The Sweatshop of Love Blog » Knit and Crochet Blog Week 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 Dead Blog http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/04/dead-blog/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/04/dead-blog/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:03:57 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=5595

When I’m in Michigan with the family, like I was this past week, I stay up late and get up early. I eat mostly crap. It’s pretty glorious. Unfortunately these habits leave me pretty susceptible to illness, so mix in a couple Amtrak trips, 4 days with a sick baby, AND my mom’s pretty bad head-cold… well you can see where this is going.

Cute Sick Baby!

I’m going to try entertaining you with a few more shots from my trip.

If, however, you’d like some actual content, I published the last 2 Knit and Crochet Blog Week posts over the weekend that you might have missed since, you know, it was over the weekend.

Day 6′s question was about projects and patterns I aspire to, and how my personality gets in the way of my knitting.

Big Baby Arnold

And Day 7′s question was about when I craft, and how the answer to that is when DON’T I craft?! Am I right?!

Barley, Looking Awesome

That gusto took a lot out of me. I promise to be much more interesting tomorrow.

Related Sweatshop Love:

]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/04/dead-blog/feed/ 2 K&C Blog Week Day 7: Craftin’ Time http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/03/kc-blog-week-day-7-craftin-time/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/03/kc-blog-week-day-7-craftin-time/#comments Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:45:17 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=5565

Today is the last day of Knit and Crochet Blog Week. All week knit and crochet bloggers are going to be blogging answers to the same yarn-y art related questions. And I’ll be doing my best.

Day 7!

Q: What is your typical crafting time?

All the time? Yeah, all the time. If I’m not typing I’m knitting or crocheting or, rarely, painting or needle-pointing. And usually I’ve got knitting in my lap when I’m at the computer, waiting for a prolonged reading time so I can pick it up and knit a few stitches.

…

That is kinda all I have to say about that.

I’m headed back to Chicago today after a really fun time at home. I did no work and ate too much and this week I’ll be paying for it, but it was worth it.

Babies and puppies! Am I right?!

Related Sweatshop Love:

]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/03/kc-blog-week-day-7-craftin-time/feed/ 1 K&C Blog Week Day 6: Aspiring http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/02/kc-blog-week-day-6-aspiring/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/02/kc-blog-week-day-6-aspiring/#comments Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:18:17 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=5549

It’s Day 6 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week, and a very rare Saturday blog post! All week knit and crochet bloggers are going to be blogging answers to the same yarn-y art related questions. And I’ll be doing my best.

Day 6!

Today we are talking about aspiring!

Q: Is there a pattern or skill that you don’t yet feel ready to tackle but which you hope to (or think you can only dream of) tackling in the future, near or distant?

The short answer here is no. EVERYONE’S answer to this should be no. If you can knit and purl you can do anything. You might not know how to arrange those stitches and skills in a way to make what you are aspiring to, but it’s just applying knowledge you already have in a new way.

That being said, my personality holds me back from knitting patterns I admire.

Vogue Fair Isle Cardigan

This might look familiar. Because I’ve been talking about this beautiful Fair Isle Cardigan from Vogue Holiday 2009 since the issue came out. I will never knit this, because I know it will drive me to an early grave. I don’t like colorwork, I downright HATE fair isle, I would NEVER get to the end of this sweater alive.

It’s not a knitting issue. I know I have the skills to knit that sweater. I don’t have the personality to knit that sweater. So much so that seeing that other people have knit this sweater astonishes me.

Just say it with me, people: SIZE 3 NEEDLES and FINGERING WEIGHT YARN and FAIR ISLE that MAKES A SWEATER FOR A HUMAN!

You’ve got to be out of your damn mind.

Related Sweatshop Love:

]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/04/02/kc-blog-week-day-6-aspiring/feed/ 2 K&C Blog Week Day 3: Organization http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/03/30/kc-blog-week-day-3-organization/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/03/30/kc-blog-week-day-3-organization/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:00:47 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=5536

It’s Day 3 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week! All week knit and crochet bloggers are going to be blogging answers to the same yarn-y art related questions. And I’ll be doing my best.

Day 3!

Q: How do you keep your yarn wrangling organised?

Well. I’ve got my yarn spread out over two cities, so that helps. I use storage I bought when I had more clothes and shoes from my previous life in corporate real estate. I got rid of my clothes and shoes and now have perfectly functional yarn storage!

