Narrative is very important in my work and the story behind 'Squirrelled Away' came together very quickly. Early on in the design process I knew I wanted to create a playful Autumn collection and the cheeky squirrels in our local park were the perfect inspiration. Watching their antics as they prepared for winter during the chilly autumn days, I wanted this range to encapsulate an autumn day with the animals playing whilst foraging for food. Providing much entertainment on our dog walks, 'Squirrelled Away' was born from a poem I wrote, about the squirrels and their friends.
Under dappled skies and autumn sun,
dwell woodland creatures having fun.
Squirrel rogues and berry thieves,
play hide and seek beneath the trees.
As the crisp chill settles on the breeze,
the wind whips chasing dancing leaves.
Yellows, reds and golden brown;
twisting, twirling, tumbling down.
A tireless eternal game,
they momentarily set the ground aflame.
Camouflaging foraged treasure,
a last conserve for colder weather.
On slender branches bending low,
jewels of berries brightly glow.
Plucked and gathered fallen fruit,
mice conceal their cherished loot.
Cheeky squirrels run and leap,
preparing for their winters reap.
Shaking boughs until they drop,
gathering seeds then off they hop.
A mushroom marker to hide their stash,
no one to see the hidden cache,
except a spikey, snuffling friend,
who’s little paws will soon descend.
A worthwhile way to spend the day,
to find the riches squirrelled away.
Firstly I'd like to introduce to you 'A Squirrels Tale'. This design is available in 'Lavender', 'Cream', and 'Soft Mulberry Purple' and shows the stars of the collection climbing amongst the berries, eating fruits and playing with the thistledown. I wanted this collection to have a playful vibe, especially starting with the main design. Within several of the fabrics is a cheeky snail hiding, see how many times you can spot him.
Next I'd like you to meet 'Hide and Squeak'. This is one of my two secondary fabrics and it can be found in 'Pale Mushroom', 'Light Taupe' and 'Mauve Taupe'. It was aptly named by my daughter when I explained to her the squirrels, mice and hedgehogs were playing hide and seek in the leaves. I really wanted this fabric to convey a cheeky sense of fun with the animals hiding from each other as well as hiding their nuts and berries from sight. If you look closely the little snail has joined them in their game.
My second secondary fabric 'Berry Thief' comes in 'Light Taupe', 'Light Burnt Orange' and 'Moss Green'. In my poem the mice are the 'berry thieves' and if you look closely they are peeking out from behind the leaves waiting for their chance to sneak away some berries.
Finally meet my two co-ordinates 'Woodland Harvest' and 'Mushroom Medley'. I wanted 'Woodland Harvest' to be a collection of all the spoils my Autumn friends had gathered and 'Squirrelled Away.' I took inspiration from the fruits, berries and seeds of the season including all of the beautiful, vibrant colours in which they come in. This design can be found in 'Light Taupe', 'Moss Green' and 'Soft Mulberry Purple'.
'Mushroom Medley' was really inspired by the last paragraph of my poem:
'A mushroom marker to hide their stash,
no one to see the hidden cache,
except a spikey, snuffling friend,
who’s little paws will soon descend.'
I loved the idea of there being lots of similar mushrooms and the squirrels forgetting which mushroom they'd hidden their spoils under and even if they did remember it wouldn't be there any more because someone had already taken it. If you look closely you can also see the cheeky snail who has been hiding throughout the collection. 'Mushroom Medley' is available in 'Cream', 'Light Burnt Orange' and 'Burnt Orange'.
I really hope you have as much fun working with 'Squirrelled Away'' as I did designing it. I’d love to see everyone’s creations. Please tag me in any photos on Facebook and Instagram using #CassandraConnolly or @cass_connolly.
You can find 'Squirrelled Away' in all good fabric shops from July 2023. Enjoy!
Comments