Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Category: The Renovation

  • Embrace Summer Joys: The Blanket Project Update

    Embrace Summer Joys: The Blanket Project Update

    Waves and Sunny Daze

    It is July already and I am not quite sure how I got here. How are you feeling? Is time getting faster in your world this year?

    I have really been focused on The Blanket Project, Threads of Colour – A Year in Squares for the last six months. And the Renovation. And now the final bit of the last years move – the Organization. In between I try to fit in some life. This last week had a lot of “life” in it.

    La Dolce Vita – living a life.

    It has been a beautiful Sunny week. With a little bit of rain here and there. We popped up to Fanny Bay Inn to meet some family on Wednesday and had a lovely lunch. it was a gorgeous day and the views were spectacular.

    On Saturday we drove down to Victoria to catch some baseball with our Grandson. The afternoon before the game we popped over to Cadboro Bay for lunch and a wander down to the beach. Tom had read about a new Olympic sport being practiced there. It was a combination of running and rowing and then running again – Rowing Beach Sprint. It was being run in timed heats. It showed potential I think.

    As for the game – the Harbour Cats won the night and Logan was thrilled.

    We stayed the night and made our way leisurely back up Island. We stopped at Goldstream and wandered a bit. Checked out the Farmers market and had lunch with some friends… A very satisfactory week in all.

    So I took a few photos over the week as we travelled.

    A beautiful view with a perfect Gary Oak at Fanny Bay Inn.
    Fanny Bay Inn has a lovely little garden.
    Rain dapple Hydrangea – I love watching how these flowers open up.
    Roses in the rain.
    Sun reflecting off the Moon one morning this week.
    Cadboro Bay – watching a new Olympic sport develop. Running and rowing.
    Sun dappled new growth at the point of a broken off branch! Such a vivid green.
    Looking Waayy up at Goldstream Park.
    More new growth at Goldstream.

    Threads of Colour – the July Square and Fancy

    I have a new block and a fancy for you today.

    For the block I went with the tried and true. One of my favourite Shetland Lace patterns, Old Shale, is always beautiful and always effective. Here it is representing Waves. Reminding me of Summer leisure time, idling away hours at the beach, swimming and reading.

    WavesDownload

    Are you a Summer reader? I read more in the Summer than I do in the winter. Light reading, science fiction, mystery and romances to while away time when I feel too hot to knit. And not so light reading, research for my fall classes and patterns – I love delving into my knitting book collection and playing with ideas!

    So this month I took a look at double knitting and decided the technique would create a fun fancy. How about a bookmark to go with the Summing Reading.

    This one is light weight, totally revesible and was a really fun, quick knit!

    The Sunny Daze Bookmark.

    sunny daysDownload

    The July block is the start of the second half of our block collection. If you have knit all of the blocks so far you will have 8 blocks completed. I am having fun playing with technique and colour and hope to add a few more colourful, textural options in the next couple of months.

    Planning Ahead

    If you have been knitting every block you will have 8 blocks completed. I will be knitting 20 blocks for my blanket (maybe 24) so I have to decide which Squares I like best and knit an extra one or two. If you want a more Afghan sized blanket your will need to double up on a few of your squares as well. The 12 or 16 squares I have planned for the year will make more of a lap robe sized blanket.

    I have started to play around with how to connect our blocks into an interesting and useful blanket. Of course we could keep it simple with just the basic connections outlined. Those ideas will be covered. As well as a few more unique ideas. More on that in the next blog post.

    Happy Knitting

    And Happy Canada Day!

    Lynette

    Our Collection to date. Only the February fancy is not here. It is currently attached to a hat, which is somewhere in my very disorganized yarn room.

  • Get Your Knit ON – The Rain Shadow Shawl is LIVE

    Get Your Knit ON – The Rain Shadow Shawl is LIVE

    Find Rain Shadow on Ravelry or on Etsy, whichever you prefer to shop!

    I have been working on a year long Blanket Square project.  Threads of Colour – a Year in Squares, each month a different square in a different stitch pattern and each month a “fancy”, a little extra something.

    The April Square featured this stitch and once knit, I couldn’t stop thinking about making it up as a shawl.  This is the result.

