Lyndell the Tricoteuse

@lyndelltricoteuse

Professional craftsperson & teacher of crafts. Knitting, crochet, spinning, tatting, embroidery, bobbin lace, sewing, millinery … No DMs. Living on unceded Gadigal land & proudly ‘Woke’ ‘radical left lunatic scum’. Also on Flashes @lyndell-tricoteuse

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Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· 20d

#showmeyourknits has been going for 2 yrs and to celebrate we are showing things we’ve knitted twice or more. I knit commissions for costume & that sometimes means multiples. I made 6 of these jumpers in 2 sizes for a horror movie & I made them all within a month. More in Alt Txt #knitsky #handknit

Lying flat on some floral fabric are 2 hand knitted jumpers - one on top of the other to show difference in size.

They are mostly a mouse brown with a band of soft grape and narrow bands of ‘fair isle’ colourwork in beige.

Long & loose fit (oversized) with drop shoulders and round neckline. There is a mish mash of design ideas in these with texture, the fair isle and some cabling as well. This was deliberate - the character was a pre teen girl and the costume designer wanted the jumper to look as if a fond but slightly batty relative had made it for her.
Interesting side note - whenever I’ve been commissioned to knit something in a Mousey brown colour - bad things happen to that character ! This was for a horror movie which I have not watched - I can’t watch horror!

Anyways - that’s why I had to make 6 of these jumpers - there are often ‘doubles’ made of costumes for movies … if a scene involves rain or falling in water, you can’t wait for a costume to be dried before you do another take … if there is ‘blood’ one costume gets art finished with red stuff …
Also for this movie there was a stunt double and she was adult … so larger. That was difficult - to get the larger size to still have the same proportions in all the design elements !!

And I had to do all that pattern making and adapting and get all 6 jumpers made - in a month.

not my design but - my patterns and knitting

On a dressmaker’s mannequin in a garden, we see a mostly brown, hand knitted jumper.

To fit a pre-teen girl but so oversized that it easily fits on my adult woman mannequin. Yes this is one of the 4 smaller jumpers I made

The sleeves and body have 3 bands of fair isle colourwork - and a wide band of a textured stitch (has a honey comb texture) in a soft purple. The chest to shoulder part has vertical cables - widely spaced - and these are on the top of the sleeves too.

8ply (DK) wool - mostly ‘estate’ by Morris & Sons

Not my design - but my pattern and knitting

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· 20d

Even a doll’s dress can benefit from blocking - this one needed the points on the hem stretched a little and pinned till dry. The doll is a lightly customised Takara Blythe doll - her name is Léontine. #knitsky #handknit #blythedoll more in Alt Txt

A Blythe doll stands on the edge of a flower pot sundry plants behind her - a double jonquil or mini daffodil is in flower in the top LH corner.

Léontine (the doll) is wearing a hand knitted dress - fitted bodice, full skirt to the knee big short sleeves. Sleeves and hem of skirt are in a simple lace pattern that gives a wavy edge. Wide neck has decorative sequins & tiny pearls at the corners.

The yarn is variegated - light turquoise blue, yellow, spots of brown & white. It is a sock wt (4 ply ) from Ixchel fibres - hand dyed in colours inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ (I knitted a teddy a little while back from this yarn).
Pattern is my own. Doll is a customised Takara Blythe doll with alpaca hair.

A hand knitted doll’s dress is laid flat and pinned to a blue/grey towel.

The dress has a fitted bodice, full skirt to the knee, big short sleeves. Sleeves and hem of skirt are in a simple lace pattern that gives a wavy edge. Wide neck has decorative sequins (shapes like shells) & tiny pearls at the corners.

The yarn is variegated - light turquoise blue, yellow, spots of brown & white. It is a sock wt (4 ply ) from Ixchel fibres - hand dyed in colours inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ (I knitted a teddy a little while back from this yarn).
Pattern is my own.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· 24d

The #showmeyourknits theme this week is - Tools & Notions that make knitting better, easier, more fun. I love my ‘pineapple ‘ yarn bowl & I’m lucky enough to have a matching pencil holder. Also - my wool needles - I love what I can do with them to elevate my hand knits from so-sew 😉 to Pro.

On a dark timber table are 2 ceramic vessels - very realistically made to look like pineapples. Unfortunately I don’t know the name of the ceramicist who made them… (if you are in Sydney - Morris and Sons might still sell them).
The one to the back is full of pens & pencils - the ‘pineapple’ to the front is a yarn bowl - the variegated sock yarn inside is by Ixchel fibres.
In front of the yarn bowl are 2 wool needles.

