The Sweatshop of Love Blog

Let’s start with the WIN, shall we?

Entrelac Beret WIN!

I knit this Entrelac Beret back in August after I sent Lion Brand off my sample. This is my Entrelac Beret knitting pattern I designed for Lion Brand’s collection of free patterns.

Cute From the Back, Too!

I was in Minneapolis when I knit this hat, and Michael’s is a lot closer and easier to get to from my Minneapolis apartment than JoAnn, and they didn’t have Lion Brand Wool Ease. Instead I used their brand, Loops & Threads Impeccable. It had a slightly bigger gauge than the Wool Ease, so I cast on 70 sts instead of 80. It worked out great!

Then there is the Entrelac Beret FAIL.

Entrelac Beret FAIL

Just when I think I’m finally getting good at knitting, I stop being able to think and make a gigantic mistake. Like trying to sub in DK weight yarn and NOT CHANGING MY NEEDLE SIZE. This is the hat I was working on a couple weeks ago that looked so awesome.

I subbed in Knit Picks Merino Style, a DK weight yarn, because I had a lot of it and wanted this to be a stash-buster. I should have taken my needle size down to 7, instead of sticking to the size 9s. But I didn’t.

So pretty! So Worthless

So this beautiful hat is pretty much completely worthless. I’ll pull it out when it stops hurting so bad.

And I feel like there has been a whole lot of MY FACE on the blog lately. I’m going to try to tone that down a little bit. I’m not promising anything, though!

Pattern: Entrelac Beret by ME!

WIN YARN: Loops & Threads Impeccable in Blue and Lion Brand Amazing in Glacier Bay

FAIL YARN: Knit Picks Merino Style in Fedora and Lion Brand Amazing in Glacier Bay

Needles: Size 9 16″ circular and double pointed needles

WIN Ravelry Project Page

FAIL Ravelry Project Page

Things are still pretty out of hand around here. I had six work in progress projects last week, and I’ve still got SEVEN this week. And most of them are new!

From Norway With Love

First up is a project you don’t see very often around here – COLOR-WORK! I’m knitting up the Pickles From Norway With Love hat for my sister in law Emily for Christmas. It’s a stranded heart stocking cap and I’m in love with it. I’m using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in three different blue-ish heathers and as much as I hate stranded color-work, this hat is flying off my needles. It must be the hearts!

Mary Jane Slippers

I taught my Mary Jane Slippers class last week, so I got started on another pair of these adorable slippers. I made a pair for myself this summer and knew they would make an amazing Christmas present for a friend. I’m using the left over yarn from my #25 Rib Yolk Topper, Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tweed, so they look crazy-similar to my pair! They crochet up super fast so I’ll be done with these in no time.

Striped Something Something

Super abstract shot of something else I started this week! More on this later.

Entrelac Beret

And another amazing hat project! Remember my Entrelac Beret pattern I wrote for Lion Brand? I’m teaching a class on this hat this week so I’ve got one on the needles. Oh entrelac! I love you! Knit Picks Merino Style and Lion Brand Amazing are two peas in the pod of this hat.

Granny Squares!

Another mystery project: I’ve been granny squaring my little heart out all weekend and it’s going to be awesome! More later.

With all these projects working overtime, I haven’t touched my Ruffle Rose Pillow in a week, but it’s on the mind grapes. And, naturally, Aidez is happening, too.

Is it knitting intervention time?

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there are a lot of work in progresses on my plate right now, between my baby knitting and afghan. I’m usually a 2 WIP tops kinda girl, but I’ve needed all the distractions I can get.

Kimono Wrap Start

Because MY GOD is this Kimono Wrap Cardigan the most boring thing I’ve ever knit.

Velma and Pudge Fighting

It’s so boring that when Pudge and Velma started fighting I stopped taking pictures of my Kimono Wrap Cardigan to take pictures of  them.

See?! In the Corner!

And I’m just now noticing that I never went back to the sweater.

But you get the idea. Stockinette stitch. Like, 190 stitches. Slight side shaping. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Cute Cats > Kimono Wrap Cardigan

But there is a silver lining! When I get done with the body I get to knit really long sleeves.

At least I’ve finally figured out how to work my skillz with the spray paint function in Microsoft Paint into the blog.

My Beatnik is finished and blocking as I type this. Look for an FO post tomorrow! But when I get close to finishing a sweater I start getting anxious about what I’m going to start next.

Kimono Wrap Cardigan

I’ve had my eye on Hilary Smith Callis‘s Kimono Wrap Cardigan for years and decided to finally cast it on. I’ve been looking for a slim fitting, easy to throw on pattern for a while, and I’m hoping this is the one. I’ve got some leftover Knit Picks Merino Style I’m going to use, so the sweater’s main color will be brown, and contrasting color will be teal.

It looks like a hell of a lot of stockinette stitch. But there is something to be said for mindless knitting. This sweater should fit the bill!

I’ve been looking at a ton of amazing sweater patterns lately because my Sweater Club class starts tonight and I’ve been studying everyone’s sweaters. Sweater Club is an 8 week class where, by the end of the class, you’ve knit yourself a sweater!

Here are some of the sweaters planning on being tackled in Sweater Club!

Jacqueline

Girl Friday

Girl Friday look familiar?! I knit it back in 2009. It’s still one of my most worn sweaters!

What’s your favorite? Are any of these sweaters in your queue, too?!

When we last left PT’s Christmas present, it was hiding in the closet waiting to be blocked.

Blocked and Finished!

I got it blocking right when I got back to Chicago. With PT in Minnesota it was the perfect opportunity! The diagonal stripes blocked down a bit, the collar laid completely flat. And then.

ATTACK OF THE LONG SLEEVES!

Now, granted, I’m a girl. And, granted, I haven’t cleaned this mirror in 5 years. But don’t these sleeves, that completely cover my hands to my knuckles, look too long to you?

<- and does this picture look familiar to you? As I was taking it I was having major deja vu.

PT's Christmas Present from LAST YEAR

That is because it looks a hell of a lot like THIS picture! ->

I took this picture of PT’s Christmas sweater last year right after I blocked it, too!

I had more hair then, and different pajama pants, and I’ve got a nicer camera now. But what is with the long sleeves on these sweaters?

I’m comforted only by the fact that last year the sleeves ended up working out. I’m a little panicky, though! It feels like this sweater is bigger than last year’s sweater. Gah!

Well, nothing to do about it now. It’s all wrapped and ready to go with my to Minneapolis on Friday morning. Worse case scenario? I’ll cuff them on the inside so they are shorter and not really cuffed.

So Nice!

I really REALLY really love this sweater so I hope PT does, too. We’ll make it work! Even if I have to stretch his arms out to make him fit it.

I’ll be back after Christmas with the verdict!

Pattern: Dawson Sweater

Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style in Fedora, 11 1/2 skeins, for size small

Needles: Size 6 circulars, size 4 circulars used just for collar

Ravelry Project Page