    Rain Shadow shawl is a classic top-down triangular shawl with a twist.  The Rain Shadow pattern is a ribbing pattern, with YO and bead details.  The ribbing pattern and garter st details make the shawl totally reversible.  As well, the pattern is mirrored from one side to the other giving extra movement to the lines of the rib.  The shawl as shown has been beaded with size 6/0 beads.  The beads are optional.

    Almost classic – the increases along the sides and center line are a little faster than the average triangle shaping.  There are six increases in every 10 rows of pattern.

    Rain Shadow is both written and charted.

    The yarn is Soft Silk, by BC Garn. A gorgeously blue bourette silk. And the beads are 6/0 beads by Miyuki.

    The Wool Room …

    … needs organization!

    This is where it started, beautiful, clean, and empty!

    A lot of organization.

    On the up side to all of this – the storage locker is empty!

    What kind of organization do you use for your stash – yarn, fabric, any kind of needle craft! Are you a neat and tidy type – or more on the disorganization side of thing. Right now I am strictly disorganized!

    I am working on changing that. It is a slow process because knitting is still my priority. I will keep you up to date on my successes and failures!

    Like the small stacks of boxes in every room that I am slowly going through! Now that I have time to open and check them. We have taken stacks of boxes to recycle places, the dump and book sales. I have donated some yarn to my daughters stash. So the cull is ongoing and closer to almost complete as opposed to just starting.

    We love our new space already. I will show pictures as we clear and tidy each space!

    And I am knitting up a storm or two!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

    PS – Remember – there is a code included in the June Square download to purchase Rain Shadow from Ravelry at 50% off.

    Gorgeous Roses in the Old City Quarter Neighbourhood!

  • Knitting Inspiration: The Rain Shadow Shawl

    Knitting Inspiration: The Rain Shadow Shawl

    Isn’t she Pretty! Isn’t she Wonderfull!

    I just picked up the Rain Shadow Shawl from my test knitter Jana. And I am so thrilled with how it turned out.

    Rain Shadow Shawl was entirely inspired by the new to me stitch I chose for the April Square. I loved the way the stitches moved. It immediately inspired this triangular shawl.

    Look for the pattern to be released at the same time as the June Square. There may be a discount code attached to the Square pattern… just saying.

    I haven’t had much time for writing this month. I have been emptying the storage locker and that job is almost complete. There is maybe 3 or 4 loads left. Some to Restore, some to the dump and some home. My challenge, and the biggest job, has been fitting everything into our new, smaller space..

    I have a couple of quiet corners in the house, but most still hold boxes of “bits” looking for a home. My tea shelf is organized. But my book shelves are overflowing and the yarn room… the less said the better. I have more yarn than I thought. Maybe I have more yarn than I wanted to think. That might be more accurate. It will take a little while to organize that area.

    I am having fun working on the square and fancy for June. How you started a new square recently? I am really looking forward to seeing how everything comes together for us all.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

    A very busy bee indeed. Look at the colour of that Rhododendron. I love watching my plants bloom. Especially now, in a new garden.

  • May’s Colorful Knitting Adventures and Garden Inspirations – And a Reno Update

    May’s Colorful Knitting Adventures and Garden Inspirations – And a Reno Update

    Flowers play a big part in my love of colour. Vivid colour, mixed colour and glorious abandon to colour.

    One of the exciting things of a new home is watching the garden come to life. This garden is more minimal than my last. That will change as the season progresses and I get to work on my landscaping plans.

    I have discovered that I have a Lilac bush. It is small right now, but the blooms are mighty. These blooms are fragrant and they are purple, lilac purple. They are glorious!

    Does anyone know the name of this Lilac? The colour is so beautiful.

    How is your garden progressing? What are your favourite Spring Flowers? I am looking for suggestions for my Landscaping projects – any and all ideas are welcome.

    May Blanket Squares

    Like the blooms this month brought on a lot of inspiration. So there is the May Square, Little Puff Leaves. And the May Bonus Square, Indian Twist Stitch Square. I really played with colour when creating them and you can see that the bonus square pulled the Lilac purple out of my stash!

