Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Tag: new patterns

  • 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

  • Knit a Dress with Me – Part Two

    Knit a Dress with Me – Part Two

    What is in a hem?

    Thank-you to everyone who has expressed interest in my journey to knit myself a dress. And for those of you who wish to join me – here is a discussion of your first consideration – I have already worked out these questions for myself!

    In the pattern that you downloaded I offered up three different hem widths. These were just arbitrary numbers based on what I thought my ideal hem would be. It can and should be changed to create the hem that you want. Every other aspect of the dress is created from your hem.

    My only caveat is to not make too narrow a hem, unless your skirt is quite short. Remember a comfortable stride is part of a comfortable garment.

    How do you decide what might be best for you?

    Start out with your favourite dress. The one you love to wear, the one that fits just right. Lay the dress out and take some measurements.

    • How wide/long is the hem?
    • How long is the skirt to the waist?
    • What are the measurements of waist, bust, shoulders, length of arm?
    • How wide or deep is the neckline?

    With this basic information we ask ourselves some questions? Do you want to keep to the dimensions of the original? Is there something about it you would like to change?

    For the moment your hem is only decision. My hem of choice is fairly full. Basically about 8 feet, 240 cm around. I like a full skirt. You may not. So look at your dresses and judge from there. I have started a forum thread on Ravelry. Feel free to ask me questions at any point in your journey.

    To figure your cast-on for your hem you will need to employ some pithy math.

    Pithy Math – My pattern panel repeat is approx 5 inches wide x I have 18 repeats. 5 x 18 = 90 inches. Since I know that this number will be a little wider/longer once properly blocked I feel pretty confident that my hem will be around 96 to 100 inches long 8 to 8.5 feet. Each panel is 21 sts wide, so my math for my cast-on was 18 x 21 = 378 sts. It will create a hem close to what I am expecting. 

    I do not and you should not expect exact measurements. We are creating a fabric and garment from a string. So many things will affect our final results. What the string is made from. The weight of your string versus the weight of my string. Your tension/gauge as different from my tension/gauge as different from every other knitters tension/gauge!

    My Dress

    My dress will be an amalgamation of my current dresses and a favourite dress from memory. So it will be all its own. The colour will be whatever my favourite colour is once the dress is complete. Right now it would be a very bright pink. Probably not by the time this dress is finished. It will most likely be a jewel tone though, probably not a subdued colour. I do love the deep jewel tones.

    Here is the hem on Francine. Wouldn’t a variation of this make a great collar. And it would need beads of course!

    I am hoping that my dress will be fairly close to the sketch. I will be adding a collar. It will be a gathered collar and it will be beaded. 

    That is the only known fact about my bodice. And I am thinking that there may be beads on the bodice and sleeves, that could change. I am also thinking that I may sew a simple slip to wear under my dress, maybe with a knitted lace edging, that could change.

    A big part of process, once your hem is decided and you have started knitting is dreaming about all the parts that will come next. Knitting the skirt will be the longest part of the process. There will be lots of time to think. I am already thinking ahead and keeping and discarding my ideas. You can too!

    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 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

  • Celebration of Life – Anatomy of Love – Knitting Style

    Celebration of Life – Anatomy of Love – Knitting Style

    Yesterday was my fathers Celebration of Life. A few weeks before that my father passed. Life had suddenly changed, and I have been struggling with what to do with my hands, how to focus on the mundane when a big part of my life was suddenly gone. My Knitting mojo too was gone.

    A week or so ago I started this blog post. I think it still works.

    If you are a knitter (read your favourite craft here) you have most likely made something for someone you love. It is what we do. What can be more personal than a gift made with special someone in mind. Loving thoughts go into every stitch, every small detail and every minute that you spend knitting that gift. Some gifts last longer than others. Some gifts are made better by time.

    Three weeks ago I lost my father. He was ninety. He passed away peacefully in his sleep after four weeks in the hospital. He had lived a good life and had few regrets. We will miss him. We do miss him.

    He had lived with us for the last 6 years of his life and was very much a part of our daily lives. The last 6 months of his life were pretty much lost to dementia as he struggled to find the words to communicate and the everyday actions to look after himself that a few months before had been there. He was stubborn and believed that he did not need the help we wanted to give him.

    I made it to ninety making my own decisions and I will keep on doing so.

    He lived a good life and believed in himself the whole of it.

    Love you Dad.

    We have been cleaning up his space, a suite in the basement, opening drawers, going into the closets and sorting the stuff of dads life that he brought when he moved into the house.

    On a hanger in the back of the closet I found a wool sweater that I had knit for him over 35 years ago. It brought both memories and tears. I didn’t know he still had it. I had not seen him wear it in a long time. He found it too warm. He had never worn it while in the suite.. But he kept it. It was dirty, but intact – no moths.

    When I knit it for him, so long ago – it was quite the job – I had not knit many sweaters yet, certainly not designed any from scratch in this way.

    He was very specific about what he wanted. I think that he was recreating something he had had once. It had to be wool, and not to heavy – no problem – I preferred wool. It had to be red, but just the right shade of red. I went back and forth to the yarn store a few times to find the right “red”! And it had to be wool! It had to be a cardigan, plainly knit – no patterning. (those who know me would know how hard that one detail would be for me) And it had to be wool. Then it had to have pockets and it had to have a V-neck. And it had to be wool. And it had to have silver toned buttons! And it had to be wool. Once I found THE wool, as it had to be wool – not too heavy and just the right shade of red, we struck a bargain.

    I would knit him a Red Wool cardigan with silver toned buttons, pockets and V-neck and it would be plain knit. Except for the button bands and pocket tops, they would have a small pattern. Something that said it was hand-knit just for him by me. And so the bargain was made.

    So I took measurements and went away to knit him his sweater. About 6 months later I gave him his sweater. He was thrilled and put it on right away! It fit! And took it off right away – it was too hot! This was in June! So it was a success, knit with a great deal of love.

    Thirty-five years later I found it in the back of his closet.

    I knew he loved it and I knew he wore it – the food on the sweater said so! But I didn’t know he still had it! That was a gift!

    From me to him and then from him to me.

    So I washed it – soaked it in Eucalan for a number of hours and then rolled it in a towel and reblocked it. So it is now my sweater, a true grandfather sweater!

    I needed to start knitting again. My hands were restless. I had a couple of sweaters on the go for myself, but they weren’t holding me. So I did one of my favourite things. I picked some yarn and found a new stitch to play with and knit a hat, instant gratification and maybe a new pattern. I am going to knit another version and see if it works again.

    The yarn is Mecha by Malabrigo. It is a gorgeous hand dyed Chunky Merino. I chose the Piedras colourway for the background and the Rosalinda colourway for the “feathers”. I think that I will call the pattern Feathers if it works.

    Happy Knitting

    Hug someone you love

    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

  • 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