I teach knitting and encourage everyone to learn Mattress Stitching - and don’t be afraid of wool needles - they are our friends.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· 27d

#TourDeFleece #handspinning - very ‘central Australia’ colours in this Ixchel batt club batt. Inspired by Charlene Carrington’s painting ‘Ngarrgarroon Country’. I was aiming for a thick-n-thin & went very ‘intuitive’ letting the fibre tell me what it wanted to do…

A bobbin loaded with hand spun yarn occupies the left half of this photo - on the right is the tag from Ixchel fibres.

The yarn is orange yellow browns going into black - it’s tightly spun in parts and quite loose and fluffy in other bits

The tag reads “Batt Club January 2026
Charlene Carrington - Ngarrgarroon Country (2006)
Ouessant-Cashmere-Blue Faced Leicester-Mulberry Silk-Guanaco-Wallaby”

Then we see the painting - which is the same colours as the yarn

Then at the bottom of the tag
“Ixchel Yarns & Fibres
Www.Ixchel.com.au

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jul 12

What’s not to like ?

Photo of scones for a Devonshire Tea
2 halves sit on a pastel pink napkin - loads of strawberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream on each.
A jar of jam is behind on the left, a glass bowl of cream a bit out of focus is behind in the middle, more scones await being ‘jam&cream’ adorned to the right …

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jul 11

#showmeyourknits This week is about TEXTURE and I’m always amazed by how much we can do from simple combinations of knit & purl. Here is a variation of Mistake Rib and a neat Lattice pattern - both found in the Barbara Walker ‘Treasuries’. More in Alt Txt #knitsky #handknit

A close up of beige hand knitting - mostly the body - part of a sleeve is on the LH side of the photo.

This was a commission - costume for the stage & the costume designer wanted a Rib - but it couldn’t be clingy to the body (so a regular Skinny Rib wasn’t an option).

After sampling a few stitches with rib textures we decided on “Seeded Rib Pattern” from the B Walker Treasuries - looks like a Mistake Rib but is less clingy. It should ‘read’ as a rib from at least Row D. 😁

Yarn - 8ply dyed ‘in house’ by the wardrobe dept.

not my design - but it is my pattern and my knitting

Close up of hand knitting in a dark teal colour - the knitting has a lattice-like texture - we can also see the ribbing band at the bottom (and a glimpse of garden plants.)

Thus is a vest I made hubby dear last year. We Stitch pattern from Barbara Walker’s ‘Treasury of Knitting Patterns’ called ‘Imitation Lattice’.
Yarn is from Bendigo Woollen Mills ‘Whisper 8 ply’ (that’s DK)
My adaptation from Patons Classics vest pattern.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jul 6

#tourdeFleece #handspinning - finished spinning this braid from #Ixchel fibres last nite. It will be plyed with some matching lace weight… and will be part of a shawl … photo is making it a bit too yellow - indoor lights

Yarn on the bobbin on a spinning wheel. Single ply, quite thin (very thin for me!) it is a Cashmerino Silk blended and hand dyed by Ixchel Fibres - she calls this colourway “Shadows of Mordor”
Has golden honey & soft dark rose colours going thru warm browns to charcoal.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jul 5

#showmeyourknits this week’s prompt - What is on your needles. This one is for me & my own design - it’ll be a top. The yarn is a delightful hand painted sock weight with lots of twinkle thread in it which doesn’t show in the photo. #knitsky #handknit

I bought myself this lovely twinkly yarn at the beginning of the year but then - I had a flood of commissions … the flood is tailing off now so … cast on happened.
And I’m getting ‘Five Bells’ vibes from the colours and twinkles … my favourite bit of poetry:

Deep and dissolving verticals of light
Ferry the falls of moonshine down.
Five bells

Poem by Kenneth Slessor
Yarn by Charly McCafferty of #ixchelyarnsandfibres - it’s a 4ply
Garment (if I get it finished - so many knits for myself languish as WiPs, UFOs and PHDs…) it will be a top - this lace as a wide border at the hem - probably on the sleeves (elbow length) and I’m thinking of a lace collar too 😉