    The wonderful thing about sampler patterns is that you can try out new stitches without a major commitment.  The little puff leaves remind me of all the greenery that is showing up on the bushes and trees as we walk through the local parks right now!

    Little Puff Leaves SquareDownload

    Now the Indian Twist Stitch is pretty cool. This stitch pattern has fascinated me for years!  I decided that a sampler blanket was the perfect place to try it out!

    This pattern looks a little tricky, but is really quite easy.  Only two of the rows involve patterning and while slow to work they do pay you back by filling in a great deal of space.  This is the simple version in that the twisted sts all line up.  I am going to work another version were the rows of twisted sts offset each other. There is a photo tutorial included in the pattern.

    This square can be worked in the two colours as shown, but is also effective in a single colour!

    May Bonus SquareDownload

    Last fall a friend gave me a couple of Lavender Sachets. The lavender was fresh from her garden and the scent is fabulous. I decided that this month’s Fancy is going to be a Sachet, in my case a Lavender Sachet, but you can fill it it with anything you like.

    I did not use the worsted weight yarns for this fancy. I am using a light fingering weight. But you can use any yarn you like, just up the needle size to 1 size smaller than the recommended size for the yarn.

    I am already working on a second sachet.

    May FancyDownload

    The Reno

    This has been a busy month around here.

    The renos on the Great Room, Main bathroom and Laundry Closet – I can’t really call it a room – are complete.

    The laundry closet is a perfect gem – stacked washer and dryer on one side and a stainless laundry tub on the other side, complete with a drop down counter and handing space for the delicates to hang dry!

    It started out with a washer and dryer on each side of the door with small cupboards above each. It didn’t work hard enough. And as I really believe in a large laundry tub I figured out a way to add one. It so useful to have an oversize sink somewhere in the house.

    It is a pretty swank laundry tub. A Costco special.

    The counter is a salvaged flooring sample with a piano hinge. It is the perfect size.

    The Wool Room is rumoured to be complete today. Which only leaves the outside jobs, siding on the Wool Room, replacing the rotten boards on the deck (almost done) and then painting the deck and the final cleanup. All to be finished soon!

    I will do a photo shoot on the Great Room once it has been tidied up. Which will be after the Wool Room is complete. There is stuff everywhere!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Starting My Granny Blanket: Excitement and Challenges

    Starting My Granny Blanket: Excitement and Challenges

    Firstly, I have finally updated the Granny Blanket pattern. So if you have been waiting to start, now is the time. I am starting the blanket itself today! The stitches will need to be doubled from the pillow cast-on and the yardage needed per wedge, tripled. This will be a lot of work. But so worthwhile in the end. It is a good accompaniment to the long term Blanket Squares Project that I have going on as well. It will break up the boring knitting with the blanket squares and fancies!

    I am so excited to be starting. I want to get a few wedges knit before it gets too hot! Who is starting with me?!

    Granny BlanketDownload

    Secondly, the main part of the house is completely done. I still need to do more organizing and it is an ongoing process. I change things around trying to find the best possible spot. The pictures are the hardest. I have so many. My mothers needlework, family pictures, and art I have collected over the years.

    I have put up pictures and then moved them. And then moved them again. I can see this may take a while. These few are in their final place. I hope!

    Thirdly, the yarn room is about to be started. It got delayed as it needed more work than expected. Which meant the plans had to change etc. But it sounds like it is going ahead, starting midweek.

    Getting the yarn room done will help with my organization project as well! More room available, but with more stuff coming out of storage. This will be the start of the final cull. I am sure that this will be both challenging and rewarding. I may be looking or some second opinions.

    Walking in the Canyon

    Last weekend we went for a walk on an absolutely glorious Sunday. We went to my favourite place on Nanaimo River. The canyon by Cassidy. It has great swimming in the Summer and great walking all year round. You can see that others enjoy the walk as well.

    Everything is starting to bud. The fawn (or curly) lilies are in full blown and carpeting the underbrush. Did you know it takes 7 years before even 1 flower comes from the root? Amazing. How long it must have taken to create this display.

    A few weeks ago I started with Odd Bunch vegetable delivery. A box is delivered once a week, or less. You decide how often you want the box. The box varies in price with the size. I get the small plus box. It is $26.00 per week plus delivery and it comes right to the door. Below is last weeks box.

