The Sweatshop of Lovers Blog

March is flying by just like February did and most of the Knit a Sweater a Month Challengers are working hard on their March sweaters this week. There are a few fun sweaters to highlight, though!

Top-Down Reglan Cardigan

Wendy finished her February sweater/Ravelympics sweater (as you can see!), the ultra popular Top-Down Reglan Cardigan in amazing colors! I love top down sweater striping – it adds so much to a simple design. Great job Wendy!

February Lady

Tracey knit this beautiful and super popular February Lady Sweater! She totally finished it in February, I just missed her post about it somehow! I had to add it in now, a little late! because it is so beautiful. This sweater is knit in dark colors mostly, but the pink is so pretty! And aren’t those buttons perfect?

Two Tone Cardigan

Gloria finished this beautiful cardigan in two different reds. How fun! I love the combination; it really makes the sweater stand out. I’m going to have to remember that technique for when I don’t have enough of one color yarn! Two is ok!

Riding Coat

Zayna knit is amazing Debbie Bliss Riding Coat that I didn’t even think of until I saw her version of! Zayna’s just looks swing-ier, more wearable, and more comfortable than the original. This coat is for her grandma and she will obviously be so happy with it!

Where is my March sweater, you ask? It’s blocking. It happened so fast I didn’t even take progress pictures of it! Before I knew it it was drying on my dinning room table!

More on that later.

Get out there and finished up those sweaters! You guys freak me out when there are only a few sweaters finished. It’s like the calm before the finished sweater crazy storm!

So many knitters got their February sweaters in this week that my Dollar and a Half Cardigan, sitting in the other room blocking at this second, is just going to have to wait.

And March is here! I know this challenge is filling my closet nicely. Two sweaters down, ten to go!

Shrug

Blue Shrug

Becca knit these cute shrugs! I’m pretty sure it’s our first shrug in the Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge. That wide rib closure is so pretty and it looks like a quick knit!

Eyelet Patterned Cardigan

Lin (rav) knit this beautiful Eyelet Patterned Cardigan! That eyelet pattern is so pretty! I love lacy patterns in sweaters and this one is stunning.

Sweater Dress

Mellisa (rav) finished this adorably sweater dress for her daughter! It totally reminds me of sweaters I had when I was that age in the 80s that I wish I still had!

Vogue Cropped Jacket

Zaynab knit this Vogue Cropped Jacket. Look familiar? I love this sweater! It makes me happy that there are other knitters rocking this sweater out there in the knitting universe. And it turned out so well!

Ribbed Sweater

Clara finished this cute sweater for her daughter, which she finished in 10 days thanks to the deadline set by the ravelympics! Two birds with one stone, Clara!

The Nicolas Cardigan

Alexandra (rav) finished this absolutely beautiful little Christening sweater. This sweater would be great for any occasion, though! The cuteness is universal.

St Brigid Cardigan

Vicki knit this beautiful cabled cardigan, the St Brigid, for both the Ravelympics and KaSaMC. The idea of knitting all those cables in 17 days blows my mind! Well done!

Neck Down Cardigan

Wickleweste

Amy (rav) finished her January sweater, the neck down cardigan, and her February sweater, the Wickelweste Junghans! I love the bright colors used in both of these sweaters. And the sideways buttons on the vest are so cute!

Shalom Cardigan

So far the Shalom Cardigan is the most popular sweater pattern in the Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge! I think Sernakl’s beautiful Shalom is our third one! And it’s no wonder; they have all turned out so well!

Andrea's Sweater Dress

Alexandra (rav) knit and designed this beautiful sweater dress! This is another ravelympics creation so she designed and knit this all in 17 days! All these sweater dresses sure makes me want to knit one myself!

Bombshell Sweater

Valentina (rav) finished up this Bombshell Sweater and bombshell is right! What a flattering fit and color! I love a good short-sleeved sweater and the bust shaping is perfect.

Congratulations to all the KaSaMCers who are right on the knitting track! Every time I write a Tuesday Knit a Sweater  Month Challenge update post my mind is blown, my ravelry queue gets bigger, and I’m inspired to knit immediately. I can only imagine it’s doing the same for you!

So go get knitting!