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jun 27

100 weeks of #ShowMeYourKnits 😁 To celebrate this BlueSky milestone we are showing off our Blue knitting - so here is a Blythe doll wearing her new blue suit with whale tail cable front & back. #knitsky #handknit #BlytheDoll

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jun 26

#FinishedObjectFriday 1st half of this year was busy with commissions - I was making an adult sized garment every 10days - working out the pattern & hand knitting (or crocheting) it. All costume pieces & not my designs so I can only show you glimpses but there’s also a teddy bear #knitsky #handknit

A collage of 12 rectangular very close-up photos of hand knitting and crochet.
A variety of colours - 3 in different shades of green, several are predominantly off-white to beige.
Lots of Stocking Stitch & reverse St St, one broken rib, one garter stitch.
Many have contrast colour on the edge - often it is crochet on the edge
One shows crochet that has knitting as the border
A couple show deliberate ‘distress’ - holes and tartness knitted in - so the garment looks old / well worn.

They are all costume pieces. My knitting and my patterns - but not my designs

I am holding a hand knitted teddy bear - it is sitting in my hand. The bear is made from variegated yarn bright light blue and sunny yellow with small amounts of brown and white … the bear’s embroidered eyes and nose are dark blue.

I showed a photo of this bear a few weeks ago when it was in progress …
Here it is all finished.
To a lovely and well written pattern by Annita Wilschut on Ravelry - called ‘Vera bear’
I used a 4ply sock yarn hand painted by Ixchel fibres - the colours being inspired by Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jun 20

#showmeyourknits this week for the Solstice we are showing 2 pics, interpreting LIGHT 💡 and DARK 🕶️ Here are mine - a jacket for a baby adapted from a vintage pattern and some WiPs - a hat and a mitt - for an upcoming production of La Boheme. More in Alt Text #knitsky #handknit

Shown lying flat on a pale greenish background is a white jacket for a baby girl.

It was knitted from the neck down with a round yoke and it has a lot of textures. From the yoke down it has raised zigzagging stripes with a little lace stitch between.

It fastens with 4 pink pearlised heart-shaped buttons at the yoke

Adapted slightly from an early 60s Patons pattern in booklet No: 709 “Just for Babies”
yarn is Bendigo Woollen Mills 3ply (Lt Fingering) ‘Classic ‘

Here is a confusion of knitting in black yarns.
Underneath is a hat about to be sewn up - it is knitted from a chunky yarn that is black with white neps (‘ bits’ ).

Sitting on top of that is a cake of black sock wt wool yarn and on top of that is an elbow length fingerless mitt - in progress - there’s only about 9cm / 3.5” done so far.

Both these are commissions - for a new production of La Boheme by Opera Australia

I’m not the designer - just the knitter

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jun 7

It’s Stripes Week for #showmeyourknits 2 recent-ish ones - a jumper for my daughter and a cotton onesie for a nephew… more info in the Alt Txt #handknit #knitsky

A pink and white jumper is displayed on a dressmaker’s mannequin in a garden. The mannequin is slightly turned to the right with its left arm extended towards the camera.

I wanted to use a pink ombre yarn I had been gifted – it’s 70% cotton and 30% wool. I also wanted to experiment with Top-down Raglan shaping.

Using Barbara Walker’s book Knitting from the Top, I knitted this striped jumper inspired by the classic Breton knit top.

It features a boat neck with facings, hems on the 3/4-length sleeves and the lower edge. I worked Stocking Stitch in the round but due to the two different yarns – one a very soft wool and the other much stiffer as mostly cotton – the stripes created a gentle ripple effect. Darts were added to shape the waist.

The pink ombré yarn is Scheepjes Woolly Whirl, 70% cotton and 30% wool with extra long colour changes. The white yarn is
Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 4 ply
My own pattern

A baby onesie shown lying flat on a hand knitted blanket - the onesie is white and light teal / aqua stripes … the blanket is a dark teal colour.
I adapted a French pattern for this onesie
Combinaison rayée Ciboure
by La Droguerie
On Ravelry
I added buttoning at the front neck and through the legs - shortened the sleeves too.

