October 6th, 2025
KNIT WIT
Happy Monday… or not!
Check out our website at https://www.timeslostart.com for all of our latest knitting patterns!
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October 4th, 2025
TLA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Newly Released - Wooden Compact Needle Case
Perfect for the busy seamstress on the go, this beautiful needle case, featuring a brass screw top, is a much-needed accessory. Conveniently travel-sized, no bigger than a tube of lipstick, this case is not only compact but also stylish and classy. The needle case comes in two different colours, a dark and a light wood. Never misplace your needles again with this gorgeous must-have sewing accessory.
Dimensions
3.25 x 0.75
This needle case comes with a set of three metal yarn needles ideal for seaming and weaving in yarn ends.
Needle Sizes
52 mm Length
60 mm Length
72 mm Length
Check out our website at https://www.timeslostart.com for all of our latest knitting patterns and needlecraft products!
Please note that Saturday’s TLA DESIGN SPOTLIGHT will return once my new knitting patterns have finished being test knitted.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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September 29th, 2025
KNIT WIT
The yarn aisle awaits…
Check out our website at https://www.timeslostart.com for all of our latest knitting patterns!
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July 14th, 2025
KNIT WIT
I procrastinate all day Sunday and then I just want to knit all day Monday…
Check out our website at https://www.timeslostart.com for all of our latest knitting patterns!
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July 12th, 2025
TLA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Newly Added - Blue Heaven Cotton Embroidery Floss
This vibrant assortment of Needle Crafters embroidery floss is perfect for needlework, crafting, friendship bracelets, card making, kids’ craft activities, and more!
8 hanks per package
8m (26.2ft) each
Check out our website at https://www.timeslostart.com for all of our latest knitting patterns and needlecraft products!
Please note that Saturday’s TLA DESIGN SPOTLIGHT will return once my new knitting patterns have finished being test knitted.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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July 11th, 2025
LOST IN TRANSLATION - KNITTING PATTERNS
Am I missing something?…
I don’t know what it is… maybe we do rely too heavily on technology now because sometimes I feel like critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and plain reading comprehension have gone straight out the window!
Yes, I taught myself how to knit, which has its pros and cons, so I do understand the struggle some of the new knitters face, but sometimes I just have to chuckle to myself at their thought processes.
What got me somewhat annoyed and dumbfounded the other day is a message I received from a test knitter who was reviewing and working through one of my patterns. They suggested that I recommend a provisional cast-on for my pattern as well as the long-tail cast-on method that I already had suggested. What got me is that if you read my pattern, I literally say, “Cast on x amount of stitches using the ‘long-tail cast-on method’ or your preferred cast-on method.” How much more plain can I be? Use whatever cast-on you want. You are making the item. I do not feel it is necessary to list every single thing under the sun in a knitting pattern on the off chance that someone may want to do it that way. Some of the onus can be placed on the person working the pattern to figure out the best option for them.
I feel that a lot of this new generation of knitters don’t realize that a knitting pattern is just a template; it is not set in stone. I, personally, substitute stitches and techniques in patterns all the time because there are some things that work better for me than others. My most common swap out is ssk (slip, slip, knit) for k2togl (knit two together left). For the life of me, I can’t get my ssk left-leaning decrease to look nice, so I substitute it for another left-leaning decrease that I can work with. Some of it has to do with my tension and how I actually knit, but for whatever reason some stitches and techniques just don’t work for me, and that is okay because I can always find a stitch or technique that does. As a knitter, I just thought that this was common knowledge… swapping things out of patterns… and that everyone did things like this while working a pattern, but, as a designer, I am learning that this just isn’t the case.
So, today, I thought I’d just put it out there that you don’t have to follow a knitting pattern exactly all the time. Knitting, like art, is very personal, and there really are no set rules for stitches or techniques, and you can swap them out to your heart’s content if you find something that works better for you. Knitting patterns are just templates or guides for you to use how you will. It is okay to deviate from the pattern. In fact, I encourage it because that is how creativity grows.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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May 19th, 2025
KNIT WIT
Smile! It’s Monday…
Check out our website at https://www.timeslostart.com for all of our latest knitting patterns!
