A fall collaboration inspired by the wildlife that shares our pastures
When Taylor and I created our collaboration this spring, it felt like one of those projects that was meant to be. Our families have been connected in so many ways over the years, through our kids, 4-H, cattle, markets, and our shared love of handmade work. Bringing Taylor's appliqué art together with my grow with me lounge sweaters felt just right!
This fall, we are doing it again! And this time, we are looking beyond the cattle and farm animals that often come to mind when we think about pasture life.
Our fall collab collection is inspired by the wildlife that share the land around us. We've picked two that we absolutely love: foxes and bears!
A little bit of the wild in the pasture
When you spend as much time on the land as we do, you start to notice that the pasture is home to more than just cattle. Well-managed pastures can provide habitat for all kinds of wildlife. I love knowing that the land we use for our cattle is also being shared with the animals that call our pastures home.
We have had a pair of foxes winter in our straw bales for the last few years. It is such a delight when the kits show up in the spring. The parents often move them several times throughout the season to keep them safe from predators, so it always feels like a privilege when they choose a spot close to our home. We have been lucky enough to watch them from our sunroom windows throughout the summer, watching them play and grow. The parents keep busy, feeding them with rodents and birds. And the kits keep us entertained by balancing on logs and playing in brush piles. It is one of those everyday farm moments that feels pretty special and my favourite thing to enjoy over a morning cup of tea.
Bears are an animal I don't see nearly as often, but I see plenty of signs that let us know they are around. When we are out horseback riding in our pastures, we often come across scat along the trails. Sometimes we see berry trees that have been pulled down. Last year, my father-in-law observed a mama bear with three cubs on one of our pastures and watched them grow throughout the summer. As long as the bears aren't bothering our cattle, I have no problem knowing that they are living in our pastures.
And it is really quite a special feeling knowing that these animals are moving through the same landscape that we are working, riding, and raising our families on.
From the pasture to the sweater
For this fall collaboration, Taylor has created two new appliqué silhouettes: bears on warm rust-coloured sweaters and foxes on deep mossy green. The colours feel like fall to me, but the animals make these special and unique.
Just like in our spring collaboration, Taylor has created each appliqué by layering fabric and stitching the details by hand. The edges of the appliques have been left raw and they will soften and fray with wear, giving each piece its own character over time.
Taylor has sewn the appliques to the fronts of my grow with me lounge sweaters. And then I continued with sewing the sweaters together. My lounge sweaters feature extra length and long cuffs that allow them to grow! They will fit through three sizes as your child grows. I love that these beautiful sweaters are wearable art. And with the styles that grow, they will last so much longer than one season.
Made to be worn, loved and remembered
There is something I really love about putting handmade art on children's clothing. Children grow quickly, and clothing can be outgrown long before it feels worn out. These sweaters are made knowing you will be able to enjoy them longer.
The cuffs unfold and the extra length gives them room to grow, while the fabric softens with wear. Taylor's appliqué art can be enjoyed for ordinary days that make up childhood: playing outside on a crisp fall afternoon, taking a trip to the barn, wandering down a trail, or spending an afternoon in your yard.
A small fall collection
These fox and bear sweaters will only be available once this fall, so please shop early to avoid any disappointment. After this, my market season gets busy. I won't have the opportunity to have any more of these sweaters made once these small batches are gone. Taylor is busy with custom orders for TLC Pasture Pieces in her own shop as well, so these pieces are limited to what we were able to create together for this collection.
And, as with our first collaboration, each appliqué is made by hand, so no two pieces will be exactly alike. If you've been waiting for another piece from our collaboration, this is the one chance to add a fox or bear to your little one's wardrobe this fall.
And if you're wishing for a matching adult sweater, Taylor is happy to work with you on a custom piece in your size. Please reach out to her directly.
I love that this collaboration gives us another way to share a little piece of the place we call home, from the cattle in the pasture to the wildlife that share it with us.
I hope you love these pieces as much as we do. It's been so rewarding to work together with Taylor for this collaboration and to bring these beautiful pieces to life for you and your families to enjoy!