Yarn is Bendigo woollen mills 8pky cotton

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· Jun 5

Knitting 🧶 a Vera bear & thoroughly enjoying the colours in this sock yarn by Ixchel Fibres (yarn club May ‘25). Bear will be gifted to a babe with Dutch ancestry & the colours were inspired by Van Gogh’s Sunflowers 😊 🌻 Vera is on Ravelry, a clever pattern by Annita Wilschut #knitsky #handknit

On a rough timber table - in a garden (green leaves in the background) lies some hand knitting in a strange animalistic shape. The head is resting on a cake of yarn - no arms yet and only one leg - the DPN knitting needles are in situ as that foot / paw is still in progress.
The yarn is variegated with lemon yellow and bright sky blue predominant- some speckles of dark green and brown. It is 4 ply - sock weight

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 30

#showmeyourknits theme this week is blankets. Here are the last 2 I made. An expanded Perugino Throw from Colinette and a baby’s cot blanket in cotton yarn. More in Alt Txt #handknit #knitsky

A close up photo of pastel coloured hand-knitting in a wave like texture.
Dusty pink, sage green, white.

It’s all in a lace stitch called Feather and Fan or Old Shale.

This started off as a kit from Colinette for their
Perugino Throw - but I wanted it larger so added more yarns (some from Colinette ) and just … kept going …

A mint green baby’s blanket is hanging from a clothes line in a garden - plants and white painted lattice are behind - and I’m holding the blanket so you can see some of both sides.

It is in a very textured stitch pattern - that looks good on both sides - it is from Barbara Waker’s 2nd Treasury of knitting patterns - “Moss Diamond and Lozenge Pattern” pp. 17-18 …. I’d call it ‘Tumbling Blocks’

I put a Moss Stitch border on - with mitred corners and a white stripe (because I was going to run out of the minty colour before the border was wide enough.

My own pattern - 8ply cotton from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 25

She’s pretty 😍 here is a middle aged male … the orange chest is either to attract the ladies or to scare off other males - he was also missing the tip of his tail.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 21

#memadeMay - some theatrical millinery / headwear. Mostly made while I was doing a costume course at TAFE - and a commission. My current commission is going to take every spare minute to get done by deadline so this will probably be my last memadeMay post 😢 #millinery #costume

A lady wearing a ‘Carmen Miranda’ headdress (and costume) - she holds one (plump) arm aloft and is looking down while smiling broadly.

The headdress has a ‘scarf’ draped down the left side of the face - to the shoulder - it is black with small colourful polka dots - on the top of the head is a small basket overflowing with fake fruit etc - ostrich plumes, yellow & red shoot upwards - fake grass goes in all directions. All quite zany!

The costume is red and black and the same fabric as in the ‘scarf’ - we can see a bit of the bodice and one ruffled sleeve. The lady is wearing lots of jewelry - bead necklaces, big bangles - one big gold hoop ‘earring’ (it isn’t - it’s a thin metal bangle stitched to the edge of the headdress - but in the right place to look like an earring 😁. )

The costume was an exercise for the costume course - then I was invited to a ‘Sth American’ party - so I made the headdress.

A ‘mascot costume head ‘ sits on a timber table - various bits of timber & green painted furniture are behind it.

This was a commission - for a ‘hound dog’ costume - I made the body too. It had to be fast change and able to fit several different people.
The head was built onto a builder’s safety helmet - with layers of light weight foam.
Then covered with honey coloured fakefur and fleece fabric for snout, ear linings etc.
Ears have wire inside.

The wearer sees out of the end of the dog’s nose - visibility for the wearer is always tricky with these costumes.

Shown on a Perspex stand in front of a bright painted brick wall is a fan shaped headdress.

The shape is made of wire - that’s covered with fabric and then decorated …
I based this on some Ballet Russe headdresses from the 19teens - those headdresses were based on the traditional Kokoshnik .
A ‘fan’ stands up from the head and curves forwards slightly - it is covered with white lace - there are circular ‘disks’ over the ears (also lace) & swags of pastel coloured pearls that look like necklaces when worn, but they actually hang from behind those ear disks.

The edges are all beaded. I dyed the fake pearls.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 19

#memadeMay - today things that I have sewn for me, myself & I. Vintage fabrics, a vintage style … more info in Alt Txt #sewing 🪡

A selfie !! Surrounded by brown timber furniture…
This gold & black ‘shot’ fabric is vintage - it cost a whole $10 … I think it’s a rayon.

I used a Burda pattern to make a ‘cocoon’ dress with big flowy sides / sleeves and a soft collar that becomes long ties to knot at the V neckline.

A dress is shown on a dressmaker’s mannequin in a very leafy garden.

The dress is made from 1970s vintage crepe fabric - black with dainty sprigs of mauve & orange flowers.