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May 17th, 2025
TLA DESIGN SPOTLIGHT
Newly Re-released - Rib It Fashion Cowl
A note from the designer…
A Decade of Patterns - The Lost Years
The Rib It Fashion Cowl was the second “scarf” that I made in 2015 and my first exposure to the word “cowl” in reference to a neckpiece. Up until this point, I just called these items circle scarves. Who knew knitting could increase your vocabulary!?! It’s amazing what you can learn when you pick up a new hobby.
This particular project was my first attempt at doing ribbing. It was a fun challenge with my newly acquired knitting skills and a stepping stone into stitch patterns.
Please visit https://www.timeslostart.com for more details and to purchase this beautiful knitting pattern.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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December 16th, 2022
COMMON THREADS THROUGH TIME - HOW AN AUTHOR FROM 200 YEARS AGO CAN INFLUENCE A MODERN-DAY KNITWEAR DESIGNER
Happy Birthday, Jane Austen…
I have never been one to follow fashion trends. I know that must sound strange for someone who is a knitwear designer, but I have never really gotten into reading the tabloids except while waiting in a grocery line, and I could have cared less who J. Lo was dating that week, let alone what she was wearing. The way I design is not quite as superficial as what is popular in the moment. I prefer to create knitting patterns that will remain timeless and translate well with a variety of age groups and body types. Because of this mindset, I do not have a favourite celebrity that I admire. I actually have a historical figure and author, Jane Austen.
I started reading Jane Austen’s books as a teenager in high school. I would say that I was a bit of an outcast. I never found that I fit in anywhere, and many people said that I beat to my own drum, especially with my ideas and how I view the world. I tended to keep to myself a lot and only had a handful of really close friends. What drew me to Jane was that she had also been considered a bit of an outcast by her peers, and she had a wicked sense of humour. I found her upbringing was similar to mine, both of us being from middle-class families, and her belief system was also quite similar. 200 years across time and reading her books, it was almost like talking to a best friend.
Jane Austen was born in 1775 in England and valued family above all else and was very close with her siblings, especially her sister Cassandra. She also believed that a woman could live and be independent of a man, which was unheard of at that time, as women were only as valuable as who they married. She tended to explore this concept in her novels, often referencing her characters wanting love matches instead of arranged marriages. The book Pride and Prejudice, written in 1813, is a very good example of this. If you read chapter 34, page 186, in the Penguin Pocket Edition, Mr. Darcy, the lead male protagonist, proposes marriage to the female lead, Elizabeth Bennett. Chaos ensues. Mr. Darcy states:
“In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Now, in this time period, a woman, once hearing a proposal like this from a man of such high standing like Mr. Darcy and with very few other prospects of marriage, should have jumped at this proposal. Elizabeth Bennett, however, did something very unexpected and took offense, as she knew her worth as not only a woman but also a person, and she proceeded to tell Mr. Darcy so:
“I might as well enquire,” replied she, “why, with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character? Was this not some excuse for incivility if I was uncivil?”
When I read this novel as a 16-year-old girl, I couldn’t believe the power of this woman’s words. In her writing, Jane was taking a stand at what she viewed as a true injustice, and that greatly impacted me. To this day I love how Jane Austen, who was regarded as a proper English lady, could go against the grain using her intelligence, cunning, and wit and how her work is prized as a literary masterpiece and is still standing the test of time to this day. I consider her a true advocate for women’s rights.
Jane Austen only lived to be 41 years of age. She died of an unknown illness, which many have attributed to a broken heart. Jane’s books were these beautiful love stories, but in reality Jane never found that kind of love. She was supposedly quoted as saying:
“My characters shall have, after a little bit of trouble, all that they desire.”
She wanted her books to all have happy endings because she wanted to give others the gift of hope for love, as that love had unfortunately been denied to her.
I think Jane Austen’s last life cycle stage was one of seclusion. She was said to have dressed in plain empire-waist gowns and headpieces that were not the high fashion of the time. She was also said to have looked melancholy but still continued to have close ties to her family and was proud of her nieces and nephews. Truth be told; Jane Austen died penniless. For many years she published her books anonymously, and it wasn’t until after her death that she was finally able to claim her work as her own.
