The Sweatshop of Love Blog

First of all, thanks to everyone that purchased a pattern or my entire ebook yesterday! I can’t wait to see those FOs start pouring in!

I’ve been fitting in knitting here and there, between moving and traveling and craziness. I always make time for knitting! Especially when it’s so darn cute. My nephew Baby Nolan‘s Christmas present was finished ages ago! I knit him a Baby Snowsuit from my baby snowsuit pattern add-on to my Baby Sweater Buffet pattern.

Striped and Matching!

I did a quick search on Ravelry for a baby earflap hat and, as you can imagine, there were thousands. I picked Brittney Marten’s free pattern, and then basically changed the whole thing.

I cast on the number of stitches she suggested for the hat portion of the pattern and it was enormous, so I pulled it out and halved the numbers – 7 for the back and 15 for the front. I couldn’t get behind purling in the round so I eliminated the garter stitch rows.

It'll Work!

I changed colors every 2 rows. I started decreasing on her row 3, since I had way fewer stitches, and just evened it out willy-nilly.

This entire pattern was pretty willy-nilly! But I got from Point A, leftover yarn from Baby Nolan’s Snowsuit, to Point B, an ear flap hat. Sometimes you’ve just got to knit on a wing and a prayer.

Pattern: Baby Earflap hat by Brittney Martens

Needles: Size 7 dpns and 16″ circular

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease  in Gray and Blue, about 1/4 a skein of each

Ravelry Project Page

Last week I got a last minute custom knit request from a guy that really needed an alien hat for his costume. So much so that he was willing to pay me a lot of money to whip this hat out for him in 2 days time.

Crocheted Alien Beanie

I can’t say no to that! I used this pattern as a base, changing the eyes, eliminating the nose and mouth as instructed by my client, and making the antennae more solid against the base of the hat.

Looks Good on Teady

So if you saw a dude wearing this hat last night, I totally made that!

I’m driving with PT to Minnesota today so there won’t be much more Halloween-ing for us, unless someone is in costume at a rest stop in Wisconsin. And if someone is in costume at a rest stop in Wisconsin I will be running the other way. Talk about scary!

Pattern: Alien Hat

Yarn: Stitch Nation Alpaca Love in Fern

Caron Simply Soft in Gray

Hook: Size G

Ravelry Project Page

(Eric) Man-Beanie

(Eric) Man-Beanie

(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap

Finished Measurements:
(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap – Length: 10 inches Width: 10 inches
(Eric) Man-Beanie – Length: 7 1/2 inches Width: 10 inches

Materials:
Any worsted or bulky weight yarn
Set of 5 size 11 double pointed needles

(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap

Directions:
With two strands of worsted weight yarn or one strand of bulky weight yarn, CO 50 sts. If knitting the beanie, skip down to (Eric) Man-Beanie.

(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap Only:
Round 1: P3, [K1, P4] to last 2 sts, K1, P1
Round 2: [P2, K1, P1, K1] around

Repeat both rounds 5 times total. Purl 1 round. Continue following (Eric) Man-Beanie instructions.

(Eric) Man-Beanie (both hats):
Round 1: K3, [P1, K4] to last 2 sts, P1, K1
Round 2: [K2, P1, K1, P1] around

Repeat both rounds for 5 inches, ending with a round 2.

Begin Cap Decrease Rounds

(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap

Round 1: [K2, P2tog, K1] around – 40 sts total
Round 2: [K3, P1] around
Round 3: K2, [P1, K3] around
Round 4: [K2, K2tog] around – 30 sts total
Round 5: [K2, P1] around
Round 6: K all sts
Round 7: [K2tog, P1] around – 20 sts total
Round 8: K all sts
Round 9: [K1, P1] around
Round 10: [K2tog, P2tog] around – 10 sts total
Round 11: K all sts

Cut yarn, pull through remaining sts and secure.

Finishing:
Weave in ends. Make sure to give this hat to a winner!

(Eric) Man-Beanie

(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap, Brim Up

(Eric) Man-Stocking Cap, Brim Down

Slouchy Cabled Beret

I’ve knit or started to knit a few of these and have never been completely satisfied with the result. They are either too slouchy, or not slouchy enough, or use tiny needles, or the brim is too big for my head. Or it’s too lacy for winter. Something is always wrong with it!

I wanted big needles, big cables, and a hat in like six hours. So I did it myself!

11/21/09 Edit: Lots of people were getting a hat that was too small for their heads! I added Large Size Hat sizing that will add 4 inches to the width of the band and 3 inches to the depth.

12/5/09 Edit: Added a gauge!

The Sweatshop of Love

Slouchy Beret Pattern

Materials:
Worsted weight yarn, two strands held together, or a bulky yarn. I used two strands of Caron Simply Soft held together, about half the skein.
Set of 5 size 11 double pointed needles.