Made to a Simplicity vintage reprint pattern - number 8013. A wrap dress with lots of fabric in the skirt - I made it with flared sleeves and knee length. It has a self belt - which I had to back with black taffeta because I’d run out of the vintage fabric.
I love wearing this frock.

A black & white short sleeved shirt is shown on a mannequin - in a garden - plants and blue metal chairs are behind…

My dad bought this busy print cotton many years ago in Thailand or the Philippines. It was meant to be a sarong I think and might be wood block printed. Strong zigzags, lots of leafyness, wonderfully crazy.

I made myself a summer shirt - loose and short sleeved. A mandarin collar and black buttons.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 18

#memadeMay - Monday Millinery. Today it’s 4 fabric hats. Structured & unstructured - my own patterns. #millinery #sewing 🪡

A pink fabric hat is shown on a shop mannequin she has lots of auburn hair - a white painted brick wall in the background.

Pink twinkle organza is arranged in loose folds over a gold fabric lining, the small brim is quite unstructured and is stitched up to meet the crown at the centre front.

I made lots of these hats when I had an Etsy shop - flattering and great for travel as they can be scrunched up without any damage.

A grey & black hat is shown on a polystyrene ‘head’ - with a blond wig on. Black fabric background.

This hat was based on a fashion illustration from the 1930s - something Marlene Dietrich might have worn 😉

The crown is very shallow, the brim wide, it is meant to be worn at a dramatic angle. A black wedge runs from the centre of the crown, thru to the edge of the brim - where it is revealed to be a box pleat.

Pattern-making this one was … well not as difficult as it looks.

A Classic Fedora hat shown on a shop mannequin- here she is wearing a shirt black wig - and red lipstick.

The hat is made of plaid wool fabric - light grey with plaid stripes in shades of blue.

My own pattern.

A simple cloche hat shown on a vintage, papier mâché ‘head’ - it is in a garden with lots of plants and a brick path …

This was for a friend who was going thru chemotherapy and her skin was very sensitive. So light weight silk and reversible - wearable either as shown - or as a lining for a knitted beanie. I made 2 of these - for this one a pretty watercolour floral print and pale green silk.

Made basically as one does a traditional hat lining - with the sides cut on the bias.

Last week I showed a photo of the shirt I made my friend with the fabrics left over from making the hats.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 17

It’s WiP Week for #showmeyourknits - I can’t show you much because this is a commission and I am not the designer but I’m happy that - on the 3rd attempt I got the frilly bit to look like the drawing that the designer gave me. Now for the thumb. #knitsky #handknit

A bright red hand-knitted mitt in progress - it is on a timber table with one needle underneath holding the stitches for the thumb.

There is a frill of knitting along the finger edge of the mitt
Part of a ceramic pineapple can be seen on the left hand side of the photo - it’s my yarn bowl 😁

Knitting is not my design but is my pattern and stitches

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 17

#memadeMay Oops I’ve missed a few days but let’s have some fun with some toys that I’ve made over the years - seems that I’ve made quite a few 🐰 bunny rabbits … I guess they do multiply! #knitsky #crochet #handknit

Two very brightly coloured hand knitted bunnies sit on a gold painted chair.

These are knitted to a lovely, clever pattern:
Karel
by Annita Wilschut
from Zij Maakt Het
It is on Ravelry

I used a gradient yarn:
Zauberball
by Schoppel-Wolle
It’s meant for socks - but makes lovely toys
This colour way goes from sunset orange, to bright pink, to red then purple. Very bright !

Both bunnies wear matching overalls and have embroidered facial features. They are about 6” tall and like most of Annita’s clever patterns for toys - they sit beautifully in your hand.

A mostly pale blue crochet bunny sits surrounded by bright coloured hand knitting - and there’s a mint green plastic Easter Egg next to him.

I’ve kept no information about this toy bunny - but will share what I can remember.
The pattern probably came from Ravelry, I used cotton 8ply yarns - I made this one about 12yrs ago …

Hand embroidered facial features - something I always do with toys - because it’s safe for children - even ‘safety eyes’ are not safe - they break and become a choke hazard

A blue and purple hand knitted bunny sits on a stone slab in a garden - white painted lattice and plants behind him.

This long limbed bunny is knitted to another lovely, clever pattern by Annita Wilschut from Zij Maakt Het - this one is called Quwi
It is on Ravelry

I used a gradient sock yarn from Wisdom yarns - it has been discontinued.

