The Sweatshop of Love Blog » fabric covered buttons http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog The Sweatshop of Love Blog celebrates every aspect of knitting - from finding a pattern to finishing a project. I publish my own patterns, share everything on my needles, and help knitters of all skill levels get excited about knitting. Never snobby, I use creativity and ingenuity to create finished projects for less. More than anything, The Sweatshop of Lover's Blog LOVES knitting and wants to make you love it, too. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:16:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 WORK+SHELTER Cabled Clutch Pattern http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/11/09/workshelter-cabled-clutch-pattern/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/11/09/workshelter-cabled-clutch-pattern/#comments Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:06:03 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=7080

My friend Theresa VanderMeer runs an organization called The Lotus Odyssey that exports fair-trade products from different eco/people-friendly groups in India. She is starting a foundation called WORK+SHELTER that will offer women living in the slums of New Delhi a fresh start. Theresa is working to give these women decent living conditions and a chance to build a better future. WORK+SHELTER will be a safe place where women can come with their children to live and work. She will be providing training, materials, and a fair wage, and members of WORK+SHELTER will be producing products to be sold in boutiques around the world.

HOT Cabled Clutch!

Theresa asked me to design garments and accessories that will be hand knit by the women living and working at WORK+SHELTER. This beautiful cabled clutch is one of those items! By purchasing this pattern you are helping this amazing cause. Read more about this project here, donate by emailing Theresa, and when someone compliments you on your hot clutch, be sure to tell them about WORK+SHELTER.

Zipper Pouch! Matching Lining!

WORK+SHELTER CABLED CLUTCH

Finished Size Clutch is 5” deep and 8” wide, with 6” wrist handle.

MATERIALS

Yarn Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted, 100% Peruvian Highland Wool. 110yds/50g: Dove Heather.

Needles Size 8 (5 mm) straight needles, 2 size 9 (5.5 mm) double pointed needles.

Notions Tapestry needle, 7” zipper, 9 ½” by 7 ¾” rectangle of fabric, a little extra fabric for covering the buttons, 2 ⅞” fabric covered buttons, needle and thread.

Perfect Size! Ready for Hotness.

GAUGE

20 sts and 24 rows = 4” square in St st.

Ravelry Pattern Page

WORK+SHELTER Cabled Clutch knitting pattern is $3

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]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/11/09/workshelter-cabled-clutch-pattern/feed/ 1 Valentines for My Ladies http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/02/17/valentines-for-my-ladies/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/02/17/valentines-for-my-ladies/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:52:53 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=5197

I’m not into Valentine’s Day for relationships. Like, PT and I just used it as an excuse to eat more. At home. In our PJs.

But I love having an excuse to give some love to some of my favorite ladies, so last week I knit up a few We’re Just That Awesome Cup Cozies for my family.

Mom's Cozy

My mom’s favorite color is green so I broke into some Knit Picks Stroll Tonal Sock Yarn in Canopy for her, and threw on a big yellow button.

Grandma's Cup Cozy

For my grandma I used some leftover Patons Kroy Sock yarn from Nestor the Long Eared Donkey and some cute light pink floral buttons.

Emily's Cup Cozy

And while my sister in law, Emily, is not only nursing Baby Nolan and can’t drink caffeine, but she is preggers to boot! But I didn’t want to leave her out so I knit one up for her in some leftover Knit Picks Gloss Fingering yarn in Grape, which, I’m now seeing, is a discontinued color. I figure it can be for tea or hot chocolate or something, right?

Ready to Roll Out!

I really enjoy knitting these little guys! Finding yarn scraps is fun. Finding buttons is fun!

Instant Valentine!

I stuck them in envelopes, cut out hearts from a floral advertisement, put them in a big envelope, and mailed them off!

I’ve enjoyed knitting these so much I added a few to my etsy shop. Check them out!

You can see these Cup Cozy FOs on their Rav pages here: Grandma. Mom. Emily!

Did you get anything rad for Valentine’s Day?

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]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/02/17/valentines-for-my-ladies/feed/ 5 Renegade Prep: Fabric Covered Buttons http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/07/22/renegade-prep-fabric-covered-buttons/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/07/22/renegade-prep-fabric-covered-buttons/#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:08:52 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=3993

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!

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]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/07/22/renegade-prep-fabric-covered-buttons/feed/ 4 FO: Ivory Coast DinoSweater http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/07/06/fo-ivory-coast-dinosweater/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/07/06/fo-ivory-coast-dinosweater/#comments Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:10:44 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=3915

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

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]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/07/06/fo-ivory-coast-dinosweater/feed/ 6 FO: Dollar and a Half Cardigan http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/03/04/fo-dollar-and-a-half-cardigan/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2010/03/04/fo-dollar-and-a-half-cardigan/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:53:53 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=3092

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

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