Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Category: Shawls

  • Circular Magic – Symbols in the GreenMan Shawl

    Circular Magic – Symbols in the GreenMan Shawl

    Here are a few of my thoughts, and reasonings as to why I choose to use these symbols in the GreenMan Shawl. I think that the need to work towards the renewal of our environment has more to do with some aspects of our past. From when we were closer to the environment and had more understanding of why it was so important to our well being.

    This is a circular shawl. Why?

    Circles are magic. Circles in knitting are even more magical! Where else can you take a straight line and make it do circles and spirals.

    Knitting is a straight line.

    Knitting is a straight line made with curves.

    Every individual stitch is curved.

    It is tremendously fun to take something that most people think of as a straight line and make the knitting run in circles, hence my love for circular shawls.

    In history, in folklore, in magic, circles are powerful objects. They hold, they contain, they encompass. They can be everything and nothing.

    I love to knit circular shawls.

    A circular shawl is very important to the concept behind the GreenMan KAL. Because circles are magic. Because the Green Man is an ancient and powerful concept. Because I may be more than a little superstitious and have a tendency to be intuitive and to trust my intuition.

    This shawl is full of superstition. It starts on Friday the Thirteenth of September. Usually considered unlucky, the number 13 has always had a positive influence in my life. The Green Man is a figure of legend and lore. There will be mistletoe in the Oak and Acorn band. and there is power in the spirals that form the knitting of the shawl. Our knitting spirals out from the center of the shawl.

    A spiral that spins clockwise (from the inside-out) represents growth, expansion, evolution, harmony and cosmic energy. It can also represent the inner (spiritual) and outer (physical) worlds and the connection between the two.

    The center of the spiral is often associated with the Source, God, or One Consciousness, out of which everything emerges. The spiral emerging from the center and expanding outwardly in all directions in an everlasting manner represents creation, cosmic energy, and infinite possibilities. It also represents the cyclic nature of the universe.

    22 Powerful Spiral Symbols & Their Deeper Symbolism, by Lyza Hayn

    The spiral and the Green Man are related in their basic representational meanings of growth, rebirth and future possibilities.

    Together, the oak tree and acorn represent the cyclical nature of life. The oak tree, with its roots firmly planted in the earth, represents the past and the present, while the acorn symbolizes the future and the potential for growth and change.

    Oak Symbolism and Meaning – Thorn & Claw

    The Oak has for centuries represented strength in thought and purpose, the Oak stands for longevity. It stands tall in growth and last long when used to create the things of man. The Acorn, the seed of the Oak, is a symbol of fertility and growth, but also of wisdom because of the slow growth of the Oak, the Acorn also represents the slow passage of time as wisdom is attained.

    And Mistletoe, because it produces berry’s in Winter and is evergreen, represents rebirth, life and fertility!

    I hope that I have entertained you, enticed you and made you curious.

    Apologies to “Queen” here – Knitting is a “kind of magic”!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Green Man

    Green Man

    I’ve been talking a great deal about the Green Man Shawl, something for a new KAL.

    So what is a Green Man?

    I guess it depends on how you want to research the motif. The Green Man as art is mainly that of a face covered by foliage. It is known as a foliate motif and is found in art across the globe dating back in Europe to at least the 1300’s, and is much older in other cultures. Many art historians think that the motif was from India and then was carried across Europe. It was often seen on churches or in the art of the Celtic monks.

    The motif could also have been brought across the European Continent even earlier. Many ancient Roman sites in Great Britain have contained masks that relate to the Green Man.

    So basically the Motif is old, ancient even, and has meaning throughout many cultures. In folklore the Green Man has many meanings. He symbolizes fertility and harvest, regrowth and change. Peter Pan, Robin Hood were Green Men. They symbolized the need for change. We are in need of change.

    Green Man as a concept has inspired artists and authors alike over the 500 years. And he still inspires today. For many modern pagans, the Green Man is used as a symbol of seasonal renewal and ecological awareness.