This bunny has long floppy ears and very long, skinny hind legs ending in cute feet.
He is about 12” tall and like most of Annita’s clever patterns for toys - sits beautifully in your hand.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 14

#memadeMay things sewn from vintage patterns today. A blouse with ‘pussy cat bow’ and 2 dresses for granddaughter when she was little. Also the pattern for one of them … #sewing 🪡 more in Alt Text

A composite of 2 photos - a lady’s blouse is shown on a mannequin - and down the left side of the frame we see a glimpse of the vintage pattern and the fabric.

In neither photo is the fabric the correct colour - it is cream with a print, in black, of 📎 paper clips 😊. A nice - not too light - weight silk fabric - perfect for a blouse and it was expensive (but I couldn’t resist that print!)

The blouse is shown tucked into a black skirt. It has 3/4 sleeves and a lowish V neck with a rolling collar that becomes the ties for a soft bow.

A small child’s dress is on a clothes hanger - in a garden. Lots of green leaves and some wooden lattice is in the background.

The dress is made of extremely colourful cotton fabric. My dad bought it in Thailand in the 70s - it was meant as a sarong. Bright purple background with lots of big red flowers - also a few blue ones - also yellow/orange foliage and white Ferny fronds …
Very 70s !!
The dress has a very low waistline - with a short gathered skirt - long gathered sleeves and a simple round neck.

A small child’s dress is on a clothes hanger - in a garden. Lots of green leaves in the background.

The colour is again not showing true - the cotton fabric was a nice lemon (here it is looking quite lime!) the print is purple irises - with green leaves.

I didn’t photograph the pattern - but it was circa early 60’s … simple round neck, short sleeves and an A-line silhouette but with extra flare added via 2 large inverted box pleats down the side fronts. The pleats are stitched down from shoulder to chest - and that is covered with purple ribbon. The ribbon then continues down the middle of the box pleats - so you get a flash of purple when the pleats open out. Where Stitched down meets not stitched down there are bows of thin purple ribbon.
I stitched the folds of the pleats - for ease of ironing …

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 13

#memadeMay some #sewing today and I rather enjoy making shirts - especially when the fabric is unconventional and/or fun. Here a shirt from left overs (all light weight silk) for a friend - a shirt from vintage curtain fabric & 2 shirts I made my grandson when he was little. More in AltText 🪡

A lady’s short sleeved shirt is shown on a mannequin in front of a white painted brick wall.
Pale mint green silk is used for the right front, left sleeve and the collar. A ‘water colour’ style floral is used for the left front and right sleeve. Cherry red silk can be glimpsed on the collar stand and one half of the back …
I was making the most of some remnants - left overs.
The shirt has darts and is a bit too large for the mannequin.
The buttons are shaped as flowers and they are enamelled - they don’t match but are in about 3 different colourways. The buttons came from All Buttons Great & Small in Newtown (Sydney).

A man’s short sleeved, open neck shirt is shown on a (lady) mannequin in front of brown timber furniture.
This is made from thickish cotton curtain fabric with a fab mid-century print of fruits, veggies, flower pots etc - Possibly intended for curtains in kitchens or sunrooms…
Browns greens and yellows dominate.

I used vintage brown plastic buttons from my stash for this shirt.

A small child’s long sleeved shirt is shown lying flat on a timber table.

Made from light weight cotton in a predominately blue & green plaid.
Classic button-up shirt with collar cuffs and one chest pocket.

The buttons are shaped as vinyl records (45s rather than LPs) each one has a different coloured ‘label’. The buttons came from All Buttons Great & Small in Newtown (Sydney).

A toddler’s short sleeved, open necked shirt is shown lying flat on a timber table. (There are some distracting shadows …)

Made from quilting cotton with a fabulous print - old fashioned illustrations of farm animals. Green background, cows, sheep, chooks - apple trees …

One chest pocket and fancy plastic buttons - you might be able to see if you zoom in but the buttons are brown cows. They came from All Buttons Great & Small in Newtown (Sydney).

