Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Category: Commercial Designs

  • Expanding My World

    Expanding My World

    I have been blogging off and on for about fifteen years or thereabouts. My first blog was simply called LeTissier Designs. It was great until I tried to monetize it and destroyed the work a friend had put into it for me. I sort of gave up on the idea for a while. The blog is still out there.

    Expanding my world is my retirement project. Yes I am still working, but 1 day less a week. Expanding my digital world was me making sure I was always involved and interested in the world of designing, knitting and yarn. And doing so in a meaningful modern way!

    Some of my initial shots of the Victorian Falls Wrap that were the basis of the LeTissier Designs blog site background and my winning pattern for Magic of Mohair in 2011. It was handpainted with dyes in a gorgeous blend of silk and mohair.

    So a few years ago I started this blog. It is a little more about me and less about the knitting, though really the two are so intertwined it is hard to pull one from the other.

    How do these fit together?

    Well about 7 months ago I heard of a new site being developed, something to make being a small independent designer a little easier. So I started to look into it. And was introduced to GoSadi, a centralized site designed to help whomever was registered organize and share their patterns across other selling channels. This site is in the testing stage and I am testing it out.

    So far I am very impressed. Just so you know, this is an unsolicited Rave about my new thing.

    Next year the site goes live and right now they are looking for makers to join and test out the features. It would be similar to Ravelry in that there would be pages for your faves and your projects but the groups would be smaller and people more connected – sort of like Ravelry in the early days. I am less familiar with this aspect of the site. But if they do it as well as they have for the Designers I am thinking that it may be the next big thing in knitting.

    This site does not replace Ravelry or Etsy or a personal website. It simply makes it easier for the designer, me to share my pattern across other websites. And you the knitter to find and keep track of the designers work your love.

    For example I now have an Etsy site – it is about 4 weeks old and I am thrilled. I joined Etsy 10 years ago with the intention of learning how to sell on it! Well that never happened. And here I am selling patterns! Well only a couple so far! But this is a new audience, many of whom have never seen me or my patterns before! And it was easy, so much earlier than I expected.

    So here I am, a technical luddite – but smart enough to take the help and expand my world. GoSadi isn’t free, but it isn’t expensive either and the help provided has been worth every penny. They have opened up new avenues of opportunity. I have an opportunity to send a couple of samples to a Vogue Knitting Event and another opportunity to participate in a Christmas Event with Marly Bird, all because of the new connections.

    Today I added a pattern to Ravelry and 5 minutes later it was up on Etsy! My new pattern is the Abbreviated Vest – a short and sassy vest. A quick and easy knit.

    AI version of my initial sketch of the Abbreviated Vest
    Abbreviated Vest on me!

    So my digital world is growing and I am finding uses for it I had never every conceived of. I hope that all of this keeps on being fun and keeps me young in mind and heart.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Quickie Update

    Quickie Update

    It is time to start thinking about Christmas Knitting. I made a few of these Shetland Stars last year. I think that I will knit some more this year.

    Well I am at that point where a decision needs to be made! I have enough yarn to cast-off nicely or I need another ball to make a bigger shawl.

    I am really leaning towards another ball. Right now I am at about 12 inches wide and about 5 feet long, without minor blocking. I really do not want to block it at all! I will lose all of that glorious texture – so make it bigger so I do not have to block at all!

    While I have been considering my options – I was also knitting the November Hat for the Year of Hats. Meet Bobbity, especially created for Angie who really wanted to learn how to knit bobbles! I think this will fit the bill!

    Bobbity was knit with Estelle Yarns Highland Alpaca Tweed Chunky. A lovely alpaca/wool blend chunky, new this year.

    This morning we went for a walk around Neck Point Park. It was the perfect morning, perfectly clear skies and a gleaming sun reflecting off the water. Neck Point has long been one of my favourite walks. We lived close to it when we first moved to to town, 35 years ago. It wasn’t even an official park then. I used to take the kids there when they were little and we would have picnics. Such a beautiful place.

    I hope that you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving Day as well1

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Off the Cuff

    Off the Cuff

    Gloves

    Gloves are sexy.  Gloves are demure.

    Gloves are practical. 

    Gloves are glamorous.  Gloves are prim.

    Gloves have been a fashion statement for centuries.

    Gloves have been designed to reveal and conceal.  Jewelry was designed and sized to wear over them.  Gloves are what we wear to be “seen”!