If I ever got a chance to meet Jane Austen, I think I would thank her. She has truly inspired me to work through the hardships in my own life using my wit and my own perseverance. I feel like our lives have paralleled greatly with how we grew up and with what we wanted to achieve in our lifetimes. She used her humour to bring joy to others even when she had very little joy in her own life. To me, this shows characteristics of a very kind and giving heart, and, like I stated previously, I think she and I would have been very close friends.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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March 23, 2021
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
Loving all colours…
If you have read my Halloween post, you know that I have a now four-year-old little boy who loves rainbow kitties. Getting his Halloween costume ready this past year was eventful, to say the least. He says he loves rainbows the best because he loves all colours, so I decided to design a blanket just for him.
Since my son was little, he has always been my number one model for all of my baby designs. Because of this, he absolutely hates getting his picture taken now (I was a bit of a shutterbug when he was first born), and he says he doesn’t like yarn either. His newfound hatred for yarn is only surpassed by his hatred of getting his picture taken. I wish I could get some of our conversations about yarn and photographs on video; they can be downright absurd at times. The only way I have been able to knit a blanket for him is if I use all the colours of the rainbow. He has told me that if I do that, then he will use the blanket even though it is made out of yarn.
My progress so far… I’ve decided to do a twist on old shale.
I’m almost half done. I’m really loving the lime green.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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March 22nd, 2021
WOOD SMOKE AND BARBEQUE
It’s time to pull out that sweater…
I really enjoy sitting around the fire with friends and relatives on a cool summer evening. Roasting marshmallows and making s'mores has always been a yummy family tradition, and nothing beats meat cooked on the barbeque. As nice as it is, however, I tend to get cold quite quickly as soon as the sun goes down. The one thing I always ask for at a fire is if anyone has an extra sweater. Some of my friends have learned over the years to pack one just for me because I always forget to bring one.
Thinking about what designs I wanted to make this year, a big, bulky, oversize sweater was at the top of my list. I’ve never attempted an article of clothing this big before, so it was quite fun to make and I think it turned out extremely well.
Introducing…
The Campfire Sweater
I can’t wait to wear it this summer!
This design will be making its way onto our website, https://www.timeslostart.com, in the coming weeks. Until then, please check out our other patterns in the TLA Exclusives section.
Happy marshmallow roasting!
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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March 19th, 2021
SUPPLEMENT
Campfire Sweater update…
I spent yesterday evening after my son went to bed seaming the pieces of my newest design, the Campfire Sweater, together. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about this one because I wanted the seams to be just perfect. I was pleasantly surprised when I was finished at how well it turned out.
Progress…
Tomorrow night I’ll add the neckline and finish weaving in the ends. I can’t wait to have this pattern on our website: https://www.timeslostart.com as a digital download! Until then, please check out some of my other designs in the TLA Exclusives section.
Gabrielle Vansteelandt - Times Lost Art
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My Cabled Chunky Knit patterns are on sale! They are reg $3.50 each but if you add all three patterns to your cart (beanie, cowl and mitts) you can get them for $7. That’s a buy 2 get 1 free deal!
https://www.ravelry.com/stores/infamous-stitch-designs
#knitting #knittersofinstagram #knitpatterns #cables #knitcables #chunkyknits #knitbeanie #knitmitts #knitmittens #knitcowl #chunkybeanie #chunkymitts #chunkycowl #fingerlessmitts #infamousstitch #handmade #handknit #winterknits #pompom (at Infamous Stitch)
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The Reagan Beanie (in Bulky) is LIVE!
The Reagan Beanie (in Bulky) is LIVE!
A week before I was scheduled for induction with my first baby, I realized I didn’t have a hat for her that would be small enough. I had newborn things but my girl was measuring teeny tiny and I didn’t know if I had anything to fit her! In full nesting mode, I set to work designing a double brim, classic looking beanie.
A few days before the 37 week mark (after which my daughter would not be…
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My Wheel 0f the Year Yule Mystery Box contained my first designer spotlight, something I intend to keep doing for future WOTY Yarn Club editions.