    I take a lot of photographs and I am constantly in awe of the beauty of this world. It is all around us and you just have to look. I have been looking.

    I stay pretty close to home. Most of these images are from around Nanaimo or the West Coast. Whistler, Bute Inlet and the west coast of Vancouver Island.

    While I am not a modern pagan, or perhaps I am, (obviously a conversation for another day), I have been inspired by the Green Man images I have seen, in books, on the internet and in conversations about the image.

    To me, Green Man is the modern environmental warrior. A symbol for the modern generation. Of making small and large changes in our lives with the environmental future of our planet in mind. As a long time reader of science fiction and science fact, where the future of our planet has always been up for for speculation, my head is filled with a myriad of ideas. Will we destroy ourselves or will we reinvent ourselves or will we move ourselves outward into the rest of the universe. I think all three.

    Change takes a monumental amount of personal energy, a destruction of current self. I am slowly making my own personal changes and watching the changes happening and also not happening around me. I want to encourage others to think about the changes they can make. They don’t need to be big, small changes, incremental change is the most sustainable and can, when added together create a major shift. Think of water on stone… We are the stone.

    I am an optimist at heart. I really believe there is a future for our world, the only question is, will humanity be a part of that future. Our choice. Our actions will make the decision.

    Google Green Man. The images are amazing, inspiring, beautiful, ugly and all places in between.

    This is my Green Man. My third attempt at capturing the feeling in knit. I am happy with it now. The next step is to incorporate it into my shawl.

    My swatch is knit with Estelle Eco Shetland Worsted

    What do you think? Should I give up my day job? LOL! I am satisfied.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Spring Fling Shawls

    Spring Fling Shawls

    I had a couple of shawl samples come back from my test knitter in the last couple of weeks. It was planned and it worked! They both are knit in fabulous fresh Spring colours! And I hope to have both patterns out by the end of May!

    Cockleshell Love – knit in B.C. Garn Loch Lomond Lace, Eggshell and Baby Pink (more rose pink) colourways.

    Fushia – knit in Manos Fino, Topsy Turvy colourway.

    What do you think?

    Spring has Sprung!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Playing Hookey

    So I ditched my other projects just to play with the beautiful BFL yarn.

    This morning I transferred the yarn onto a 32 inch circular needle…

    I am very happy 😁 with the yarn 🧶 so far!

    Now I have to focus on some of my other projects.

    Happy Knitting!

    Lynette

  • Glory in the Snow

    Glory in the Snow

    Yarn is my Happy Place. Knitting with yarn is the perfect expression of my state of mind. Knitting with yarn that is new to me and often has been gifted to me is my idea of perfection!

    I am in my heart a lace knitter – it is one of the most beautiful expressions that can be created by two sticks and some string. And right now I am extra Happy!

    Yesterday Angela Beltane of Widdershin Farm, which is just outside of Duncan, gifted me with some of her BFL, Blue Faced Leicester, fingering weight yarn… enough for a large shawl. I am thinking a large Pi shawl! This yarn is soft and glossy and Oh so smooth!

    The Bluefaced Leicester (BFL) is a remarkable breed of sheep that traces its origins back to the eighteenth century in Dishley, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. Let’s delve into the fascinating details of these woolly creatures:

    1. Appearance:
      • BFL sheep have a distinctive blue-gray face, which gives them their name.
      • Their ears are long, and their fleece is curly and fine.
      • Unlike other woolly breeds, they lack wool on their heads and necks.
      • The Roman noses of Bluefaced Leicesters reveal dark blue skin beneath their white hair.
    2. Wool Quality:
      • Their wool is one of the softest among UK sheep breeds.
      • Fleeces weigh between 1 to 3 kilograms (2.2 to 6.6 pounds).
      • Although not heavy, their wool is lustrous and prized for its quality.

    It is going to be gorgeous. I took the day off of my other projects – dress knitting, class knitting and future planning to play with my new yarn.

