The Sweatshop of Love Blog

The Lot

Top Row, Left to Right:

1. Wine Cozy for PT’s Mom

2. Elephants for Grandma, three total

3. Three Pairs of Granny Square Slippers, one for Tara, Grandma, and Mom

4. Three Cabled Jar Covers for Rachel

Middle Row, Left to Right:

1. Crocheted Bib Necklace for Tara, my Sweatshop Secret Santa

2. Knitting Needle Knitting Bag for Mom

3. Lace Hand Warmers for Rachel

4. U of M Toilet Lid Cover for my brother Adam

Bottom Row, Left to Right:

1. Eric Man-Beanie for my brother Matthew

2. Glorified Necklace for Mom

3. Eric Man-Stocking Cap for Dad

Not Pictured:

1. Knitting Needle Knitting Bag for my friend Colleen, already gifted

2. PT’s Modified Cambridge Jacket, wrapped and under the tree

3. Two Slouchy Berets for Blog Giveaway Winners, in Green and Pink, shipped off

I don’t know whether to think that is a lot or a little. I have been knitting since September for the holidays. I did knit myself a sweater in there somewhere, too. And wrote a few patterns. And taught a lot of classes.

But with it all laid out there like that, it is weird to think I did all that in just over three months.

Just Pudge being Pudge

I wrapped it all up, no thanks to Pudge Rodriguez,  and most of it is ready for the trip up to Michigan.

I hope you got all your holiday knitting done in time! Is there something you will be giving half finished?

Yesterday started with a pretty gruesome sight.

Elephant Parts Everywhere!

Well, actually yesterday started with 2 1/2 elephant bodies, and I was determined to end it with three elephants.

3/4 of Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, 1 episode of The Biggest Loser, 2 episodes of Mad Men, 1/2 a yellow elephant body, 6 ears, and 12 legs later:

I Think They Love Me!

I had three adorable elephants staring at me, but I was too tired to care. It was an extreme day of elephant knitting, and I didn’t want to look at them anymore.

But this morning they were chilling on the window sill.

They Seriously Love Me!

And then they attacked Velma.

Velma Didn't Think This Was Very Funny

They made an Elephant Parade!

Can't Handle the Cuteness!

Which made them really hungry, so I made them lunch.

Crockpot Soup and Half a Grilled Cheese

You might remember my first elephant I knit a couple months ago. This poor guy is MIA! He was moonlighting at a few classes and might have been left behind? Hopefully he found a nice home.

I modified the pattern (free Ravelry download) a bit. The increases on the pattern are wrong so I just stuck to the number of stitches for each increase row and kept reminding myself, ‘It is an elephant butt. It doesn’t have to be perfect.’

I also put some dried navy beans in the body before I stuffed each body. The nose makes him very front heavy, and those beans did the trick.

These elephants are for my grandma and I’m sure she will love them! She loves toys, and they will probably end up above their TV.

Hi, Sweetie!

I was a very busy lady this weekend! Starting with this little guy, who I made on Saturday.

Isn’t he the cutest?

I’m making a couple of these for my grandma for Christmas. My grandma doesn’t read my blog. My grandma and papa refer to the internet as ‘the google’. I complain about how my mom has dial up? My grandparents have never had the internet, and never will. So at least my grandma will be surprised by her present!

Elephant Plays Fantasy Football

Elephant Hangs Out With PT

The elephant helped us keep an eye on our fantasy football stats, and really liked to hang out with PT.

The pattern Flower Power Elephant by Ala Ela and is a free ravelry.com download, you can find it here.

Colleen's Knitting Needle Knitting Bag

And I knit another Knitting Needle Knitting Bag for my friend Colleen, who also doesn’t read the blog, so I’m safe here, too.

Regular Bamboo Handle

When I finished the first side, I put in the handle and didn’t like the light color of the bamboo with the yellow yarn.

Darker Needles, Cute Lining! Matching Button!

So I got some wood stain and painted the needles. I put in some cute fabric as a liner and got some fancy fabric buttons that I loved so much so the liner matches the buttons!

Fabric Button Love

Mom's Bag's Button

And I finally added the button to my mom’s bag to match the lining, too.

Lions Win Pizza!

PIZZA

As usual, PT and I made pizzas for Sunday football, but this time they were special because they were Lions Win Pizzas! My retarded Lions won their first game since December 2007! I couldn’t believe it! I jumped up and down fake/kinda serious screaming for 20 minutes!

My pizza had carrots, banana peppers, corn, and caramelized onions, and PT’s had all of that plus olives. Especially smelly olives this time.

I’ve got a group class tonight, and we are finishing up those Toilet Lid Covers! I was talking big about making a Lions Toilet Lid Cover, but I’ve made some slight changes. It will be finished tomorrow!