabiting my house).

As well as the tiger scarf there is a knitted bear and crocodile scarf.

Tiger in the grass

I think his tail looks like the keys on a piano

Close up of the tiger face

The third inspiration was some yarn from my stash. One ball in particular reminded me so much of a foxes tail. Another ball was foxy colours. Eyelash yarn had just become popular and one day I found some in a junk shop the exact red orange of a foxes coat. So I knitted the head and tail. I'm still working on the body...

Inspirational fox wool

A fox in progress

Foxy's Head: Needs a tongue and possible some wicked teeth

Foxy's tail

The reverse of the knitted body piece. It is actually a random mix of three different yarns knitted singly.

I should finish this someday. Dead knitted foxes appear to be trendy at the moment.

Jo-ann