    Gloves for a knitter are a perfect project.  They are small projects and therefore very portable, much like socks, the common choice for an easy to travel with project.  Best of all, unlike socks, gloves are seen immediately when worn.  They can showcase a knitter’s skills and interests.

    There are not many garments that we wear that can be said to reflect such diverse aspects of our individual psyches’.

    Once you learn how to knit the glove hand – the back, palm, thumb and fingers – then there is the cuff.

    When you start to knit gloves, the cuff is kept simple, after all learning all the small points of glove construction are the main points of difference between gloves and mittens. That is where to focus needs to be. There are bridges and forchettes (french for small gusset) in gloves! And fingers, they appear small and fiddly – but a finger only takes about 20min to knit!

    I started to knit gloves because, well, I couldn’t find a commercial glove to fit my non standard hand. I have broad palms and short fingers. Gloves that worked for my fingers would never go over my palm, and gloves that fit my palm would leave me with an inch of extra fingers. I always wanted gloves that fit me, therefor I learned to knit gloves.

    Once I learned to knit gloves – I started to play with the cuffs of gloves!

    What wonderful small places to add so many interesting details! And for a while there was no stopping the experimentation! There were many more ideas tried and quite often ripped out because the idea didn’t work. You can see that beads played a prominent role in my glove designs. Gloves were meant to showcase jewelry and the hands of the people that wore them! And why not knit in our own bling!

    Above is a selection of glove possibilities….  A couple of which you will see below as finished designs. The others are waiting to be redesigned or finished.

    Below is a selection of Glove patterns that I have designed and either published myself or had published by others.

    Chihuly Chevron Gloves, Turtle Flower Gauntlets, Ronas Hill Heathers, Tiny Bubbles, #27 Gloves (Cabled and Ruffled Cuffs), Basic 4-ply Gloves, Entrelac Gauntlets, Classic Argyle Beaded Gloves, Viking Gauntlets, Wisteria Beaded Cuffs for Gloves or Socks, Skye Gloves

    It has been a while since I designed any gloves. I think that needs to change. I have this new coat, maybe it needs some gloves. I do have two designs that I am working on. One a classic fair-isle and the other a long beaded cuff in lace… They might work! LOL!

    I do design a lot of fingerless mittens with fancy cuffs as well. They are generally more popular than full gloves, quicker to knit for sure…. but there is something about a pair of fancy gloves…

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Knitting a Dress and Other Projects

    Knitting a Dress and Other Projects

    I am now at the point where the skirt is growing, at what seems like an agonizingly slow rate. I must focus on the fact that the skirt is growing and the pattern is repeating and that is what is supposed to happen.

    I switched to a 3.75mm needle about 12 rounds ago to start the slow shaping of the skirt. I will most likely drop the needle size to 3.5mm in about 40 more rounds. So between the changing the size of the needles and shaping the panels I am hoping for a lovely, gradual shaping the skirt to the waist. At that point the needle size will be 3.25mm for the bodice of the dress.

    Dry blocked the skirt is 10 inches deep from the top of the 4th pattern repeat to the curve of the hem. The points are not included as length. I think that three more repeats will get me to the start of shaping panels (approx 15 inches) which will reduce the stitch count of the skirt. The reducing section will take about 45 rounds.

    I work at Mad About Ewe and I get to play with the yarn. We are now carrying Brooklyn Tweed Shelter and Tones Light. I have been playing.

    Wait there’s more! More hats, cables and hearts; double knit fingerless mittens and just so much more to do and create!

    Below is “Smitten” A cabled hat with the “hugs and kisses” cable and the tree of life pattern. Classic in Grey and no bobbles, knit Juniper Moon Santa Cruz in the Palladium colourway! And Wild in with everything – cables, bobbles and hearts, knit with Malabrigo Worsted in the natural and Very Berry colourways.

    Straight forward and cozy these double knit wristers are super cozy and super easy! These Cozy Wristers can be knit in any dk or sport weight wool that you might have to hand.

    Because they are double knit they are also totally reversible.

    I hope that your knitting adventures have been moving along with lots of colour and texture to keep your mind occupied and your hands busy!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • A Knitterly Start to the Year – part 2

    A Knitterly Start to the Year – part 2

    So the Three Skein Project is almost complete – just patterns to complete for it.