    It has been very interesting and I think it has proven to be a good value. It has been challenging to cook some of things I wasn’t totally familiar with. I gave the butternut squash to my daughter. Maybe I need a new cookbook! LOL! The quality has been good. Only 1 item in one box was disappointing. Strawberries – just a little to close to the edge. I should have noticed and used them sooner.

    Happy Knitting and Happy Cooking!

    Lynette

  • Living and Knitting Through a Renovation: Kitchen Revamp Updates

    Living and Knitting Through a Renovation: Kitchen Revamp Updates

    Kitchen

    I have been living though a major renovation and the cold of the year over the last month. The cold, though as aspects of it linger, is finally moving on. The cough is the pits and surprises at the most annoying times.

    The renovation is now in its final stages, except for the Wool Room! Finding that the small room needed a new roof was a bit of a setback. The rest of the kitchen is coming together though.

    The main room has been painted. It currently looks like a store backroom. Everything is piled up and covered in drop cloth. You can see that the new flooring has been covered with heavy cardboard to protect it from all of the activity!

    Cabinets are being installed
    I found it interesting seeing how the uppers are being supported.
    We have countertops.
    And lighting, and appliances. The new dishwasher has been delayed and the new microwave needs to be installed!.

    Knitting

    The laundry room is finally back in action and I got to felting the Granny Blanket Swatch!

    My machine is newer stacking Samsung front loader and it did the job well. I threw the swatch in with a few small napkins. I dialed the heat up to the highest and added the detergent. It took a while – approx 2 hours but it worked beautifully. My swatch shrank at approximately 30 percent. It has become a lovely soft and cozy fabric. So the Estelle Eco Shetland Worsted is a great felting yarn.

    The center weave and seam felted well. You can’t see the weave or the seam as separate from the fabric. Each segment also shrank to the same size. Something I had been worried about. Sometimes the dyes can affect the felting of the yarn. But this turned out perfectly.

    Before Felting
    After Felting

    The swirl shrank from approx 37 inches to about 28 inches.

    Before Felting.
    After Felting.

    Next steps, decide how wide I want my blanket to be and start the knitting. I will also need to update the pattern download. You can expect the updated version to be available next weekend.

    I was originally gong to fold the swatch and turn it into a half circle pillow. But now…. maybe I should keep it a full circle. I love the effect!

    You can have a lot of fun with AI. I love this version of my original sketch. But I am thinking about changing…

    Of course I have kept on knitting, not as much as I normally would in this time frame. I was sick or recovering for much of that time.

    I am thinking a fall class and new sweater for myself.
    Two new projects, one for me and class and another a new baby/toddler pattern.

    Spring is Springing

    I have discovered that I have a Forsythia in the garden. it is small bush, but it wil grow.

    I didn’t know it last spring because we moved in too late to see the blooms. The bright yellow flowers add so much cheer to the grey surrounding us right now. These are so fabulous for Spring colour. I did not have any in my last garden. My neighbour had a huge bush so I got to enjoy it fully every Spring.

    I love watch the birds darting around right now. There are so many showing up, Robins, Sparrows, Finches, they are so much fun to watch! Everything is waking up.

    I hope that you have a great week! I know I will. The kitchen and main room should be fully finished. The main bath and laundry should be finished. And maybe the Wool Room started!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Embracing Granny Chic: A Cozy Home Makeover Journey

    Embracing Granny Chic: A Cozy Home Makeover Journey

    First and foremost, I am getting too old to live out of boxed and canned foods! And who knew that eating out all the time wasn’t fun!

    I have also been dealing with the “cold”, you know the one that won’t go away. I took the last week off of work in order to power through some knitting. That didn’t happen.

    I was too busy power napping – trying to get rid of the cold. It is slowly going. Have you had the “cold”? Or a cold for that matter. What is your favourite remedy? Mine is hot honey and lemon or tea or both. LOL!

    We are now entering week 4 or is it, 4.5 of the renovation and great progress has been made. I cannot say enough good things about MJ Chaley Construction and their crew.