Gauge: 13 stitches and 12 rows= 4″ square in St st.

Size: S 16″ around at band, 10″ deep un-stretched (L  20″ around at band, 13″ deep un-stretched) – shown in size small

Directions:

Beret After Blocking on the Plate

CO 46 (56) sts with two strands of worsted weight yarn held together, or one strand of bulky weight yarn. Divide between 4 needles and join, PM.

Work in K1P1 rib for five rounds. At the end of the 5th round, K last 2 sts together.
K2 rounds even.

For Small Size Only :

Begin Cable Pattern:
Cable Round 1: [Sl 3 sts to CN and hold to back, K3, K3 sts from CN, K3] around.

K2 rounds even.

Inc Round: [KFB, K4, KFB, K3] around. 55 sts total

K1 round even.

For Both Sizes:

Cable Round 2: [K3, Sl 4 sts to CN and hold to front, K4, K4 sts from CN] around.

K2 rounds even.

Inc Round: [KFB, K1, KFB, K8] around. 65 sts total

K1 round even.

Cable Round 3: [Sl 4 sts to CN and hold to back, K4, K4 sts from CN, K5] around.

K4 rounds even.

Cable Round 4: [K5, Sl 4 sts to CN and hold to front, K4, K4 sts from CN] around.

K4 rounds even.

Cable Round 5: [Sl 4 sts to CN and hold to back, K4, K4 sts from CN, K5] around.

K4 rounds even.

For Large Size or Slouchier Hat:

Repeat Cable Round 4, K4 rounds even. Each repeated 5 round repeat should add 3 inches to the depth of the hat, so if you choose, repeat Cable Round 5 and K4 rounds even, then Cable Round 4 and K4 rounds even, as many times as you’d like.

Slouchy and Cabled Goodness

Begin Decreasing for Top of Hat:
Decrease Round 1 / Cable Round 6: [K2tog, K1, K2tog, Sl 4 sts to CN and hold to front, K4, K4 sts from CN] around.
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: [K9, K2tog] around.
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: [K8, K2tog] around.
Round 6: [K7, K2tog] around.
Round 7: [K6, K2tog] around.
Round 8: [K5, K2tog] around.
Round 9: [K4, K2tog] around.
Round 10: [K3, K2tog] around.
Round 11: [K2, K2tog] around.
Round 12: [K1, K2tog] around.
Round 13: [K2tog] around (5 sts remain).

Cut yarn, pull through remaining sts, and secure.

Finishing:
Weave in ends. Block hat over a large plate to stretch it and make it nice and slouchy!

Cute (and Secure!) Ribbing

Pretty Braid Cables

So I had to stop knitting my sweater and knit my grandma a hat. I had this hat in mind from the 2008 Holiday issue of Vogue Knitting that I really wanted to try. Very complicated looking and intricate with the cables and ribbing, and it will all be lost on my grandmother. In fact I can pretty much guarantee that she won’t like it. So what is the point? I want to knit it.

Grandma's Hat

I always say don’t knit for non knitters, and if you do keep it simple. I’m going against my own rule in this case because it is just a hat, it will be a beautiful hat, and I’ve never knit a tam before, but I don’t think I will look good in it, but I want to knit it anyway. I might as well have someone to knit it for, even if it is someone who won’t appreciate it, or even probably like it.

One Down, One to Go

I did finish a sleeve of my sweater, though, and it is turning out really beautifully. I also went ahead and bought the yarn for my sweater dress. More Carron Simply Soft in dark red. I am an idiot, though, and thought I needed 29 inch size 4s, but I already have them! I don’t remember ever using 29 inch size 4s before. I hate 4s! They are tiny! I thought for sure I would need to buy one.

While I was home I got to scope out my mom’s sweater. Please keep in mind that this is her FIRST sweater. First sweater ever! And I practically had to scream at her until she started it. I forced her to buy the yarn, I forced her to realize she understood the pattern.

Mommy Back

And now she has a beautiful sweater.

(cute cameos in that picture? Oliver my puppy, and PT in the kitchen)

Mommy Front

The left front still needs a button band, but look at how great that looks! My mom rocked it out! I’m exceedingly proud.

Mushroom Sandwich

On a completely different level I’m also exceedingly proud of this sandwich. I don’t like slimy veggies and therefore never order veggie sandwiches when I’m out at restaurants. Why can’t the veggies not be slimy? PT and I sauteed up some onions, mushrooms and green pepper and put it on homemade bread toasted in the oven with a few slices of melted pepper jack cheese on it, with sliced tomatoes. Not remotely slimy, ridiculously delicious and easy cheesy. So what the hell every restaurant in the world? Do this and watch the happy people line up to pay you $6 for it.

I can’t help but wonder, though, why everything that comes out of my crock pot ends up looking exactly the same?

Potato and Vegetable Curry (too much cumin seed)