    So where to next? 

    Well, I have lots of samples that need patterns – it could be that my computer and I will become best buddies. That is very real. I completed one pattern and started two more this weekend!

    Well the classes are coming up;

    I am thinking and doing a Double Knitting Class – lovely little cozy cuffs or wristers. They are totally reversible and quite easy to knit. There is no shaping so the only technique to learn is basic double knitting.

    And the other class will be some kind of specialized colourwork – entrelac maybe or intarsia in the round.

    Do you want see a beading class? A finishing class? A cable class? Our options are so wide and varied – sometimes it is hard to choose.

    Now is the time to make a suggestion!

    I have started to plan a Spring KAL for the store and I am looking for ideas. It would start in the Spring – after Easter. A shawl, a vest, some kind of relaxed garment I think.

    I am starting another sweater style garment for myself – have I finished the last one – well no – but you know – this yarn is calling. I blame it all on Darlene. She just finished a lovely scarf in the same yarn! And another shawl. I really like the way the shape is building up. There is never an end to inspiration!

    So how is your knitting year starting? Are you happy with your choices or looking to scrap it all and start anew? Are finishing one before you start another? Darlene has to finish two items before she starts a new project! We both wonder how long that will last! LOL!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • A Knitterly Start to the Year – part 1

    A Knitterly Start to the Year – part 1

    It has been a stressful few months these last few weeks and I have been knitting up a storm – or at least starting up a multitude of projects and even finishing a few.

    I started the Three Skein Project last year and finished it up just last week. What to do with left over yarn when you want to knit just one three colour hat! 

    What could We make with just 3 skeins of yarn?
    As a designer and yarn shop employee I am always taking home yarn, a real hardship, right?!
    Well, sometimes it does leave me with a problem, what to do with the excess yarn. Because, you know, I couldn’t just make a plain hat in just one colour so you could handle the yarn, see how it knits and how good it looks. Oh no, I had to make a hat with striped ribbing and a tri-coloured pompom.
    So, what to do with the leftovers – I usually label the yarn and pop it in a bin, but I really liked the yarn. So, the Three Skein project was born. And is the Sports Edition because of all of the stipes. I think that it makes the knits look sporty!

    The yarn is Haynes Creek Heather Aran by Gathering Yarn, an Aran weight 100% non-superwash wool. You could use any worsted to aran weight yarn in the pattern. These skeins added up to 600 yds in total.
    I ended up with 6 inches leftover of the marled yarn, and then 10 grs each of the red and white yarns leftover, approx. 20 yds each.
    There are 5 projects;

    1. The Classic toque – a little slouchy, starting with a striped rib and topped with a great pompom.
    2. The Court beanie – just covers the ears and shaped with classic cables and twisted sts, and I love the striped rib.
    3. The Round mittens – again with the stripped ribbing and simple shaping with an afterthought thumb.
    4. The Slalom cowl – look at those zig-zags and again with the stripes. An easy repetitive lace pattern in the round.
    5. The Drive-in mitts – short, striped, mitts that cover the palm and back of the hand but leave the fingers and thumb free for driving, painting, typing, anything where touch is really useful.

    What’s with the Stripes?! Stripes are a great way to monitor your yarn usage. It allows us to gauge what we have left and judge what we can use it for, and just how far we can push our results.

    I am quite pleased with mine.

    The first two patterns are now up on Ravelry. The rest will follow over the next few weeks.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Due Process

    Due Process

    Designing is a process. Designing with a new yarn has a few extra steps. Designing for another person has a few more steps. So, process.

    I am doing some designing for Gathering Yarns. They are a yarn distributor out of Alberta and they are expanding a little and are wanting to add some patterns to their inventory.

    Recently Cindy sent me some recycled cashmere. I started to play with it. I wanted to know how it felt to the hand. How it reacted to different techniques, what needle size I wanted to work it on, etc.

    So I knit a pair of beaded fingerless mitts – Bee’s Knees’ Mitts. This was a pleasure to work with with great results. So maybe something bigger was in order…

    Swatch

    A shell or halter, something not to big to keep it affordable. So I ran the idea past The Powers that Be. Idea was approved – more cashmere came my way. So I swatched my idea. Swatch was approved.

    There were still a couple of questions to be answered. So I made a beanie, a bigger swatch that can tell me more. What’s the best gauge? How much give? How much stretch over the larger area? Ribbons Beanie – it will be an accessory to the Shell/Vest pattern I am going to design.

