The Sweatshop of Love Blog

I’m not really a vest person. I always feel like vests add bulk, and then I want to put a belt around it to take down the bulk, and then I’m like, “Forget it, I’ll just not wear a vest OR a belt!” Which is where the idea for Put a Belt On It came from – a vest with a built-in belt?! Perfect! And jazzed up with a ton of cables and texture? Cropped? Longer in the front? … so I went a little nuts. But it is my only wearable vest. I’ve got to make it special!

Construction starts with the belt, then short rows are worked to shape bottom of vest. Stitches are then picked up and all stitches are worked for back and fronts. Fronts are then held and back is completed. Fronts are then worked individually, shoulders are seamed, and stitches are picked up around front for collar.

Finished Size 26-29 (30-33, 34-37, 38-41)” natural waist, measures just above top of hip bone. Vest shown in Knit Picks Swish DK Marble Heather in 30-33″ and in Wooly Wonka Fibers Aerten DK Brocade in 34-37”.

Yarn Knit Picks Swish DK, 100% Superwash Merino Wool; 123yds/50g: Marble Heather, 4 (5, 5, 6) skeins; Turmeric (CC) 1 (1, 1, 2) skeins.

Yarn Wooly Wonka Fibers Aerten DK, 80% Superwash Merino Wool, 10% Nylon, 10% Cashmere: Brocade 3 (3, 4, 4) skeins; Chaplin 1 (1, 1, 1) skein.

Needles Size 6 (4 mm): 24″ circular (cir). Adjust needle sizes if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions Markers (m); stitch holders; tapestry needle; 2 1 1/2” D-shaped belt closures.

Gauge 22 sts and 25 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in St st.

Buy Now $6 ~ Ravelry Pattern Page

I love mixing knit and crochet. I’ll always be a knitter first and crocheter second. But that crochet skill sure comes in handy when you need a quick toy or accessory! Or when you want to add a fun detail to an otherwise straightforward knit tee, which is the case with In a While, Crocodile. I love shoulder detail, and with this design you can add as much or as little as you like. Keep it simple with textured knit stripes, or go big by adding Crocodile Stitch as a finishing touch. Either way, when you are done knitting this tee you will have a fun, easy to wear top you can wear all summer long.

This tee is knit in the round from the bottom up. Sts are then held for the front while the raglan shaping is finished for the back. The front is then completed with tshirt-like neck shaping. Sleeves are then completed and either left with simple textured striping or Crocodile Stitch is added, and seamed in. Sts are picked up for the neckband.

Finished Size 28 (32, 36, 40, 44)” bust circumference. Top shown in Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer Runway in size 32 and in Dirty Water DyeWorks Lucia Beryl in size 36.

Yarn Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer, 70% Fine Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon, 5% Stellina; 231 yards/50 gram Ball: Runway, 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) skeins, 1 extra skein for optional Crocodile Stitch sleeves.

Yarn Dirty Water DyeWorks Lucia, 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon; 464 yards/100 gram Skein: Beryl, 2 (2, 2, 3, 3) skeins, 1 extra skein for optional Crocodile Stitch sleeves.

Needles Size 4 (3.5 mm): 24+” and 16” circular (cir); size F-5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook if adding Crocodile Stitch to sleeves. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

Notions Markers (m); stitch holder or scrap yarn.

Gauge 28 sts and 36 rows = 4″ in St st.

Buy Now $6 ~ Ravelry Pattern Page

I’ve been talking a lot about my new project, Holla Knits, and I’m so happy to finally share my new patterns in the collection!

Put a Belt On It

Put a Belt On It: A vest with working belt hardware, Put a Belt On It is knit up in both Knit Picks Swish DK and Wooly Wonka Fibers Aerten DK. It’s sized based on your natural waist measurement because you start with the belt and knit the rest of the vest around it. It’s CUTE! Purchase for $6. Ravelry Pattern Page. More info!

Umbre Lovre

Umbre Lovre: A fun off the shoulder tee with umbre striping and honeycomb details, Umbre Lovre is knit up in Knit Picks Comfy Sport and Knits in Class Sport. It’s sized with 6″ of positive ease for an easy, breezy oversized look. Purchase for $6. Ravelry Pattern Page. More info!

In a While Crocodile

In a While Crocodile: Sleeve detail is a great way to set an average knit tee apart, and In a While Crocodile has it in spades! Chose to keep the sleeve detailing simple, like shown above in the pink top knit up in Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer, or add crocheted crocodile stitch to the sleeves like shown above in the green top knit up in Dirty Water DyeWorks Lucia. Either way you’ll have a perfect tee to wear all summer long! Purchase for $6. Ravelry Pattern Page. More info!