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Jen from @the.stitchin.witch was kind enough to answer a few questions for me as well as offer a gracious discount on her patterns to my Yule box customers! 🥰 If you received a Yule mystery box, the discount code is on the postcard! 😁
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I love her patterns and jumped in headfirst when I came across her Instagram by test knitting her awesome Misfit Tank Top ❤💜 Interesting lines and construction with a down-the-rabbit-hole whimsy….go check out her IG and give her some love 😁
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#knitweardesign #knitweardesigner #knitpatterns #communityovercompetition #supportsmallbusiness #yarnlove #knittersofinstagram
https://www.instagram.com/stitchnoirfibrearts/p/CYSYrUYJ6KO/?utm_medium=tumblr
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Robert Pattinson’s sweater from THE LIGHTHOUSE
To fit chest
40 (42, 44, 46, 48)“ / 102 (107, 112, 117, 122) cm
Finished measurements
Around chest: 48 (50, 52-¼, 54-¼, 56-½)” / 122 (127, 133, 138, 144) cm
Length to back neck: 26 (26-½, 26-¾, 27, 27-½)“ / 66 (67, 68, 69, 70) cm
Sleeve seam: 20 (20, 20-½, 20-½, 20-¾)” / 51 (51, 52, 52, 53) cm
Yarns
12 (13, 14, 14, 15) x 50g/1-3/4oz balls of Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK in Sage 516
Needles
• Pair of size 3 (3.25mm) knitting needles
• Pair of size 6 (4mm) knitting needles
• Size 3 (3.25mm) circular knitting needle
Gauge
22 sts and 30 rows to 4"/10cm measured over St st using size 6 (4mm) needles or size to obtain correct gauge.
Back
Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles, cast on 134 (140, 146, 152, 158) sts.
Work in garter st for 18 rows, inc 0 (1, 0, 1, 0) st at each end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 134 (142, 146, 154, 158) sts.
Row 19 (RS): P2, *k2, p2; rep from * to end.
Row 20: K2, *p2, k2; rep from * to end.
These 2 rows form rib.
Work in rib for 4 rows more, dec 0 (1, 0, 1, 0) st at each end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 134 (140, 146, 152, 158) sts.
Change to size 6 (4mm) needles.
Starting with a K row, work in St st until Back measures 16-½"/42cm from cast-on edge, ending with RS facing for next row.
Place markers at both ends of last row to denote base of armholes.
Next row (RS): Knit.
Next row: P5, k5, p to last 10 sts, k5, p5.
Rep last 2 rows until work measures 9-½ (9-¾, 10-¼, 10-½, 11)“ / 24 (25, 26, 27, 28) cm from markers, ending with RS facing for next row.**
Shape back neck and shoulders
Next row (RS): K34 (37, 39, 41, 43) and slip these sts onto a holder, bind off next 66 (66, 68, 70, 72) sts, k to end.
Slip this second set of 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts onto another holder.
Front
Work as given for Back to **.
Join shoulder seams
Holding WS of Front against WS of Back, bind off first 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Front with first 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Back (by taking one st from Front with corresponding st from Back), bind off next 66 (66, 68, 70, 72) sts of Front only, then bind off rem 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Front with other set of 34 (37, 39, 41, 43) sts of Back to join second shoulder seam.
Sleeves
Using size 3 (3.25mm) needles, cast on 62 (62, 66, 66, 66) sts.
Work in rib as given for Back for 32 rows, inc 0 (1, 0, 0, 1) st at each end of last row and ending with RS facing for next row. 62 (64, 66, 66, 68) sts.
Change to size 6 (4mm) needles.
Starting with a k row, work in St st, shaping sides by inc 1 st at each end of 3rd and every foll 4th row to 90 (98, 102, 114, 120) sts, then on every foll 6th row until there are 106 (110, 114, 118, 122) sts.
Work even until Sleeve measures 19-¼ (19-¼, 19-½, 19-½, 20)” / 49 (49, 50, 50, 51) cm from cast-on edge, ending with RS facing for next row.
Starting with row 2, work in rib as given for Back for 6 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Bind off loosely in rib.
Finishing
Press lightly on WS following instructions on yarn label.
Neck gussets (make 2)
Using size 6 (4mm) needles, cast on 15 sts.
Starting with a k row, work in St st, dec 1 st at each end of 2nd and foll 5 alt rows, ending with RS facing for next row. 3 sts.
Next row (RS): K3tog and fasten off.
Mark points along front and back neck bound-off edges 9 sts in from ends of shoulder seams. Matching fasten-off point of neck gusset to end of shoulder seam and ends of cast-on edge of neck gussets to marked points, sew neck gussets to front and back.