    Sketching is next. Or maybe I will work on the red and white cashmere gloves I can see in my head! Isn’t this a luscious red?!

    That Red!

    I have a love/hate relationship with Spring! I start so many things as I cannot seem to decide on just one!

    So Due Process – perhaps with a touch of Spring startitus!

    Be Well and Knit Happy!

    Lynette

  • Juniper Moon Spring 2023

    Juniper Moon Spring 2023

    *Juniper Moon Yarns released 8 shawls onto Ravelry that I had designed for them over the last few months.  Each one is a different.  Knit with different fibres, different weights of yarn and different shapes.  Below are the covers of each pattern.

    My personal favourites – the ones I would have in my wardrobe and wear over and over are Tradition.  I may have to reknit that one for myself.  Dewey – just so pretty with the beaded edge and Grand Pennant – simple and elegant!

    So yesterday was an exciting day – to see the patterns professionally done and available to all!

    I hope that you have a fabulous day today!

    Be well and knit happy!

    Lynette

    PS – header is a detail from Tradition. It is fully reversible with flowers on one side and stripes on the other! Definitely my favourite!

  • New and Noteworthy

    New and Noteworthy

    I have been busy!

    I am currently working on a few patterns for Gathering Yarns –

    • Cats in the Cradle – baby blanket or shawl with coordinating beanies.
    • Funky Brimmed Hat with Bad-dana Cowl – Hat modelled by Glorious Gertrude
    • Caahh…shmere with beads swatch – lusious lace tank in the future.
    • Cashmere beaded Fingerless Mitts – The Bee’s Knees!
    • Cable Cool Balaklava and Mitts
    • Cable Cool vest.

    For fun times in the future – beautiful handmade glass buttons.

    Ada made the beautiful buttons – Ada Babys Beads on Facebook – and I made her this hat with her favourite hearts! I finished the hat with one of her buttons.

    Well, I got the first box from the Beyond Merino Club (hosted by The Small Bird Workshop and Sweet Paprika. It contained 2 hanks of gorgeous, soft Corriedale sheeps wool from the Falkland Islands, one a natural grey and the other a beautiful deep Lagoon blue. Sweet Paprika did the dyeing. I made a half hap shawl. I finished it with I-cord edging and a couple of big, fat tassels. It will be part of the Happiness Hap pattern – coming soon!

    We are planning the next session of classes for Mad About Ewe Fine Yarns. I am planning to teach Mosaic Knitting. The first sample is done – a funky little Cloche – finished with a little tassel. I do love tassels. It is knit with Fleece Artist BFL DK and some Drops Kid-Silk.

    For myself – I am working on a sweater. I just started it last night. And like most sweaters for myself it will most likely get stalled along the way! You never know! I might surprise myself! LOL!

    It is pretty. Some soft mohair from Fleece Artist and a just a few little beads for show!

    Be well and knit Happy!

    I am trying to stay mellow and keep with the flow that comes with knitting. I hope that works for you too!

    Lynette

  • Completed

    Completed

    Today I submitted my last pattern to Juniper Moon Farm Yarns for a Spring Collection of shawls, eight in all. Pretty much the bulk of my knitting for the last eighteen months has been patterns and samples for Juniper Moon. The first 16 pattern are now all available from Ravelry and your LYS – if they carry Juniper Moon Yarns. I am not sure when the Spring patterns are released but I will certainly write about them at that time!

    It has been a very productive time for me personally as well. I have so many patterns half written and with samples knit that I am not sure quite where I am going to start….

    Though usually I start with the most recently knit and work my way backwards…. LOL!

    So Recent Knits include the class samples: They will be out first, before anything else! Needs must after all!

    We are in the middle of our Winter Classes at work so I did a couple of new pieces. A couple of hats. A new fair-isle hat for a fair-isle class and a redo of an older hat pattern – Burka Leaf, now called Galadriel’s Gift. Galadriel’s Gift is one of my favourite patterns, a beautiful beaded lace cap. And a new shawl, a small Shetland style Hap with the beautiful striped border and simple lace edging.

    So these things are completed! And patterns will be available in a couple of weeks.

    A busy start to the new year! I hope that you are completing some old projects and contemplating some new ones!

    Be well and Happy Knitting!

    Lynette