collage of knitting and sketch

Pattern Placement and Siding

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Meanwhile in Maine 2 Comments

I think it’s wonderful how God uses one thing to teach us how to do something completely different.  I was hoping to have more knitting completed on the sweater, but summer heat without A/C put it away until a cooler day.  So instead, I wanted to zoom in and talk about pattern placement… and in an unusual turn of events, how that helped the Meanwhile in Maine build project! There are 3 distinct pattern details on the Meanwhile in Maine design – I’ve talked about darts and shoulder detail in posts past, but what about the bottom of the center back detail.  This panel was worked in reverse as I wanted all sizes to end on a certain row so …

Meanwhile in Maine graphic with knitting and countertop

Sleeve Island and Interior Finishes

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Meanwhile in Maine, Pattern Related 4 Comments

My favorite of all sleeves is the short row top-down sleeve, so once again, it’s shown up here.  I promise I have knit others, but when one fits so beautifully and the construction makes you smile, why switch?  Not wanting a “boring” sleeve, this one has 3 feature elements.  To compliment the front shoulder detail, I added it to the sleeve cap as well.  The detail along the top of the arm also matches the detail on the body.  However, the detail under the arm is slightly different to prevent bulkiness and stiffness where it isn’t needed.  Can you spot the difference? I knit the collar on before the sleeves because I didn’t know how much yarn it would take.  …

Meanwhile in Maine split screen

Body, Collar, and a Roof!

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Meanwhile in Maine, Pattern Related 2 Comments

Exciting developments are afoot on both Meanwhile in Maine projects!  First up, the fiber: (insert trumpet sound) The mental block broke!!!  I’ve been knitting like crazy and am already finished the body, first stab at the collar (it’ll need just a touch of tweaking), and last night I started the first sleeve.  Check out Antionette’s live replay for a sneak peek.  Since she surprised me by putting me on camera yesterday (without any warning, mind you), I thought I’d share the WIP I had to work on during her live. https://www.youtube.com/live/iG1SmDIDTpw?feature=share (to skip to the preview, click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/iG1SmDIDTpw?feature=share&t=2044 ) As you can see in the video, I did add a little cable detail to the front, which originally was …

camera mom in Air Bender

Knitworthy dips and bobbles

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Pattern Related, Q&A, Yarn Leave a Comment

Part of the Joy of Knitting this year is knitting for others.  When it comes to the knitworthy, my list is long, but there is one name at the top of it, camera mom!  Who’s on your knitworthy list? As soon as camera mom saw this yarn in late April, she claimed it!  So, naturally it became her Mother’s Day present.  Because I’m not THAT fast a knitter, I worked on it over last summer, and we shot it just before the final blossoms disappeared.  The funniest bit was upon arriving back home, she promptly placed it in her closet!  Something I have loved teasing her about these days leading up to Mother’s Day.  Hmmm, perhaps I should snag it …

Sneak peek at the Autumn Come chart created in Stitch Mastery

Extra extra read all about it

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Designers, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Pattern Related, Puddles, Q&A Leave a Comment

I had the honor of being interviewed about my design process by one of the software tools I use to create my designs! Head over to Stitch Mastery to read the inside scoop: URL – https://stitchmastery.com/interview-series-40-lindsay-lewchuk/ Of course, I couldn’t talk about designing without GDCSJ, Puddles

Resuming

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Meanwhile in Maine, Pattern Related 2 Comments

It’s been an interesting 2023 so far and I’m beyond thankful to say I have finally found a new allergy treatment for Spring with tolerable side effects!  Riding the high wave of increased energy, curtailed nasal symptoms, and mostly clear thinking (a weird side effect is neurological, but one that impacts my speech not my thought process), and celebrating the crossing of 41 yesterday, today I pulled the Meanwhile in Maine design out of the sin bin to resume writing and knitting!  A few dedicated hours later, the pattern is in much more comprehensible shape from the shoulders to the arm openings.  With 2 rows of set up still in question, the rewrite on the upper back went smoothly – …

Monticello from Cestari in Pewter

Discovering Hidden Gems in Your Stash

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Pattern Related 2 Comments

Several years ago, I swatch tested an entire skein of new to me yarn (now discontinued) and as part of the test did a medley of stitches.  My mom fell in love with the “pattern” and wanted it!  I told her I couldn’t publish a swatch, it needed to be something!  As I knit up the yarn into it’s final design, Je Ne Sais Quoi, I wondered whether the swatch would make the cut or be unraveled into the shawl design.  It was part of the leftovers so got tucked into the yarn drawer of my desk.  (And was forgotten about, shhhh… it really isn’t *THAT* messy in there.) Another new to me yarn, happened to jump into my yarn …

photoshoot fun

The Naughty Knot Hat and Other Humourous Disasters

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Joy of Knitting (2023 theme), Pattern Related 2 Comments

Hi all, remember me?  It’s your friendly knitwear designer!  I know 2023 started off with a bang of Joy of Knitting anticipation and excitement then crickets.  Well, I’ve been squirreling away pattern writing, frogging, rewriting, crying to my tech editor, and delving into all sorts of tangles.  Since the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to glimmer, I figured today was a great day to catch you all up. First up, the 3 designs I wrote last summer for late Winter / early Spring 2023.  Well brain fog during writing made them completely incomprehensible, even to me.  So despite the samples being “ready to go” sample / photography wise, instead of burying myself in those rewrites, I …

Joy of Knitting!

2023 Theme

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements Leave a Comment

Over the last few years, I delved deeply into a lot of techniques.  To celebrate 2023 joy of knitting theme, this year we’ll be revisiting some of favorites in new ways.  From brioche to lace, regular cables to slipped stitch cables over garter stitch backgrounds, keep an eye out for easy accessories, technique filled beautifully structured garments, and a couple of exciting collaborations. Without letting too much out of the bag, here a few a snapshots of what’s coming: Last year I fiddled (and fiddles and frogged and fiddled and tossed in time out and fiddled) a design in brioche that featured butterflies.  After designing a shawl with the final butterfly motif in mind, I knit up the “plain” shawl …

Tassels

Lindsay Lewchuk Announcements, Hems and Ends, How-Tos, Pattern Related, Q&A 2 Comments

Tassels and plant-based fibers can tend towards a bit of a love-hate relationship.  Love the look, but do they ever tatter quickly!  Without the natural felting abilities of wool and depending on the yarn twist, what looked lovely, can, after just one wash look like it was chewed to death by an active Great Dane 😉. Don’t fear there are solutions! The “ends” feature in the new release, Autumn Sense, in our Hems and Ends year showcases one very easy solution… Don’t cut the yarn… leave them loopy! Cut, bead, and knot – okay, I know this is fringe and not a tassel, but you can use it on tassels, too.  If going this route, you may wish to decrease …