1. Look at lots of yarn.

Twisted - http://twistedpdx.com/

Happy Lady!

2. Shop for records.

PT in Mississippi Records

3. Cause trouble in the Portland Children’s Museum.

Lucas and PT Disregarding the Wobble Warning

4. Drink a lot of wine and eat a lot of food at the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival.

Crunk!

PT Loves the Sushi

Look at that Hot Cowl!

5. Touch a tsunami!

Oregon Coast

Lucas, PT, and Random Dog

What Tsunami Advisory?

6. See bald eagles!

Eagles We Haven't Killed!

7. Find a new place to live.

Cape Foulweather

8. Admire very large rainbows.

Whoa!

9. Finish your Dollar and a Half Cardigan!

Dollar and a Half, Pre-Block

10. Start your March Sweater, Mrs Darcy Cardigan.

Mrs Darcy!

Here we are at the end of Month Two of the Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge! I’m so overwhelmed with pride every time I check in with our Ravelry group and get an email from someone with pictures of their finished sweaters.

This is our last February update! Get those sweaters finished up this week! I can’t wait to see them!

I had to sub in my DinoSweater for February because I couldn’t finish my Dollar and a Half Cardigan in time, what with the Ravelympics and everything. But DinoSweater is coming along and will be done by month’s end for sure.

Ok enough enough! I can’t wait to show you all the beautiful sweaters finished up this week!

Fitted Knits Cardi

Kathy knit the Fitted Knits Cardigan! Look familiar? I love this sweater! And Kathy did such a great job with the yarn choices.

Mirepoix Bodice

Robin has been finishing projects up left and right! Her Mirepoix Bodice sweater turned out so well! I’m constantly amazed at knitters who can tackle fair isle. The top of that sweater makes my eyeballs hurt just thinking about knitting it.

Birgitte Lace Pullover

Robin also finished up this beautiful lacy number, the Birgitte Lace Pullover. I have never knit a mohair project I haven’t wanted to set on fire, so this sweater totally motivates me to try it again! So pretty and super flattering.

Short Sleeved Cardi

Ksana finished up this super cute Short Sleeved Cardigan for her mom from Fitted Knits. (Mom, don’t get any ideas!) It turned out fabulous! I love the color, even though Ksana says that the teal is really hard to photograph. If it is anything close to the color we see, we all want one!

Robert's Sweater

Alexandria (rav) knit this absolutely beautiful sweater for a very lucky little boy named Robert! It’s Bear Necessity and that intarsia work is stunning! I NEED to get better at intarsia so I can rock a sweater like that! So cute.

Five days left! Go get knitting!

While my Dollar and a Half Cardigan takes a break for my Ravelympics projects, there are a TON of finished sweaters this week that I can’t wait to show off to y’all!

Java Fold Back Cardi

Gloria finished her February sweater in January and her January sweater in February, but who is counting? I love the fun buttons! They were made for that sweater.

Sexy Vesty

Tracy knit this beautiful vest, Sexy Vesty, for her sister. I’m not a big vest wearer but I am all over this vest! I put it in my queue for sure.

Barfly Pullover

Clara finished her first sweater, the Barfly Pullover, and it looks amazing! I love that bottom shaping and the neckline. This sweater is really flattering on her!

Aquitaine Pullover

Robin, who is knew to the group, posted her January sweater this week, the Aquitaine Pullover. I love the lace detail! This sweater is from the new Interweave, so if you had it on the mind grapes take a look at Robin’s project page because she made some really helpful notes!

Diva Tunic

Liz knit another Diva Tunic! This one for her sister. Remember the sweater she knit for herself last month? It’s like knitting two socks! Only, really large socks. They both look fabulous! I bet Liz will be knitting something else for March, though!

Liesl

Here is our second Liesl sweater! This one also completed by Liz. She is a knitting fool! The color is great and you can really see the detail in the lace pattern. So pretty!

Trellis & Vine Pullover

Becca (rav) finished the Trellis & Vine Pullover that has been sitting on her needles for a long time! This sweater was in my queue for a while, then I dumped it, but now it’s going back in for sure. I love how it’s less fitted than in the pattern pictures. It is such a beautiful pattern for a roomy pullover!

