Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Tag: new yarn

  • Time Flies ….

    Time Flies ….

    If you are having fun or not!

    This trip to Knit City was both utterly fabulous – the best ever – and bittersweet – because it will be the last at the forum. I was there at the first one, teaching and talking! At that time I felt totally overwhelmed by the whole event. I really was uncertain of myself and my abilities back then. I regret that I did not seize that moment and walk out of my shell.

    Now! I could do better. Now! I could rock the joint. What a difference a few years can make.

    This year was fabulous! I met up with customers, exchanged stories and felt connected. I think that when Knit City comes back – I want to teach or organize a group visit or just Wow! myself again!

    These were my Knit City investments. I love each and every one and I don’t know when I will have time to knit any of them.

    Some links are included with the pictures in case you want to find out more about the farms and yarns.

    This was the yarn I went to Knit City to find. If I bought nothing else (who was I kidding) I wanted this!

    And I was not disappointed.

    Merino lace weight, non superwash 8-plys of heaven. I am not sure what I am doing with it but I know that I bought enough for a big project!

    Maybe I will even need more!

    https://ancientartsfibre.com/collections/in-stock-fingering-sock/products/au-naturel-filigree-lace-dyed-stock

    Beautiful cut leather buttons. They seem to be perfect for layering!
    Local wool, light fingering, perfect for a small hap perhaps.
    https://www.instagram.com/inisheile
    More local wool to play with
    .https://morningstarwoollen.com/
    https://www.koigu.com/
    https://ancientartsfibre.com/

    There has been a lot of time taken in talking about not having enough time lately for all of the things in my mind that I want to accomplish. I have spoken to friends and colleagues, online acquaintences, family, and customers. We all tell the same story. Perhaps we all need to slow down and step back…

    No. I am not ready yet!

    I have been having fun, working hard and sometimes even not having fun! But life is still zooming on by.

    Quickie update – because I have decided that my Quickie project needed to become a shawl – this is no longer really a quickie! It will need a new name. But I am beyond thrilled with the yarn and how it has transitioned from the first ball to the next. The transition is perfect. The end of the first ball matched up perfectly with the middle of the next ball! That beautiful bright blue is the transition point! Poema Stripes rocks it!

    I hope that you are using up and enjoying every bit of the time you have! Nothing is wasted if we have experienced the time – both good and bad. All of it makes us who we are! Every experience teaches, enriches, and grows us. We learn from both good and bad. What to do better. What to avoid and what to embrace.

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Flat Iron Hat and Mitts

    Flat Iron Hat and Mitts

    The third pattern has just been added to my Ebook – Just Playing Around.

    Flat Iron was knit with Ancient Arts Lascaux Fine Fingering. This heathered yarn adds a great depth to the cabled pattern. I like this yarn so much that you will see another hat in the collection knit with the same yarn.

    Lascaux Fine / Lascaux Fine 50’s – 25% Manx Loaghtan/75% Punta Arenas Wool

    Lascaux Fine 50’s – 175 meters / 192 yards per 50 gram / 1.75 oz skein

    Lascaux Fine 100 – 350 meters / 385 yards per 100 gram / 3.5 oz skein

    Gauge: 25 – 30 sts / 4 inches (10 cm) US 1.5 – 2.5 or 2.5 – 3.0 mm

    Lascaux Fine is a delightful blend of heritage and modern sheep fibre spun into a 2-ply fingering weight yarn which is perfect for stranded colourwork projects.

    The heritage breed sheep is Manx Loaghtan, found only on the Isle of Mann, and the modern breed is the Punta Arenas from South America. The natural colour of this yarn is a light brown, so it has a heathered undertone when it is dyed, and although it looks rustic, it actually knits up exceptionally soft! This is a great yarn that feels wonderful against the skin, making it suitable for garments like mitts, sweaters and even lace shawls!

    Note: Lascaux has it’s own unique colour palette due to the natural colour of the yarn. 

    Ancient Arts
    Flat Iron Hat – knit with Ancient Arts Lascaux Fine
    I played around with the photo to really highlight the shading of the yarn witch did affect the colour somewhat!

    The hat and mittens make a great set and take only one skein of yarn.

    Be well and Knit Happy!

    Lynette

  • Another Week, Another Hat!

    Another Week, Another Hat!

    February is usually Retreat Month. Not this year – above is Kiwi Cove Saturday morning on the Retreat Weekend 2 years ago – perfect knitting weather.

    Instead of working on my Cathedral Sweater sleeve or the Serenity Waves Shawl edging – both of which are so close to being finished! I chose to work on another Bio Shetland hat, another fact finding exercise you might say! And I am very happy with the results. This one is called Dahlia. So Called for the beautiful floral crown.

    I have a thing for floral crowns. I have a thing for flowers. I am not particularly good at growing them. I am not much of a gardener. I find things that survive my somewhat indifferent skills and go with them. The basic rule is that I do try to find plants that either flower, or I grow herbs I can use in the kitchen.

    I surround myself with my mothers floral petit points and have collected a multitude of the floral “posies” made by Ainsley, Denton and Staffordshire. Flowers quite simply, make me smile, make me happy. They are small things that I note and enjoy, their colours, shapes and scents are all part of the lexicon of things I find enjoyable.

    I hope to have the Dahlia pattern up on Ravelry next weekend.

    I was really happy with the way the Classic Lapel Vest fit. It is just the right length and fit for me.

    I am short with a 44 inch bust and a little more weight than is good for me, but the vest is still flattering.

    Now to write the pattern for more sizes than my own. It will have to be a bit of a formula pattern I think. A few basic sizes and lots of information on making it for yourself.

    Today I am baking a classic lemon layer cake with blackberry jam in the middle and lemon icing all around. It is really just a white cake with lemon extract instead of vanilla extract and fresh lemon peel thrown into the dry mixture. Lemon icing is also simple butter icing (soft butter and icing sugar beaten together) with lemon juice instead of vanilla and milk. This makes the icing very tart and it tastes like lemon candies. Yuummm! If I am being fancy I will candy up some lemon slices to decorate the top!

    Ready to ice the sides. I noticed that I put the bottom layer down upside down – so the jam is oozing more than it should. I think that i will have jam in my icing, and I did!

    I love to cook and bake which is why I carry a few pounds to many. It also runs in the family, most of my cousins also love to cook and bake. And we all love to eat good food! Food is one of lifes’ most basic pleasures and with Covid rules dictating life all around we need to take pleasure where we can!

    I am still feeling the need to start something new so today I am going to start a shawl in some new yarn from The Small Bird Workshop.

    These are non superwash, Island grown Babydoll Southdown wool fibre, blended with Kamloops area mohair and sourced silk (70/15/15) fingering weight yarns. There is no more of this particular blend left, but a small bird told me that she is working towards having more next year.

    This yarn was milled at That Darn Yarn Mill, Kamloops.

    I am really looking forward to starting this project!

    Have you anything new on your needles? Or pulled out a long overdue project? Something for you to wear? You know that often what we make for ourselves is the last thing we finish as we are always knitting for others! Be kind to yourself and knit or finish something that is just yours!

    Be Well and Knit Happy!

    Lynette

    PS – Did you see the moon this week? Simply stunning.