    Progress to date:

    • my woolroom has a door (no change here) – but is now storage for the crews “stuff”.
      • this room is now looking like it is going to be finished last, it is too useful right now
    • the main bathroom/laundry, has been gutted, and in the bathroom
      • the electrical has been upgraded,
      • the plumbing has been upgraded
        • including adding a whole house shutoff valve for the water
      • and the ceiling and walls have been drywalled and painted!
        • the shower stall has been installed
        • and the new cabinet is here, but not installed
    • the kitchen area is so exciting
      • the skylight has been replaced and the beams and surrounding area have been upgraded with new venting and insulation
      • as have the outside walls
      • the entire kitchen has been rewired to accommodate the undercounter lighting and new appliance placements
        • including wiring being run to power the kitchen island
      • the plumbing has upgraded for the sink, we did not change the location of the sink
      • the kicks are in for the new cupboards
    • the main living area is ready for paint, both walls and ceiling
      • and ready for new trim around windows, doors and floors
    from the kitchen area to the main outside door.
    the bathroom and laundry area
    down the hallway to the back bedroom
    the kitchen with kicks and skylight. The grandfather clock won’t be staying there.

    Tomorrow the new flooring is going in.

    On Aesthetics

    There is a movement in design, especially in our homes, towards the homey and cozy. “Granny Chic” I think it is called. I have embraced this style my whole life. The combination of modern and old, of walls busy with art and family photographs. I carry my life in my home. So did my Mum!

    We lived with floral wall paper, usually very Victorian in nature. Lots of floral inspired wallpapers and pictures, antique pictures and my mothers needle pointed floral pictures. I simply followed her lead and kept my own home just like hers.

    I had this work reframed just after we moved. The old frame was falling apart at one corner. It is now waiting for a wall. My mums’ last piece of needlepoint.

    It is odd to find that now those are the homes that we are moving too naturally. I am going to be in style for the first time in my life!

    give me flowers, especially Pansies, they always make me happy
    a case full of china florals, very Granny Chic! LOL!

    I try to surround myself with Happy. That is really my aesthetic.

    I am choosing be a little naive – but I think that we quite often make our happiness.  It is how we view the world – half empty or half full. It is how we view the people in our world and how the world views us. I don’t put much stock into the stuff the world says that we need to have to be happy.

    I put stock into the people that are in my life.  Those are the people in my home and at my job. They are also the people I meet as I go about my day.

    Knitting is one of the activities that gives me my greatest joy and happiness.  Planning the next project or playing with the new yarn – I am always creating and dreaming.  When we find out what we love, happiness is usually close by. It shows us what we want to do with our time.

    More Granny Chic – the Granny Blanket

    Well, the swatch is complete. But I have no washing machine to full it in. So it will have to wait another week or so.

    It is approx 38 inches across. I want it to shrink at least 25% in the fulling process. That would make it approx 29 inches across. I am practicing patience. And using it to cozy up in as I watch tv in the evenings. The crew left us the tv console an couch to live with.

    Loose sewing at the join to allow for shrinkage
    a loosely woven center or loose single crochet would also work to fill the center. it must be loose to allow for shrinkage
    The swatch is complete. It is almost blanket size. I am going to be knitting a very big blanket before fulling for the real deal!

    I am ready for next Sunday, March 1. Well, almost. The Square and pattern are ready. However, I am still working on the “fancy.” I am having too much fun.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Progress Update on Home Renovation and Knitting

    Progress Update on Home Renovation and Knitting

    This is going to be a short post. I am not sure when the dry walling team are arriving. Most of the tradesmen arrive around 8:00 am – which is when I like to work on the computer.

    The work on the house is progressing. They are about to drywall the kitchen and bathroom. After that paint, then cabinets and finishing. I am told that things are progressing quite well. The possible finishing date is March 7th or 8th.

    My yarn room has hit a snag, they are sorting it. But nothing to report there as yet! There are always glitches when doing a renovation. On the other hand…

    Now for the Knitting news. No glitch here.

    Isn’t it looking great! I am loving the colours and texture. I wonder what fulling will do to the garter st texture?