Granny Square Jackets

While not knitting and made out of previously made granny squares, it’s still ok! Marolee made two granny square jackets by … seaming together granny squares, of course! Makes my granny square slippers look like a walk in the park! I know how hard it is to seam those up.

Placket Sweater

Kris knit up this adorable Placket Neck Pullover! The yarn she used, the Brown Sheep Serendipity Tweed, has beautiful yellow flecks throughout! Such a beautiful choice.

Congratulations to everyone who finished this week! I love seeing the variety of projects coming into the group. Non knitters are always shocked when I explain this project to them. How can you find 12 different sweaters you want to knit?

I’m pretty sure I could knit a sweater a month for the rest of my life and STILL not get to all the beautiful sweaters out there I’d like to knit.

We’ve even had some new people join this week! Our Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge Ravelry Group is up to 148 members! And my mailing list is growing, too. Please don’t hesitate to join us!

Now get knitting!

I’ve been scrambling to finish my February sweater before the Ravelympics start on Friday. Could I have chosen a more challenging sweater to knit in two weeks?

Dollar and a Half Body

I’ve finished the back and one side. I’ve got to finish that other side, knit two sleeves, and knit the button hole bands around the collar.

But do you notice something funky?

Cabled Front WRONG!

I’m blaming y’all for this because someone should have caught this mistake in last week’s post. The front panel with the cable is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE STRIPED! It is supposed to be the cable with just the lace pattern behind it.

CORRECT!

As clearly pictured. When knitting sides and body at the same time goes wrong? More like, when Allyson is under emotional duress, trying to knit a complicated sweater in two weeks, she messes up a lot.

Whats a lot?

DOH!

Not paying attention when the fronts say knit to 16 1/2 inches and start front shaping, instead of just following the back instructions that say knit to 18 1/2 inches  before working armhole decreases. **shakes head**

Lace and Rev St st Stripes

Are these mistakes critical? Well, yeah, they are. This sweater isn’t going to look like it is supposed to. Why am I talking about it like I’m not going to frog the crap out of it? Because I’m not. These mistakes aren’t holes. They aren’t going to make a sweater fit for a robot or dog. They are going to make a sweater slightly different than it is supposed to be. Stripes all around! Not so deep of a V-neck. Who cares? Did I pick this sweater for it’s lace only cabled front? Clearly not, or I wouldn’t have messed up like this.

So I’m going to keep going! If I finish it and hate it I can deal with it then. Right now I kinda like it! This sweater has been knit so many times, 225 projects currently on ravelry, that it is kind of nice to know that I don’t have the same sweater as all those people. Or as anyone. Because of my inability to correctly read a pattern.

Also, I didn’t get the memo that it was Red Sweater Week at Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge!

Coffee Tunic

Gloria knit this beautiful sweater in a truly stunning red. The cable details are out of control! And it looks really beautiful on, too!

Simple Pullover

Continuing in color, Rita (rav) finished this simple and adorable pullover for her January sweater. The color is lovely and I just want to snuggle up in it so bad!

Tunika

Red is the color of the week for sure! Yet another beautiful and seriously flattering red pullover.

Those are the only finished sweaters this week! Short Sweater a Month Challenge update, but I’m thinking week two will always be a little slow. Slow but sweet!

How is your sweater knitting coming? I know a lot of knitters have been able snowed in the past few days and have been knitting up a *cough* storm. Sorry. I should stop now. It’s the glaring mistakes in my sweater talking. They are taking over my mind.

Keep knitting and keep updating our Ravelry Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge page or emailing me at allyson[at]thesweatshopoflove[dot]com with your updates so I can include them and your sweater progress can help motivate other knitters. It’s been working for me!

Now go get knitting!

Hi February! Can you believe we are one month down already?

Congratulations to everyone who finished their January Sweaters! Not quite finished? Don’t worry! Just keep knitting and catch up in February.

Haven’t joined our Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge yet? Jump in now and knit up a sweater in February! It’s only the 2nd. Here is the ravelry group page, now up to 137 members, or send me an email to get on my mailing list.

Dollar and a Half Cardigan

I had a lot of travel knitting time this weekend so I got a little head start on my February Sweater: Dollar and a Half Cardigan! I’ve been planning this bad boy since October and I’m so happy to be working on it. Yes, I jumped the gun on it by two days. Progress!