Closet Cloth Shelves Hanger Thing

I’ve got one of these nailed to the wall next to my work table in Minneapolis chocked full of yarn.

Over the Door Shoe Storage Pockets

And I’ve got one of these over my closet door also chocked full of yarn, also in Minneapolis.

Yarn Storage... ?

Here is my yarn organization solution in Chicago right now! I bought this Christmas present bag for 75% off after Christmas this year and I stuffed it full of yarn from my stash before I left Minneapolis. I’ve got a few more of these types of bags, big laundry bags mostly, full of yarn in Minneapolis. I put full skeins of yarn I know I’ll get to eventually I buy on super sale in them. I’ve got one full of tiny scraps I dig through for small projects or accent colors.

Leethal's Do Stuff Blog Yarn Cubbies

I’ve had this project on my to do list since it came out almost a year ago! I WANT I WANT! I’ve been saving oatmeal containers and will make these this summer, hopefully. I love how it’s like installation art for your yarn.

It WILL be mine. I just need to build it.

Holy shit, y’all! I stayed on topic! It’s a miracle! And I’m excited to see everyone’s yarn organizing solutions.

Related Sweatshop Love:

]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/03/30/kc-blog-week-day-3-organization/feed/ 3 K&C Blog Week Day 2: Mad Skillz, and a Dinosaur http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/03/29/kc-blog-week-day-2-mad-skillz-and-a-dinosaur/ http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/03/29/kc-blog-week-day-2-mad-skillz-and-a-dinosaur/#comments Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:56:10 +0000 Allyson http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/?p=5532

It’s Day 2 of Knit and Crochet Blog Week! All week knit and crochet bloggers are going to be blogging answers to the same yarn-y art related questions. And I’ll be doing my best.

Day 2!

Today we are chatting about skills.

Q: Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year.

Well EXACTLY a year ago today PT moved to NYC. That is pretty crazy. I just reread that sad blog. I wish I could tell 2010 me that in 365 days you’ll STILL be in an empty apartment, but because most of your stuff is in Minneapolis, and you’ll STILL be in a long distance relationship, but MN/CHI.

That’s better! It also makes me wonder about what will go down in the next 365 days. I’m sure 2012 me will be big pimpin’.

Wait. Knitting! Last year at this time I was designing my Summer Ebook. Now I’m knitting dinosaurs for my nephew and bow headbands for Renegade Brooklyn. I’d say that’s a backward step, really.

But it’s all the process. I’d say I’m making huge strides as a designer every day. Designers learn by doing, because while construction can be taught, being able to design things that people want to knit can not be taught. You have to design and fail and design and succeed and grow from there.

Knitting takes a long time. I’m designing and knitting for Renegade Brooklyn right now, and that is keeping me from designing patterns to self publish. It’s a choice I’m making, and hopefully going to Renegade and doing summer jewelry knit kits will get The Sweatshop exposure. Will it expand my business as much as working on patterns to self publish? Who knows. It’s a gamble business owners take every day.

That Dino Body is as Big as Velma!

So that dino I’m knitting Baby Nolan is turning out awesome! It’s Roaring Dinosaur from Knitted Toys, a book I got for my birthday last year. It’s the first pattern I’ve knit from this book, but it’s chocked FULL of amazing and totally knit-able toys.

I finished the body over the weekend, and now just need to make arms and legs. As you can see, the body is as big as Velma!

Slightly annoying: The patterns are written LINE BY LINE. All flat, as far as I can tell, and lots of, ‘Do that again, only reverse shaping’. It takes a lot of concentration for a damn toy.

Also annoying: I’m NOT knitting a TOY in size 3 needles. I upped this like whoa – worsted weight yarn, Red Heart Super Savor projected leftovers from my Zig Zag Afghan that is about 80% finished, and I’m using size 6 needles.

This dino will be his baptism present. I’m going to be this kid’s Godmother so I’ve got to bring it with the presents. That is basically all I’ve gotten out of googling, ‘godmother responsibilities’.

Related Sweatshop Love:

]]> http://www.thesweatshopoflove.com/blog/2011/03/29/kc-blog-week-day-2-mad-skillz-and-a-dinosaur/feed/ 6