The Sweatshop of Lovers Blog

Fabric covered buttons are practically a staple here at The Sweatshop of Love. If something needs buttoning I fabric covered button it.

Super Cute Fabric Covered Buttons!

So naturally I want to pimp their greatness at Renegade!

TONS of Buttons

This weekend I made 84 3/4″ buttons and 63 1 1/8″ buttons. They are pretty simple to make but painful and time consuming, which is why you’d much rather have me make them for you than you do it yourself! My fingers are still numb. I had no strength left toward the end and had to get my hammer out to finish the last of them.

Fun Fabric=Fun Buttons!

The 3/4″ buttons will come two in a package for $3 and I made at least 6 buttons with each scrap of fabric. The 1 1/8″ buttons will come individually for $2 and I made at least 4 buttons with each scrap of fabric.

Just like when I was finished sewing my kit project bags, I never want to make another fabric covered button ever again. And just like when I was finished sewing my kit project bags, I wonder how long that will last.

Things are getting checked off the list! T-7 days until my trip starts!

I was asked to knit and donate another DinoSweater that will be an auction item in a fundraiser for Ivory Coast Mothers and Children, an organization building a hospital in the Ivory Coast. So I hopped to it!

I also wanted to show you how important embellishment is to simple projects.

Pre-Fixin's

So here you’ve got a finished cardigan from my Baby Sweater Buffet pattern with a hood buffet option. I used the original dinosweater’s spikes pattern, which is not my own.

It is obviously super cute! But we can do better.

Now With Spots!

I dug around and found three different shades of green and duplicate stitched dinospots on the sweater!

Hot DinoProfile!

It added texture and color to the sweater. I used leftover scraps that were laying around so it cost nothing, and I just winged it with placement and shape.

Fabric Covered Buttons

I also dug around in my fabric and found this green stripey fabric for the buttons.

So, with a little duplicate stitching and some fun fabric covered buttons, this baby sweater went from super cute to HOLY FREAKING CUTE OMGOMGOMG!

Ready to Roll!

I made an extra button, just in case, attached it to a card, and tied the card to the top button hole. Now it’s ready to go make Ivory Coast Mothers and Children some cash!

If you are interested in donating to Ivory Coast Mothers and Children or want to bid on this DinoSweater, contact my girl Patsy or come to the Bastille Day Fete this Saturday, July 10th at Kiki’s Bistro from 1-4, with the auction taking place at 3pm.

Pattern: Baby Sweater Buffet

Yarn: Vanna’s Choice in Dusty Green, Lion Brand Wool Ease in Mink Brown, and other scrap greens

Needles: Size 9 circulars

Ravelry Project Page

Dollar and a Half Cardigan

It feels like this sweater has taken me forever, but I started it on January 30th, intending it to be my February Sweater. I put it aside for two weeks for the ravelympics or I would have been finished with it much sooner.

Couldn't Fit Any Better!

We’ve been through a lot, Dollar and a Half and I. The cable band side should not at all be striped, and the front shaping should have started much lower.

Stupid Cabled Stripes!

It kinda looks like it should be striped, right? When I look at the original sweater, the way it should be, it looks… wrong.

STRIPES!

I’m in love with the stripes! And could I look skinnier in this sweater? So much for horizontal stripes making you look fat.

Fabric Buttons and Stripes Galore

I messed this sweater up royally and it still turned out great. This is a great example of going with the flow! The cable looks great against the mistake-striped background.

I love how the reverse stockinette stitch isn’t bubbly because I used size 4s for those sections and size 6s for the lace sections.

And I love my buttons! I used the plaid fabric I found at the estate sale in Portland to cover my buttons and it couldn’t be better. I had plaid fabric in mind the entire time and it came together beautifully. The buttons are so small, 5/8 inch, that it wouldn’t have mattered what I covered them with, but I love the plaid pop.

I’m still standing by my statement that I will never use normal buttons ever again. I should take out stock in fabric covered buttons right now.

The yarn is perfect, too. Knit Picks CotLin knits up really well. It’s nice and light and the color is beautiful. I will use this yarn again really soon.

I Love You!

I can’t wait to show the girls tonight in Sweater Club! And get ready for a Style Your Knits starring Dollar and a Half REALLY soon.

