The Sweatshop of Love Blog

I was a busy bee last week updating the crap out of my etsy shop with a ton of new merchandise after a very dismal showing at Renegade Brooklyn.

Daisy Chain Necklace

Included in this update are my new kits! My first ever crochet kits, they are the Daisy Chain Necklace and Ruffle Bracelet.

Ruffle Bracelet Crochet Kit

Just like all my kits, these new crochet kits come with everything you need to put together these beautiful pieces of jewelry.

Both kits come in blue and yellow and you can check out all four new crochet kits in my etsy shop here.They are also available to buy already made and ready to wear!

Red Hello Sailor Knot Necklace

Also available are a ton of different colored finished Hello Sailor Knot Necklaces that are ready for you to wear without having to do any work! I added a Hello Sailor Knot Necklace knit kits in different fun colors, too.

Knot Bracelet

I added a bunch of these cute knot bracelets to the shop in a ton of different colors!

Bow Headbands

MORE! I added a bunch of my fun bow headbands that are ready to wear on your little head!

Cable Change Purses!

I knit up a few of my cable change purses in the same fun colors everything else is knit in and they are pretty much too cute for words.

Baseball Lining!

A little purse with a masculine edge! I got this adorable baseball fabric from Lily and just new it had to make purse lining.

The Sweatshop of Love Tote!

And I’ve got tote bags! Yellow or natural, these fun, screen printed yarn totes are hot!

I’m sending out a newsletter tomorrow with a coupon code for free shipping on all items in my shop so be sure sign up for my newsletter! Subscribe in the box to the right, or email me at allyson[at]thesweatshopoflove[dot]com to get the coupon.

Thanks so much for your support!

Things have been quiet around here on the knitting front, but despite my mad carpel tunnel I have been knitting up a little storm for Renegade Brooklyn, which kicks of in less than a month.

Hello Sailor!

These Hello Sailor Knot Necklaces should look familiar – they have been around for a while and are a favorite. A lot of icord? Hellz yeah. I’ve got 7 main colors I’m working with for the majority of my knits and kits for summer and I LOVE them. I can’t wait to start wearing these knits around myself.

Hello Sailor Knot... BRACELET?!

These should not look familiar! New this summer is the Hello Sailor Knot Bracelet – a super chunky fun bracelet using the same knot in the necklace, only, you know, bracelet-ized.

COLORS!

So yeah I was basically icording for 3 weeks straight. But worth it! I’m in love with these bracelets.

Cabled Change Purses

An oldie but a goodie, my Cabled Change Purse pattern is making a comeback! In all my bright summer colors I think they are so fun, and once I get zippers and linings for these little purses they are going to be even cuter.

Crochet Body Necklaces

And these?! Well, they are new, too. I’ll chat more about these later. Ohh body necklace cock tease!

So I’ve been a busy lady! As far as knitting and designing for Renegade I’m 95% finished.  I’ve got a TON of sewing and packing and organizing and tagging to do once I get back to Minneapolis, but I’m on pace to have a really great Renegade!

Maybe it’s just because I’ve already carried all of this stuff from Chicago to Minneapolis, and I’m gearing up to carry most of it from Minneapolis home to Allendale tomorrow, but I had a hunch that I did a lot of knitting this season.

Most Everything!

I took a few pictures in Chicago before I wrapped and packed these up. That is pretty much everything.

The Amigurumis!

From left to right, a flamingo for my grandma (four flamingos in all), Adamgurumi for my brother, Adam (naturally), a Twin Cities Headband for my friend Colleen in Adamgurumi’s lap, Emilygurumi for my sister in law, a blackberry Hello Sailor Knot Necklace for my roommate Elizabeth, Matthewgurumi for my brother, and another flamingo.

And to the right...

A sweater for PT and another flamingo.

To the right and over the top!

To the left of PT’s sweater is Rachel’s Two Boyfriend Cardigan, and my mom’s Granny Bomber Jacket.

And to the left!

The Baby Nolan corner! Baby Nolan’s snowsuit and matching ear flap hat.

Not pictured here are Dadgurumi and BabyNolangurumi, because I finished them up here in Minnesota.

AND I’ve got one surprise gift for my mom to finish! I won’t get a chance to post it until after Christmas because I’m saving him for my 13 hour CHRISTMASEVETRAVELDAYFROMHELL, so stay tuned. It’s a DOZY. And I’ll need all the distraction I can get to keep from stabbing people in the Megabus and Amtrak. Seriously.

One of the best things about having a blog is you get to look back on your past project, and it sure looks like I knit a lot for last Christmas, but not nearly as much as I did this year. I don’t like where this is going. 2011 is already making me nervous.

I hope you all had a successful holiday knitting seasons as well!

Hello from Minnesota! I got in on Friday afternoon on a very easy, not remotely exciting Megabus. I know that every Megabus ride with no incident is just lulling me into a false sense of bus-travel security, and that I’ll be on a Megabus from hell, 19 hour trip with no heat, any time now.

But until then, man I seriously love the Megabus!

Twin Cities Headband in Copper with Yellow and White Fabric Button

My first order of business when arriving was to do a big etsy shop update! And so I have.

Hello Sailor Knot Necklace in Green

I added the finished knits that I made for the DIY Trunk Show, including copper, light green, and blackberry Twin Cities Headbands, and cream, green, navy, and copper Hello Sailor Knot Necklaces. See all my Etsy finished knits here.

Hello Sailor Knot Necklace knitting kit!

I also finally have Hello Sailor Knot Necklace knit kits to list!

Laminated Patter, Cotton Yarn, Jewelry Hardware

The Hello Sailor Knot Necklace kit comes in cream and navy, and:

Laminated Pattern

Cotton Yarn

Jewelry Hardware, including chain and toggle button closure

All wrapped up in a handmade drawstring project bag!

All you will need to complete this project are 2 size 9 double pointed needles and a yarn needle for finishing.

Check out my Etsy shop, full of finished knits, knitting patterns, and knit kits, here.

Tomorrow starts a parade of Christmas Present FOs! More amigurumis and a full Holiday Knitting wrap up. I’m pretty damn productive in Minnesota!

One month from today is the DIY Trunk Show, which I am participating in for the first time.

Twin Cities Headbands, Hello Sailor Knot Necklaces

I’ve been knitting up a storm and am ready to roll on the accessories front. I brought mostly kits to Renegade in September, but a lot of people asked if they could just buy the finished product.

Twin Cities Headband

Namely, the Twin Cities Headband. And who can blame them?! It’s pretty damn cute. I made 8 of them for the show. Two in copper with the yellow striped button.

MORE HEADBANDS!

Two of the baby green with the green floral buttons, and four of the traditional blackberry with pink floral buttons.

Hello Sailor Knot Necklace

There was also interested in the Hello Sailor Knot Necklaces! Well, lots of interest in the kit, considering all but three were bought, and also the necklace itself. I made 8 of them! Four cream, two navy, one green, and one copper.

So what is left to do? Why, I’ve got to make some kits, of course! Not as many as I needed to make for Renegade, but I’ve still got to get behind that sewing machine and make some bags, get to kinkos and print some patterns, and then put them all together.

The DIY Trunk Show is really fun. I hope you guys are planning on coming out! It’s on day, Saturday, November 20th from 10-5pm at the Pulaski Park Field House in Wicker Park. It’s free to get in and full of amazing handmade vendors that you can check out here.

So mark your calendars! And get ready to check everyone off your holiday present list.