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 12

#memadeMay I did hats yesterday - let’s have lampshades today 😉 I’ve covered a few fancy shaped wire shades. The first 2 were commissions - restorations to their 1970s glory. The pink&green is my own & I set myself the constraint of using stuff I had already, in stash! #beading #handsewing 🪡

A fabric covered lampshade is hanging in a garden - green leaves and mauve flowers surround it.
The lampshade is domed with large decorative oval shapes - the dome is covered with cream fabric, the ovals are emerald green under dark cream lace.
Emerald green braid delineates all the edges - and covers the stitches anchoring the fabric to the wires
All round the bottom is very long fringing - dark green ombré-ing to cream (I dyed it - not a complete success - I’d have preferred a more gradual ombré)
There are swags of green glass beads amongst the fringe.

This was a commission

A fabric covered lampshade is hanging in a garden - green leaves and mauve flowers surround it.
The lampshade is domed with diamond shapes decorating the lower edge.
The panels of the dome are covered with cream fabric, with brown lace on top for every 2nd panel. The cream fabric overlaid with brown lace is also used for the diamond shapes.
Chocolate brown braid delineates all the edges - and covers the stitches anchoring the fabric to the wires
All round the bottom is very long fringing - lite chocolate ombré-ing to cream. The fringe was original but some had not survived - so I left gaps at each point along the edge and added ‘tassels’ of glass beads in those gaps (you might have to zoom in to see them clearly ).

This was a commission

A fabric covered lampshade - on a standard lamp - is in a room with lots of timber furniture, an oriental rug etc

I’m not sure what to call this shape - turnip perhaps 🤔 skinny at the top, spreading generously … the colour scheme is green and pink.
I wanted to use only fabrics and notions that I had already - and the only thing I had to buy was the pale pink braid.
3panel shapes - and 3 different fabric treatments. Pale green silk stretched smooth, alternating with long strips with dark pink fabric that’s ruched (the original cover had ruched fabric on these long strips) then decorative ‘lozenges’ that have pink fabric fan pleated with white lace motifs on top.
Long fringe along the bottom edge - it is what was left over from the green lampshade in the 1st photo - (I ombré dyed it).
All horizontal wires have dark green braid on top - pale pink on the verticals (this was the only thing I had to buy)
Lots of glass beads - a sprinkling on the pale green fabric to cover age spots 😉 lots on the lace motifs and lots in amongst the fringe.

This standard lamp was a rescue (thrown out for rubbish collection) - we had it rewired and with my re-covering, we have a lamp we use almost daily - for very little cost 😊

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 11

#memadeMay #Millinery 😊 I love making hats - love wearing them too. Here is an odd assortment of me-made hats - a Mad Top Hat made of video tape, an eggtravaganza of sinamay, a 1920s cloche and a wire frame supporting red chunky knitting 🧶 more in Alt Text #hatmaking #hat #knitsky #handknitting

Shown on a vintage Papier Mâché ‘wig head’ is a wonky top-hat 🎩
The hat is made from video tape - hand knitted then stitched to a sinamay form. It is black, textured, a bit shiny.
The crown is high and leans precariously to one side - the small brim is a bit wavy.

I made this for a competition in Lyon, France - that year all the entries were to be made from recycled materials.

A young woman models a small orange hat that is extravagantly swathed in yellow floristry sinamay. (loosely woven plant material - usually from banana plants).

Shown on a vintage Papier Mâché ‘wig head’ is a felt cloche hat - we see a 3/4 angle.

Close fitting to the head - the winter white felt extends right down over the right ear.
That side is decorated with a large fan / palm frond of beige felt - the ‘fingers ‘ of the frond are twisted and there is a band of pleated ribbon across the frond (about half way up). The lower edge of the hat is trimmed with the same winter white ribbon.
There is also some light brown ribbon woven in&out of small slashes in the felt - going around the hat - about 2cm (an inch) from the edge.

The hat was inspired by a print advert for fashionable hats circa 1926.

A shop mannequin wears a curly auburn wig and a cherry red hat (and bright red ‘lipstick’).

The hat is of chunky and very textural hand knitting stitched onto a wire frame. We can’t see the wire but it is holding the shape of the square crown and wide domed brim.
The knitting has cables, bobbles and Lacey holes.

I really must knit myself the crazy jacket I have planned - so I can wear this hat …

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 10

#showmeyourknits weekly theme is Stocking Stitch / Stockinette. I knit commissions for costumes for stage & screen - the latest 3 garments have all been vintage style so thin yarn, thin needles & LOTS of stitches & mostly Stocking St. Not my designs so I can’t show you much. #knitsky #handknit 🧶

Hand knitting - stocking stitch - in a soft grey blue - a bit of a lighter sky blue is visible along the top of the photo.
This garment has short sleeves and a collar. The collar edge trimmed with a row of crochet in the contrast sky blue.