Pattern: Dollar and a Half Cardigan, Interweave Knits Spring 2007

Yarn: Knit Picks CotLin in Planetarium

Needles: Size 6s and 4s, both circulars

Ravelry Page Here

Madison Hand Warmers Kit!

I was packaging the Madison Cowl and Hand Warmers kits up the other day and I was blowing myself away with how amazingly cute these things are!

I mean that in a non braggy way, of course. It is kind of like when you finish knitting something and someone compliments it, and you yell out immediately, ‘I know! Isn’t it amazing?!’ Because you are just so surprised it turned out so well. Kind of like you weren’t even responsible.

As you can see, this kit here to my left is about to get packaged up! It’s a gray hand warmers kit.

The hand warmers take about half a skein of yarn, so that ball is wrapped up with a Sweatshop tag. The laminated instructions (see that laminated shine?), designed by Tara, is popped into the drawstring project bag.

Buttons!

I was always terrified I was going to forget the buttons every time I packaged a bag up. I’m pretty sure I double checked every bag.

Ready to Go!

See the cute Illinois stamp in the corner? And that the color of the draw string is the color of the kit? Yeah, we kinda thought of everything.

Madison Cowl Kit

For the Madison Cowl Kit, each project bag gets a full skein of yarn, again with our cute tag!

Instructions!

Buttons!

Again, laminated instructions and fabric covered buttons round out this kit!

One of my favorite parts of this project was pairing the fabric for the buttons with the colors we chose for the cowls.

See all the button/cowl match ups here!

Ready to Go!

Our tag on the bag makes it happen! This kit is ready to go!

We got our first feedback yesterday! Lori said:

I love everything about it! The bag, the pattern with your notes, all the tags, the buttons, everything! You and Tara did such an excellent job on those!

Thanks, Lori! Order your own kit on our etsy page.

Caitlin's Cardi

To say that I’m happy with the way this sweater turned out is an understatement! Just to catch everyone up, I stole a sweater from my friend Caitlin that she found at a thrift store in order to try to duplicate it because I loved it so much.

The Original Caitlin Cardi

I’ve spent a lot of time with this sweater. We are best friends now, really. I know a lot of her secrets. Which I am going to tell you because I’m a catty bitch like that:

1) I’m pretty sure this sweater was shrunk somewhere along the way because it really feels felted. The more I knit the stitch pattern I figured out it was worked in, what I’ve been calling the lazy man’s seed stitch, the more I noticed that mine looks super textured, where this poor old girl has been worked pretty hard.

2) This sweater is for sure a hand knit. In all my staring I found a few mistakes in the stitch pattern, but the seaming is perfect. I kept looking for seaming mistakes to confirm my hand knit suspicions, since anyone would be able to take one look at the inside of one of my sweaters and know instantly it’s hand made, but there are none.

3) She’s got a single crochet button bands and neck edging!

Cables, Crochet Button Bands

Cables, Crochet Button Bands

It’s a really smart and easy way to make button holes if you know how to crochet and if you can get that first row down. I had a hard time spacing the single crochets to make sure the front of the sweater didn’t pucker.

4) These sleeves are off the chain.

Puffed, Cabled Sleeves

Puffed, Cabled Sleeves

I started at the top of the shoulder with the cable band, did some fancy PU trickery, and knit the sleeves from there. Top. Down. Sleeves.

Puffy Sleeves!

I feel like Anne of Green Gables up in here! I accidentally typed Anne of Green Cables at first. **Filing that away for a future sweater name**

5) She’s got kinda boring pockets. That I modified to be way cuter!

Boring Pockets

HOTT Pockets!

I added a Cable Band to the tops of the mini pockets, just for a little added jazz and a little more depth. I mean, still pretty functionless, but if you aren’t going to have function you might as well be as cute as possible!

2/8/10 EDIT: Only need size 42″ test knitter now!

I want to have this sweater pattern available ASAP because I’ve already been getting some lovely feedback about it. And some scary threats that if I don’t have this pattern out soon I’ll find a horse head in my bed. So I need two more text knitters! If you are interested in test knitting the 34″ or 42″ bust size options email me at allyson[at]thesweatshopoflove[dot]com for more information.

I could not be more excited to introduce to you The Sweatshop of Love’s latest endeavor: Knit Kits!

The Sweatshop of Love, along with the ridiculously talented Tara Shade, are ready to premier our first batch of Knit Kits – the Madison Cowl and Madison Hand Warmers!

