As some of you already know, I will be launching a yarn line this fall. Next week, I’ll be flying out to to Columbus to represent St-Denis in the Classic Elite Yarns booth at TNNA. I’ve been at it for while, hence the cryptic and sporadic blog posts. For those of you who are interested, here’s the story:

I embarked on this adventure approximately a year and a half ago, with the encouragement of friends and family. At that point, I only knew a few things beyond wanting my own yarn line: somehow, it needed to manifest a certain viewpoint which centers around craft, inspiration and timelessness. A sort of ‘I’ll know it when I see it’ idea – that would only really come together with the right ingredients.

The word ‘ingredients’ is actually quite apt to describe what St-Denis is all about. As I began to gather elements that both interested and inspired me, things and concepts associated with cooking began to assume a greater role. My mother, Renee St-Denis, had been somewhat of a hippie and her influence on my life persists long after her death (30 years ago yesterday, incidentally). I don’t remember her to be particulalry domestic but I do remember her attempts at winemaking (that didn’t go so well), juicing and yogurt making. In keeping with my upbringing, my interest in cooking centered not so much around luxury ingredients and complicated preparation, but more around basic ingredients of good quality, and inventive cuisine.

And so, with these ideas swirling about my head, it became obvious that a publication would be an essential part of the concept. It would be possible to showcase not only the work of contemporary knitwear designers, but also the work of artisans in the community at large: the writers and artists who regard fiber as their medium. As the basic element in this recipe, the yarn would have to have certain qualities and meet certain expectations before it could become a suitable candidate. It was then that Pam introduced me to someone as dedicated and passionate to the process of spinning the yarn, as we were to knitting with it.

(to be continued)