The Sweatshop of Love Blog

I’ve been hanging out in Michigan for more than two weeks, helping out with the babies and hanging out with my family. This time has flown by!

Baby Ryenn

Remember that outfit I made for yet-to-be-named baby niece back in March? Ryenn’s mom decided it should be her outfit for her announcements! It doesn’t get much cuter than that, right? For project details check out my rav page.

Cherry Pie!

We’ve also done a huge amount of eating. We picked cherries and made pies and cherry butter! We’ve been feasting on my mom’s garden. I’ve barely left the house. It’s been glorious.

But I’m headed back to Minneapolis tomorrow. You know what is hard to get to from West Michigan? Minneapolis. It’s either a $300 plane ticket with a layover in Milwaukee or a 13 hour Amtrak to MegaBus shitshow that will save me about $250. You know what this Dutch girl picked.

I’ve had a couple 13 hour travel days. From Michigan to New York City last summer. From Minneapolis to Michigan for Christmas last year. I’ve got projects lined up, snacks packed, and a visit with my best girl Rachel in Chicago during my transfer. I’m as prepared as I can be!

I’ll be sharing KAL FOs when I get myself organized! I can’t wait to share how they turned out!

I was really worried about how I was going to show off my finished Impress Dress, Hat, and Booties that I showed off last week.

Raggedy Ann!

Then I found my Raggedy Ann doll I had when I was tiny that my mom gave me a few years ago sitting on my bookcase. And while I knew her coloring would be all wrong, I knew she wouldn’t mind.

Booties and Striped Socks

The booties fit! Even though her tights were all wrong.

Looking Good, Ann!

And I hope this baby doesn’t come out with a full head of red hair because, as you can see, Raggedy Ann doesn’t look too awesome in pink.

Hat and Dress Button Closure

Her flat head doesn’t fill out the back of the hat, but this was my favorite part of the outfit to knit and the piece I’m most excited to see on a real baby head.

Hat With Icord Ties

Worked from the outside in, hat starts with more woven stitch then you start working in the round and decreasing for the back of the hat.

Fabric Button Back Closure

I dug out a cute fabric covered button for the back of the dress. Hehehe it’s SO CUTE I CAN’T EVEN STAND IT!

Once you get use to how the pattern is written you can fill in the parts of the pattern missing. There is no indication of WS/RS and sometimes I guessed wrong, so I had to trial and error my way through a few of the steps. If this was my first baby hat, my first baby booties, and my first baby dress, I think I would have a lot of questions, but I knew the general structure of the pieces so I was able to work them out.

Bootie!

I can’t get over these booties! They were very simple to knit, but then the pattern just says something like, ‘Make icords and assemble’. It’s a very laid back way to write a pattern, assuming that your knitters have been around the block, and I have! So it worked out.

Cold Raggedy Ann!

And I just had to share the little patch Raggedy Ann has on her heart, and how loved Raggedy Ann was in her time! See how dirty her face is compared to her white body?! I LOVED Raggedy Ann when I was little.

A huge thank you to Raggedy Ann for modeling for me! I can’t wait to see a real live baby girl in this outfit! As long as she isn’t a ginger.

Pattern: Impress Dress with Hat, and Socks, by Pickles

Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby Solids in Soft Peach, Soft Red, and White

Needles: Size 4 straight needles and double pointed needles

Ravelry Project Page