    … the Granny Blanket swatch is almost done. The swatch and blanket are going to be built with 13 wedges. That is official. The swatch is just about there. I will finish it tonight (or maybe tomorrow night!) LOL!. I won’t be able to full the piece for the next 3 weeks. It will take that long before I get a laundry back!

    And how beautiful is the world we live in.

    Sunday was glorious so we took the opportunity to get out. We went for a walk at Piper’s Lagoon.

    LOOK! at the texture. It all started with a wood bug, add time, water and then weather. A somber kind of beauty is the result. Could I recreate it somehow?

    I hope that you get the opportunity to go for a walk wherever you live. It is good for anything that ails you, including a renovation.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Renovating Our New Home: A Yarn Lover’s Journey

    Renovating Our New Home: A Yarn Lover’s Journey

    The waiting is over.

    We moved in to our new place last May. We downsized from our home of 30 years to something a little less than half the size. But it had potential. Including extra space to turn into yarn storage and a very small bedroom for our grandson.

    We bought it for the main room. A large living area that covered the living, kitchen, dining and entry way, a Great Room. But the kitchen area needs major work. I am pretty sure that it is original to the home and about 50 years old. It is going to get a complete renovation. From the walls out.

    This is before it all started. You can see that I am not the tidiest of cooks. So I need a little space to play in. I can hardly wait.

    There will be a large pantry and a central Island with seating. A big fridge as I like to cook. And I work a lot with fresh fruit and vegetables. My last home had three fridges, main, beer and dads suite fridge. And I could and did use them all in a pinch. Especially around Christmas.

    Flooring, backsplash, counters and cupboards. Very neutral, because everything else is so colourful!

    And – this is so exciting for me – an induction stove – a new to me toy! Plus all the rest of the bells and whistles of a modern kitchen. Is a kitchen important to you? Or do you have other interests? I have to admit cooking and knitting sometimes vie for my attention. This happens when my focus is on one and not the other! There is only so much time in the day!

    We have been waiting for our contractors of choice, the MJ Chaley Construction Group. Their latest project had been taking longer than expected. They are finally free and the reno has started. The Chaley’s had done a lot of work on our old home. We trust them to do the job right!

    Tomorrow the kitchen will be demolished. I should have a new, usable kitchen in early March. So says the Calendar sheets with the timeline! We will be camping out in the dining room and eating out a lot!

    When I left Wednesday morning.
    When I got home.

    The kitchen area has a large skylight! Something that I love about this home. But it needs a little TLC. Which it is about to get. And luckily not as much as we thought it would need. Whew!

    Behind this new door, which is off of the office or back bedroom, something is brewing. This will be my new “Wool Room”. Right now it is an 8 foot x 8 foot shell of a former shed. It is waiting to be transformed with new walls, paint, flooring, and shelving! It will also have a platform bed for my Grandson with more storage underneath. I am so excited!

    I am not sure which I am more excited about the Wool room or my Kitchen! LOL!

    Please note the many mentions of wool storage. This is going to be a knitters home.

    The platform bed will double as a blocking board. The shelving will be almost all wool. The shelves may also contain a few knitting books.

    Under Construction

    My home is under construction, and so are my many knitting projects. The knitting helps me deal with the stress of the reno’s. No matter how much we want them you know there will be glitches!

    The next Blanket Square was just released this morning. The Hearts Ease Square. I have started knitting the March Square pattern and have ideas for the April and May Squares. I feel temporarily on top of that project.

    And the Granny Blanket pillow swatch is coming along. I believe it will take 12 or 13 wedges to make the circle. It won’t take the 16 I originally thought. This is wonderfully easy knitting, perfect for the evening or any tv watching. Because of this it is moving along faster than my other projects.

    I have also started a new project, one that has given me an idea for a new pattern.

    I am making some quick hats for the construction crew. Big needles and big yarn. It is an opportunity to play and I think something interesting has come out of it! A new pattern floating around my head. More to come later.

    Because of these projects, the knitting for the class projects has slowed down a wee bit. I hope to get back on track this week. There is another project, but I am not quite ready to share.

    Happy Knitting All! I hope that your blanket projects are progressing well. And if not knitting a blanket – then knitting of any style is better than not knitting at all! LOL!

    Lynette