    Umm, just ignore the mistake in the first round of eyelets! I am! LOL!

    Today is one of my day’s off and it is rainy and gray and the perfect kind of day to knit! Rainy days also produce some lovely photographic opportunities! Check out the Scilla (Glory in the Snow) from the garden. They are the inspiration, and name, for my Pi Shawl, one of my favourite shapes for a shawl. A PI Shawl is circular and can be as big as you can knit! It is going to be full of floral, water and leaf motifs!

    I am going to work from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s basic Pi Shawl tutorial and fill it full of my own patterns!

    Can’t you just see crystal beads on the shawl? Just like the flowers!

    Happy Days! Happy Knitting!

    Lynette

  • Knit a Dress with Me – Part 3

    Knit a Dress with Me – Part 3

    Why a Dress?

    Why not?

    Is the glib answer. But for me it is a statement about what I am starting to discover about myself and my relationship with the world right now. Now that was the weighty answer. Reality is always somewhere in the middle.

    Over the years I have seen several dresses knit by customers, often with my help interpreting instructions and working out gauge issues. These dresses often looked and felt heavy to me. On-line I have seen the most stunning knitted wedding dresses. Made with love from lace stitches and many hours of knitting.

    Many knitted dresses are simply a long sweater worn as a dress with leggings. The concept of knitting a dress like this for myself was kind of ludicrous. I am short, quite rounded and I have always thought that a knitted dress, especially a sweater styled dress usually clings, making it look its best on on tall willowy types. I believed that I could never put a sweater dress on and not look foolish.

    I am usually an optimist at heart, but not on this topic! I needed to rethink how I looked at my clothing choices.

    I had already started to rethink my wardrobe in light of todays challenges with sustainability, examining the concept of slow clothes and the making and mending movements. Then I looked at my wardrobe for what I really wore the most often and what I had been putting my money into. I saw a huge difference between my Summer and Winter wardrobes.

    In the summer I wear dresses. Longer, fuller dresses with cotton slips and lots of movement, quite often with vintage details. Several of which I had recently made for myself. I used to sew, in the past, and i am now refreshing my skills.

    My winter wardrobe suffered by comparison. Most of my work pants were old except for the two pairs I had made myself. They don’t fit as well as I would like, but they are easy to wear and are made of wool or wool blend fabrics. My sweater and shawl collection really was what my winter wardrobe was all about. I didn’t wear dresses because they were never warm enough. I hate to be cold.

    So why not knit a wool dress?

    Boredom! The thought of all that plain knitting would drive me crazy. There is a reason why most of the things I knit are colourful, or textured with cables and patterns, or covered in lace patterns, or all three! I am often defeated by large swathes of stockinette fabric.

    It only dawned on me recently that my dress didn’t need to be plain and it didn’t need to be heavy and I could wear it everyday in different ways. Sort of like the 100 day merino dress. Though I don’t think I could wear it 100 days in a row.

    So I took some time to examine my summer dresses . What was working and why it was working. Every dress was shaped to the waist or an A-line shape. I wanted a shaped dress, not tight at the waist, but shaped and comfortable. I may look at A-line for my next dress.

    How to create the shape? I thought about reversing a pi style shawl shaping for the skirt, but I think that might have been too full. I most definitely didn’t want to make a tube and then gather it to the waist, even with a lace weight yarn that is too much fabric sitting at the waistline.

    I have knit myself a couple of sweaters that employed shaping around panels and thought that should also work for a skirt. Once decided, it was the matter of researching patterns and panel patterns in particular to create the way I wanted to go.

    I am making a couple of adjustments. After 1 more 10-round repeat I moving my needle size down to 3.75mm from the 4.0mm. I have decided to combine physical shaping of the skirt with decreasing panels and the tightening of the gauge. This will make a smoother shape – I think. Everything is a bit of an adventure through this. I am lucky to have knit as much as I have and tried as many types of knitting as I have, it does allow me to make decisions based on experiences in the past. They may not all translate to this project, but they do help form a starting point.