Patons ‘Bluebell’ 5ply (sports wt)

Not my design but my pattern and knitting

Hand knitting - stocking stitch - in a soft light green - mint - a bit of a bright yellow and white lighter sky blue is visible along the top of the photo.
Although this garment is for a different show and a different designer - perhaps there is something in the ‘Zeitgeist’ - it is rather similar to the Lt blue in the 1st photo.
With short sleeves and a collar edge trimmed with crochet - in this one it is 2 rows - an egg like yellow & white.

Bendigo Woollen Mills ‘Classic’ 4ply (sock wt)

Not my design but my pattern and knitting & crochet

Hand knitting - stocking stitch - a close up of the body & a sleeve.

I’m not fond of this colour and I like green! But this is a bit bilious (‘goose poop’?)

This is a standard jumper / sweater with long sleeves - I’m still working on that Second Sleeve and it seems endless at this stage

Bendigo Woollen Mills ‘Classic’ 4ply (sock wt)

Not my design but my pattern and knitting & crochet

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 9

#memadeMay - an evening dress I made a client about 15yrs ago. Teal & burgundy silk. Strapless, boned bodice - asymmetrical skirt - draped by hand.

An evening dress is shown on a dressmaker’s mannequin - indoors with various bits of furniture and framed photos behind it.

It is teal green, silk dupion, some of the burgundy lining/underskirt is visible.
The bodice is strapless and the fabric is ruched - gathered with a small frill at the top.
The skirt has 2 tiers both shorter at the front & longer at the back …
It was all draped by hand.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 8

#memadeMay this costume is ‘theatrical’ - an interpretation of historical fashion (whereas the outfit I was showing off in previous posts was ‘as accurate as possible’). Thus one is 1760s ish. Boned bodice, cartridge pleating, frills, flounces, lots of braid, sequins - and butterflies 🦋 #sewing 🪡

A young woman with her face obscured (for privacy) models a 1760s costume in front of a brick wall.
The dress is mostly sage green damask (curtain fabric) with the underskirt and frills in a plain sage coloured fabric. There are swags draped to resemble butterfly wings down the ‘stomacher’ and on the underskirt - these are bright blue fabric.
The neckline is low and wide & trimmed with lace (and frills) - the sleeves have lace flounces ‘engageantes’
My model is holding the skirts out at the sides so we can see one if the shoes that I dyed and decorated to match the dress.
I made the frilly choker round her neck - and there was a wig too (but it wasn’t a success !)

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 7

#memadeMay - oops I missed yesterday but here is a last post 😉 on my major work from the Diploma of Costume that I did 20yrs ago - see previous posts for other pics. Here is the corset, hat, ‘Dickie front’ or Chemisette & a pic of the lace etc that went on the undies. #sewing 🪡 #fashionhistory

Lying flat (flatish!) on a timber table is a lady’s corset - reproduction of those fashionable in the early 1890s.

Sage green silk fabric (some was machine embroidered) heavily boned with hip godets and corded cups. White Cotton lace and sage green silk ribbon at the upper edge.

I hand embroidered the ends of many of the boning channels - flossing.

I learnt heaps in making this corset - it was based on one in the V&A and shown in one of their ‘Details of Fashion’ books

This odd little garment is mostly covered with a piece of Maltese bobbin lace (and it needed an iron).

So under her wool suit my lady needed a blouse with a high neck - or she might’ve worn a ‘Dickie’ aka Chemisette, cooler and cheaper as - no sleeves. It buttons at the back and ties at the sides.

The Maltese lace piece is silk - it had been made as a bodice front and collar - I mended it and removed stains as much as I dared. The worst one is still visible in the photo (it smelt strongly of gravy!)

This photo shows some of the frills and lacey bits from the underwear that I made as part of the outfit.
I made a chemise, split drawers and 2 petticoats (1 white cotton - the other was grey taffeta so it’s not in this pic).

Lots of pin-tucks, lace insertion and lace frills.

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 5

I love that happy MerHorse / hippocamp. Here is my photo from 2018

Lyndell the Tricoteuse@lyndelltricoteuse· May 5

#memadeMay - yesterday I posted a photo of my major work from the Diploma of Costume that I did 20yrs ago - well here it is with the cape - and the fashion plate that was was inspo. #sewing 🪡 #fashionhistory