Neckband
With RS facing and using size 3 (3.25mm) circular needle, pick up and knit 15 sts from cast-on edge of left neck gusset, 49 (49, 51, 53, 55) sts from front, 15 sts from cast-on edge of right neck gusset, then 49 (49, 51, 53, 55) sts from back. 128 (128, 132, 136, 140) sts.
Round 1 (RS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.
Rep this round 13 times more.
Bind off in rib.
Matching centre of sleeve bound-off edge to shoulder seam, sew sleeves to back and front between markers. Mark points along sleeve and side seams 2"/5cm either side of underarm points. Sew sleeve seams below these points, then sew side seams below these points, leaving side seams open for first 18 rows. (There should now be a 4"/10cm “hole” in underarm seam.)
Underarm gussets (make 2)
Using size 6 (4mm) needles, cast on 12 sts.
Starting with a k row, work in St st for 16 rows, ending with RS facing for next row.
Bind off.
Matching corners of underarm gussets to “corners” of underarm “hole,” sew underarm gussets in place so that, when sewn in place, gusset folds in half to form a triangle.
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The MERLOT poncho test is now slowly coming to an end. There are just a few days left. I have not yet seen all of the finished objects from my talented testers, but the ones that I have seen are very pretty! 😍
My dear testers: You are amazing and I am so happy to have you! 💕 Can’t wait to see all of your ponchos. 😊
#merlotponcho #herbgardenknitwear #knittinginstagram #knitponcho #knitpatterns #knitpurl #knitproject #knitpatterntesting #testknittersarethebestknitters #patterntesting #knitknitknit #knitknitknitknitpurlpurlpurlpurl #cableponcho #cableknitting #cabling
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLm_JxvpQjN/?igshid=10rmpj21widlf
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Anyone else so excited to see the start of 2021? I am counting down. To celebrate please enjoy 50% off any of my patterns via my Ravelry and Etsy stores. Links on my bio. The discount is already given on Etsy. On Ravelry please use the code ‘Goodbye2020KbK’ at checkout to receive the discount. Happy knitting and/or crocheting ❤️😁🧶 #knitpatterns #knittingpatterns #crochetpatterns #crochetingpatterns #knitting #crocheting #knitter #crocheter #knittersofravelry #crochetersofravelry #ravelrypattern #ravelry #etsy #etsypatterns #hatpattern #bagpattern #blanketpattern
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJRT-UHrOgb/?igshid=1r4xc6apbul4g
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Squad Goals and the Woodstock Shawl
“I get by with a little help from my friends.” - The Beatles
Ain’t this the truth, particularly in 2020? I don’t know about you, but I honestly wouldn’t have been able to successfully make it out of this year without my friends. From cancelled girls trips to rescheduled parties and events, this year has been a major bummer. Knitting helps though, am I right?
One of my annual highlights each fall is going to Rhinebeck, NY for the New York Sheep & Wool Festival. This year it was cancelled due to the global pandemic and I seriously mourned the lost time with my knitting friends. You see, each year for the past 4 years, we’ve had this annual gathering to look forward to. We book an Airbnb in neighboring Woodstock, NY, we plan what knits to wear, what restaurants we want to try and what projects we want to work on in front of the fireplace. It’s a big deal to us since we don’t live near each other and don’t see one another as often as we’d like.
When KnitCrate reached out to me with the idea of designing an accessory around the idea of “Squad Goals,” I was immediately inspired by my knitting besties and our annual trip to Woodstock. Our favorite thing to do each night in our Airbnb is to sit in the living room next to the wood burning fireplace and knit together (with some wine, of course)! I immediately started sketching what is now the Woodstock Shawl — a simple, modern, easy-to-wear piece that you can easily style as you’re running out the door to meet your friends.
As I started the process of designing the shawl, I kept in mind communal knitting gathering such as regular knit nights. I wanted the project to be intuitive, not overly complicated and easy to pick up and put down. This allows the knitter to knit AND be engaged in a social setting. No lace charts or counting required here and yet you end up with an airy and intricately beautiful shawl. The Woodstock Shawl was my homage to these shared knitting experiences. May we get back to knitting together as the norm in 2021!