Like all three of these patterns? Be sure to subscribe to Holla Knits for $18 to get each pattern in the collection, access to all how to videos, and everything Holla Knits does for the rest of the year including two more six pattern collections.

Want to try your luck at winning one of these patterns? Comment below to enter! I’m giving away a pattern of your choice to THREE lucky winners! Be sure to tweet and share on facebook for extra entries. You have until April 23rd at midnight to enter, and the winners will be announced here on April 24th.

And keep track of the Holla Knits Blog Tour for more giveaways, interviews, and reviews of this first Holla Knits collection.

April 16th: Holla Knits Blog – Collection debut
April 17th: The Sweatshop of Love – Review and pattern giveaway
April 18th: FiberStory.tv – Interview with designer Emma Welford
April 19th: Emma Welford/Kangaroo Dyer – Review and yarn giveaway
April 20th: Knits in Class – Review and subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway, discounts
April 23rd: Under the Red Umbrella – Review and pattern giveaway, subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway
April 24th: Skacel – Review and yarn, pattern, and needles giveaway, additional subscriber exclusive yarn and needles giveaway
April 25th: Knit Darling – Review and pattern giveaway
April 26th: The Owl and the Bee – Review and pattern giveaway
April 27th: Dirty Water DyeWorks – Review and subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway, discounts
April 30th: Wooly Wonka Fiber Arts – Review and subscriber exclusive yarn giveaway
May 1st: Knitted Bliss – Review and pattern giveaway
May 2nd: FiberStory.tv – Interview with designer Lily Ubbelohde
May 3rd: Knit Picks Blog Stash – Review, podcast interview with designer Allyson Dykhuizen, and pattern giveaway
May 4th: Subway Knitter – Review and pattern giveaway

We’ve come to the end of our Delancey Cardigan knit along. Luckily the end of a knit along means a finished sweater for our participants! This KAL had the highest participation of any of my KALs to date, and the highest finish rate. Take a look at these beautiful sweaters!

Amy's Delancey Cardigan

Theresa's Delancey Cardigan

easdemers's Delancey Cardigan

Nola's Delancey Cardigan

Jamie's Delancey Cardigan

Sarah's Delancey Cardigan

Karen's Delancey Cardigan

Joyatee's Delancey Cardigan

Dagny's Delancey Cardigan

Courtney's Delancey Cardigan

Laura's Delancey Cardigan

Sherrin's Delancey Cardigan

Lily's Delancey

My Mom's Delancey Cardigan

Emily's Delancey Cardigan

Cathy's Delancey Cardigan

A huge thank you to everyone that participated! We had 15 finished sweaters, which is an all time Sweatshop knit along high!

Random.org picked sweater #5 to win an Alexis Winslow pattern, and that sweater belongs to Jamie! Congrat’s girl! I’ll email you your KAL prize details!

We’ll be kicking off another KAL soon. Why not, right?! They are SO FUN! I’m already missing knitting along with you guys!

Way back on February 15th I shared pictures of the very beginning of a WORK+SHELTER Lace Striped Winter Sweater I had started for myself in between Holla Knits projects. It was my go to traveling project for like 6 weeks when I wasn’t really traveling anywhere, so it sat for a really long time.

Red Winter Lace Striped Sweater

Until last week when I discovered I was about 10 days ahead of my Holla Knits schedule. With nothing lined up at the time I looked around confused until I looked under my coffee table and dug out a very hairy 4″ of sweater.

So Cute, Right?

I brushed it off and got down to knitting. After all those damn Holla Knits sweaters knit up in size 4s it was AMAZING to knit with worsted weight wool and size 9s. I don’t even feel like I tried that hard, then magically I bound it off and had this adorable sweater! The winter issue of Holla Knits is going to be a breeze.

Stripes and Lace and Cute and Cozy

It makes me happy that it’s gotten cold again, because I’m living in this baby until it’s straight up 70 degrees and I’m on the brink of heat stroke. And better yet? This was all stash yarn! I had the majority of a sweater design that didn’t work out that I had to rip out, but I can’t even remember that disappointment anymore because of how cute this sweater turned out!

SO HAPPY

** Insert chat about how amazing this pattern is. Since it’s mine I don’t want to toot my own horn too much. **

Pattern: WORK+SHELTER Lace Striped Sweaters, Winter by Allyson Dykhuizen

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool

Needles: Size 9 24″ and 16″ circs

Ravelry Project Page