Cable, Lace, Rev St St

There is a lot going on in this pattern. I cast on three times before this one stuck. I gauged it three times before I trusted myself to get the sizing right.

I decided to use size 6s for the lace, ribbing, and cable parts, and size 4s for the rev st st, based on the ravelry comments about the stripes being a little bulky. So far so good! The pattern is fun, the yarn, Knit Picks CotLin in Planetarium, is beautiful and is knitting up well (besides attracting a lot of cat hair!), and the sizing looks good. Knock on wood.

Ditto

Vicki (rav) finished up her Ditto Sweater (Vicki’s rav) which just looks so wearable! Couldn’t you just throw that over anything? And I love the  shiny buttons!

Shalom Cardi

And we shouldn’t be surprised that there is another Shalom Cardigan in the mix for January; this is one popular pattern! Kris (rav) finished this up in like 4 days or something insane. It looks like it took her the entire month!

Ginny's Boheme

Vintage Baby Cardigan

Bobby's Bright Green V-Neck

Leah (rav) finished these three baby sweaters! I was just as happy as Bobby is in his pull over to see all three of these adorable sweaters. So, clearly I couldn’t have been any happier.

Blue Mal

Andrea (rav) finished this beautiful sweater, Silken Scabbard, up in January after stalling on it last year. And I’m so glad she did! I’m in love with those cable details and the color! So pretty.

Liesl

Rachel-Marie knit up Liesl, kind of an in between January/February sweater, since Rachel-Marie is clearly a knitting super ultra star! I love that stitch pattern and colorway.

Peter's Vest

And another super crazy over achiever! Alexandra finished this adorable little vest as her second January sweater! Or, maybe first February sweater? Who cares! This vest turned out great, no matter what month it counts for!

Congratulations to all of the January sweater finishers! And it is never too late to start this challenge, so get out there and get knitting for February!

Last update of January! We’ve got FIVE DAYS to finish up our January sweaters. And by the look of things y’all have nothing to worry about.

We all know how my January Sweater, Minimalist Cardigan, turned out. (SAD FACE!!) I’d much rather talk about all the beautiful January sweaters I’m being sent pictures of!

Elsie Cardi

This adorable Elsie Cardigan was finished by Ksana (rav) for her niece. Those cute buttons add so much to the simple design! I want some for my next sweater!

Baby Surprise Jacket

And another finished baby sweater from Rachel-Marie (rav, twitter)! I love how this sweater is assembled! Y’all know how much I hate seeming.

Diva Tunic

This beautiful deep V tunic was knit by Liz (rav). Is that the most flattering neckline for her? This tunic would look great with pants, a skirt, or just leggings. Find the Diva Tunic pattern here.

Mr Greenjeans

Helen (rav) finished up a beautiful version of the very popular knitty.com pattern Mr Greenjeans (rav, Helen’s rav page). This simple cabled cardigan is so understated and elegant in the deep charcoal Helen chose.

Cindy's Sweater

Cindy at A Sparkle a Day finished her sweater after quite a struggle! She was feeling discouraged that we were all pumping out such amazing sweater, and then look what she did: She pumped out an amazing sweater!

Must Have Cardi

Marsha (rav) knit this beautiful Must Have Cardi , which couldn’t look any better on her! Isn’t that sizing perfect? The placement of the cables on this sweater are really flattering.

Less is More

Lin (rav) knit this beautiful cabled pullover! I can’t stop staring at the shoulders amazed at how good that cabled seaming is! It’s absolutely lovely.

Tiered Baby Jacket

Don’t tell my mom, but all these adorable baby sweaters make me wish I had a little baby to dress! Like, someone else’s baby that I can just dress in the morning, then go home. This Tiered Baby Jacket was knit by Ksana and how much do you love the subtle color change in the tier?!

In The Piazza

Melanie finished this super fun In the Piazza sweater in the loveliest blue and green colorway. How cute with this look over a simple black dress?

Easy Baby Cardigan

Zaynab (rav) whipped up with Easy Baby Cardigan in 9 days! Now that is what I call easy. AND that is what I call a gender neutral color! It is the absolute perfect shade of green.