Take a peek to the right at our Etsy Mini Store! These kits are all available at our Etsy store, or send me an email at allyson[at]thesweatshopoflove[dot]com and I’ll hook you up.

Madison Cowl and Hand Warmers!

You’ve gotten a little peek of these patterns in the newsletters because both the Madison Cowl and Madison Hand Warmers are classes in April. This is the perfect opportunity for knitters not in Chicago to get in on the Sweatshop fun!

Madison Cowl Kit

Gray

Green

Red

Blue

Madison Cowl Kit – (rav page) As fun to knit as it is to wear, the Madison Cowl is a super cute way to work your hand knits into your wardrobe! Using a seed stitch boarder and an intuitive lace pattern throughout, this Cowl is a great way to master chart reading and lace work. Never read a chart pattern? Our easy to read instructions will make it a cinch.

Finish the Madison Cowl with handmade fabric buttons designed to stand out no matter which color Madison Lace Cowl kit you decide on.

Included in this kit is:

An easy to read pattern
Yarn
4 handmade fabric buttons
A nifty drawstring project bag

You will need:

Size 7 needles
Stitch markers or scrap yarn
Yarn needle

Madison Cowl!

Need this Madison Cowl around your neck immediately?! We know you do! This kit is only 36 bones! And don’t forget the matching Madison Hand Warmers. Need the full set? Get both Madison Kits for $54!

Madison Hand Warmers Kit

Madison Hand Warmers Kit- (rav page) A great introduction to following a chart pattern, these Madison Hand Warmers are a super quick knit and fun to wear! And handmade fabric button accents make these hand warmers stand out from the crowd.

Knit on straight needles and seamed around a thumb opening, the Madison Hand Warmers are perfect for beginner and intermediate knitters looking for a quick, fun, easy to wear project. Never read a chart before? No problem with this easy to read pattern with step by step instructions to get you some cute hand warmers with no head aches.

Included in this kit:

And easy to read pattern
Yarn
2 handmade fabric buttons
A nifty drawstring project bag

You will need:

Size 7 needles
Yarn needle

Madison Hand Warmers!

See yourself rockin’ these adorable hand warmers? We do to! This kit is only $24. And don’t forget the matching Madison Cowl! Need the full set? Get both Madison Kits for $54!

Now can you see why I’m so excited?! These kits rock! And this is just our first round. Stay tuned for more Sweatshop Knitting Kits in the near future.

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!

Finished!

And Adorable!

I did more than just eat in Minnesota. I finished knitting my Vogue Cropped Jacket!

But first, the buttons. The pattern calls for fabric covered buttons, which I’ve never heard of before so I was going to just ignore that completely and get normal buttons, but when I was picking up snaps for the sweater closure, there they were!

Fabric Covered Buttons and Very Large Snaps

It looked like a big mess to me. I bought four snaps (the pattern, of course, calls for five snaps, but I didn’t want to spend another $3.99 for four more when I just needed one, so I figured I could make four work) and two packages three of fabric covered buttons each.

Easy Cheesy!

They are so easy! There is a pattern for the circle of fabric on the back of the package you cut out, and just trace that on your fabric so you get a circle. You put the fabric in the center of the button, force the fabric tightly into the teeth on the back of the buttons, then snap the button backs in place. I had six of them done in no time. And I love how they look! I want to use fabric covered buttons for every project I make here on out.

Love the Buttons!

They make such a difference! I love them. And I think the cute little flower pattern goes really well with the tweed-like yarn.

Bell Pattern

Even Looks Cute Open!

I’m going to block it just a little bit longer. The body is a good length, but I think the sleeves hit at a weird place, so I’m going to block the whole thing a tiny bit longer.

Overall I really liked the pattern! My numbers were a little off when I joined the sleeves and the body for the yoke, but that was probably my mistake. I knit a large size because the Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool is a smaller gauge than the yarn the pattern called for, so I think it worked out to being a small. I added 10 stitches to the front panel and 4 stitches to the skinny front panel. If I were to do it again I would only add 6 stitches to the front panel, as it is a little big, but not by much. My boobs are a little larger than what the small size would be able to handle. And I used size 10 needles throughout.

Now I’m kind of glad it’s so cool so I can wear it immediately!