    Progress Report

    I have knit up to the end of the chart and started my next 10-round repeat. After this repeat I will be changing my needle size. It is looking like each 10 round repeat adds approx 1.5 inches to the skirt when dry blocked. It may add a little more when wet blocked.

    I am going to start designing the chart for the shaping panels this week (I have this week off from work and so have extra time). I am thinking that I will start by shaping out 1 panel out of every 3. And shape each of those panels over 40 rounds. I am hoping that this will be a slow enough to keep the shape from “belling out” and just be a smooth progressive line.

    Belling out – the decreases are too quick and the dress suddenly looks like it has a line across the skirt where it has been gathered up. If it does bell – the knitting will need to be ripped back and the decreasing will have to be slowed down.

    I have had a couple of people ask me why I choose Einband for my dress. They think of it as itchy. I chose it because I have used Einband before, for the Spring into Summer KAL, The Garden Gate Shawl. I was very pleased with the results from that project.

    I had knit a shawl and then hand painted it with dyes. Once blocked the I found that the yarn holds the shape well. Something that I felt was important for this project. It also takes dyes beautifully and since I couldn’t decide on a colour before hand I am hoping to be able to decide after the knitting is complete! Maybe I will even paint the fabric with dyes and not immerse dye it. We shall see.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • A Shetland Lace Project

    A Shetland Lace Project

    It is no secret that I love to knit lace, the more complex the better. I love to design the lace first and then dive in and explore what I think the design should do.

    I have knitterly friends who love to aid me in my process. Anne is one of those friends. We really got to know one another about 10 years ago at one of Mad About Ewe’s Retreats and have talked a few times over the years. She came in recently and asked If I was interested in working with some Gossamer Cashmere yarn from Heirloom knitting. She came back a few days later with the yarn and some vintage knitting books! Such a wonderful gift.

    And of course, I am interested!

    I received the yarn on Monday. This beautiful yarn, a 2-ply cashmere that weighs in at 25 grs with 1230 yds in the ball is going to be a challenge!

    Monday evening I was swatching. I felt a little like Goldilocks, it took three tries before I decided on the correct needle size to get the look and feel I wanted. I am going with a 1.75mm and I am using the beautiful lace needles from Heirloom Knitting. They have such smooth joins and a great cord.

    Right now I am pouring over my Shetland Lace Books. Looking at the patterns and thinking about the shape – I am pretty sure that I am looking at a half or three quarters circle – but I might also need more yardage. So I have things to consider.

    Another knitterly friend gave me her copy of the Sarah Don’s The Art of Shetland Lace. It has a lovely inscription from Jeanie and I treasure the book. 

    The Art of Shetland Lace was published in 1980 and includes photographs of some of the amazing lace work from the the (Lerwick) Shetland Museum and Archives. It was an amazing book for its time. It is notorious for all of the pattern mistakes. But it was for a long time the only source of Shetland Lace Patterns. It was last reprinted by Lacis in 1991.

    At the same time as I was contemplating this new project I was also getting messages on instagram that a new Shetland Lace book was coming and will be available at the beginning of April –Shetland Fine Lace Knitting. This is book is written by Carol Christianson. It was written to assess and chronicle the Shetland Museums Lace Collection and will have pictures, swatches, charts and some of the history of lace knitting, most from the Museum. I am so excited!

    Shetland Museum and Archives

    Just a note on the price of knitting books. This new book is just under $50 and is over 200 pages. The Sarah Don book still has the original price ticket. It was $26.95 and has 100 pages. The current buying power of $26.95 from 1980 today is $100.00. Sobering thought. Books are not really that expensive today if you look at it in this manner.

    So I have started the set-up for the shawl, but is going on hold until the new book is here. I might knit just a little bit more, because I can always add to the design! 

    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 Fashion Show

    A Fashion Show

    A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to try something different. So I did.