I couldn’t be more proud of everyone. It is truly amazing what we can do with just one little month.

Alexandra made a comment on our Finished January Sweaters forum on the Ravelry KaSaMC group (now going 131 strong!) that sums up my exact feeling: “I am so happy I joined this group! Fantastic sweaters, beautiful colors! And, best of all, talented people! Whenever I check this ‘FO thread’ or the ’shared projects box’ I feel happy and it stimulates me to knit some more!”

I couldn’t agree more. Five days until February! Get knitting!

I’d like to preface this post by saying that, while acknowledging that I’ve got a lot on my emotional plate right now, I had to crop my crying face out of most of these pictures, and that is a bit of an overreaction.

Minimalist Cardigan Fail. And I cried. I’m staring at it right now, actually, wanting to cry. It’s like knitting masochism.

Curly Front, Pre-Block

These pre-blocking pictures kill me. Had I known that this would be the last time I’d be wearing and loving my sweater I wouldn’t have just thrown it over the long sleeved t-shirt I wore yesterday.

Nice Normal Sleeves!

I also would have cleaned my mirror before taking these pictures.

I was just finishing up the sleeves in my last Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge post. Sure, I was getting sick of the double moss stitch, but I was still rocking it out and loving it so much!

Remember how in love with this sweater I was when I started?! I still felt that love, even if it was a little boring.

So I finished knitting up the sleeves, seemed it all together, and I thought it was looking good! The size was right on. The only problem was that the front panels were super curly, but I saw that while I was knitting it. I knew a quick block would take care of it, no problem.

Stupid Huge Sweater

As soon as I had it in the bath the light bulb went off:

Fingering weight yarn+larger than gauge needles+lacy stitch=STRETCH

Really, Really Big

I mean, look at those sleeves. Look at the length! It’s supposed to be a cropped sweater with 3/4 length sleeves. I just look like a midget. With wide shoulders.

Stupid Wide Shoulders

But that got me thinking. What if I re-seam the shoulders to make them hit higher? That would pull the sleeves up and at least make it look like I knew how to dress myself.

Pinned? Maybe?

It puckered in the front but kind of cutely!

Back View... hmm

It puckered in the back in a not so cutely.

Not Re-Seamed

Re-Seamed

And, while seaming the shoulders up did make it look a little better, I snuggled it, dried my tears, and decided to give it to my mom for her birthday.

So, happy early birthday, mom. With a tear, because I really wanted this sweater! But I know you will love it. Because it is psychotically beautiful, and your favorite color, and will look fantastic on you.

I’m glad it is getting a good home. Now I’ve got to get more Woodland Sage Knit Picks Gloss because I need this yarn to be in my life. In sweater form.

Sigh. Double sigh.

(First of all, thank you all for being so sweet yesterday. It really means a lot to me. It’s crazy to think that we can create this internet world of friends now, and live thousands of miles away from each other but still be so connected. My grandpa would say it’s the magic of ‘the google’!)

Happy Tuesday, Knit a Sweater a Month Challengers! Week three update is here!

And I don’t know about you but I hit a bit of a wall with my Minimalist Cardigan.

SO CLOSE!

These sleeves are dragging. I’m close to finishing them and every decrease I make makes me feel better about myself and my knitting abilities, but still. JUST BE OVER ALREADY.

Double Moss Stitch

I am officially in love with double moss stitch. It’s like a rib and a pattern stitch in one! By the time I’m done with these sleeves I think I’ll be double moss stitching in my sleep.

Shalom Now-Pullover

I’ve had my eye on the Shalom Cardi for ages now, but here it is as a Pullover Shalom Vest and I like it better! Rachel (rav, twitter) did a great job adjusting the pattern into something completely new and fun!

Squares and Red

Alexandra (rav) knit this amazing sweater from HER BRAIN! Look Ma, no pattern! I just want to snuggle it.

Vintage Fair Isle Sweater

Katie (rav, blog, twitter) is also flying by the seat of her pants with this fair isle pattern! I’ve never even attempted fair isle, much less did that much color changing with no pattern. I can’t wait to see how this sweater turns out!

Be sure to email me pictures of your progress and finished sweaters! We all need some motivation as we are knitting our way down the final January stretch.

Now go get knitting! 12 days left!