    I sent six of my samples off to a fashion show in Edmonton Alberta. To the Gathering Threads Fibre Festival Fashion show. Here are some of the runway pictures. This was an inclusive event – so every body type, every ethnicity was included in the modeling group. I got to pick the models for my pieces and think about and help choose what they would wear and how they should appear. It was a lot of fun.

    North Sea Hap
    Meandering Meadows
    Seed and Leaf Hat and Poncho with Jester Gloves
    Tidal Pools – hand painted after knitting
    Sundail or High Summer Shawl
    Covid be Damned – one of my personal favourites!

    I was pleased with the results – the photographs are excellent. It is very different to see your knitting efforts put forward this way. I am hoping to go next year and see everything in person.

    I felt for the organizers of the show though – the center where the show was being held became the gathering place for the fire evacuees – it would have been so stressful for all involved!

    Happy Knitting
    Lynette

  • The Grande Pavilion KAL

    The Grande Pavilion KAL

    Now this is a Grand Pavilion – Brighton Pavilion on a glorious Summers’ Day.

    It’s Been a while since my last KAL, two years in fact. Life in all its glory has been making it self felt and there just hasn’t seemed to be time. But it is going to happen this year! And I am so excited!

    I am planning a Summer Knit-A-Long. Would you like to join me?

    There will be knitting and knitting with beads if you like.

    Think of a Garden Party in a fancy Gazebo or Pavilion with your best dress and tiers and tiers of your favourite goodies.

    Think knitting out in the park or your back yarn on a sunny day, there is a light breeze and there is champagne or a mint julip on the table beside you.

    Think perhaps of a gaily stripped tent, complete with ribbons and party favours! Perfect for afternoon knitting.

    Think of your favourite Summer Knitting Spot!

    Could you imagine knitting this garden! ? How clever is this!?

    A Zoom tea (read beverage of choice here LOL!) cause I know we all live all over the place and can’t get together except by Zoom! And Prizes, who doesn’t love a good prize. And did I mention some knitting? I will be starting a new thread in my Ravelry Forum for the KAL! Looking forward to seeing you there!

    Sign up will be on Ravelry. Forum Thread on Ravelry – LeTissier Designs Group – Grand Pavilion KAL.

    • Sign up – starts tomorrow, 7:00 am pacific time, May 14, Mother’s Day. For that day only sign-up is 75% off – code MUM
    • Sign-up May 15 to June 1 – sign-up for 50% off – code EARLY
    • Sign-up June 1 to June 30 – sign-up for 25% off – code Pavilion
    • Sign-up July 1 to close – full price – $8.00
    • Start date – Saturday July 15th
    • End date – Saturday September 2nd

    Skills used in the construction of the shawl include short rows, picking up stitches, basic and not so basic lace knitting skills. The shawl is a half circle shape, plus a little extra to sit nicely around the shoulders. The edging with be quite “frothy”. I will leave that up to your imagination.

    The shawl requires 800 yds of laceweight mohair and 800 yds of fingering weight wool (or favourite fibre), 4.0mm US #6circs 24 and 40 inches long and a spare dpn or 2, markers and the regular notions. If beading you will also need a .60 or .75mm crochet hook. If you are thinking of adding beads I still am not quite sure of how many I will be using and in what way. I have approx 3000 delica 8/0’s to play with. I most likely won’t use them all but I will be adding quite a few. Beads are always optional as I know that not everyone likes them.

    I went back to Ancient Arts for my yarn choice. I had used their Lascaux Fine for the High Summer KAL and loved the results. This Spring I fell in love with a colour of their Delicacy Lace, a mohair silk blend, the Mineral (varigated) colourway and the plan developed from there. My fingering weight yarn is the Lascaux Fine in the Wild Rose (a sophisticated pink) Colourway.

    Auditioning Beads
    Teaser Swatch

    Sign-up starts tomorrow! See you in the Forum.

    There will be more teasers as the next couple of months progresses!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette