The Sweatshop of Love Blog

I’m proud to bring you my pattern for a knitted toilet lid cover! This pattern is based on the Knit Picks ‘Glub Glub Goldfish Toilet Lid Cover’ pattern designed by Knit Picks Design Team. This pattern uses worsted weight yarn instead of DK weight, because a knitted toilet lid cover should be a quick and easy weekend project.

The Sweatshop of Love Toilet Lid Cover Pattern

Finished Measurements:
One size fits most lids
Length: approximately 15 in
Width: approximately 12 ½ in

Materials:
Any worsted weight yarn, about 100 grams.
Various scraps of worsted weight yarn for your duplicate stitch pattern.
Size 5 needles.
About 2 feet of ¼ inch elastic.

W&T (Wrap and Turn) Directions:
On the knit side, when you get to a W&T direction, you sl the next st purl wise from your left needle to your right needle. Bring your yarn to the front, then sl the st back to your left needle. Turn your work to the purl side and bring your yarn to the front to purl next sts.

On the purl side, when you get to a W&T direction, you sl the next st purl wise from your left needle to your right needle. Bring your yarn to the back, then sl the st back to your left needle. Turn work to the knit side and bring your yarn to the back to knit next sts.

Directions:
CO 43 sts

Row 1 (RS): Knit all stitches
Row 2 and all WS rows: K5, P to last 5 sts, K5.

Inc Row: K5, KFB, K to last 5 sts, KFB, K4

Rep this Inc Row every 4 rows 10 times total (63 sts), then every 10th row 4 times (71 sts), ending with a WS row.

Short Row Sequence:
K5, K57, W&T
P53, W&T
K49, W&T
P45, W&T
K41, W&T
P37, W&T

K to end, picking up wraps and working them with their st as you come to them.
K5, P to last 5 sts, picking up wraps and working them with their sts as you come to them, K5.

These 8 rows make up the Short Row Sequence. Repeat this sequence 4 more times. BO all sts.

Knit Picks Duplicate Stitch Fish Pattern

Finishing:
Duplicate Stitching is like cross stitch! You just follow the stitches of your knitted project with a tapestry needle and the color of your choice. For a really great Duplicate Stitch tutorial, check out this Purl Bee Duplicate Stitch Tutorial.

Find a duplicate stitch pattern or make your own using graph paper! The original Knit Picks Toilet Lid Cover used a fish pattern you can find on their pattern, but I had trouble making it actually look like a fish. When I knit this again I’m going to make my own pattern. Try to find the center of your Toilet Lid Cover and the center of your design, and have at it! Make sure your Toilet Lid Cover’s BO edge is facing down, as that is the bottom of your Cover, so your pattern will be facing the correct way.

To attach the elastic, eyeball a circle with the elastic that is about 30% smaller than the outside edge of your Toilet Lid Cover, cut elastic to that size, and pin both ends together and to the top of your Toilet Lid Cover. Stretch the center of the elastic opposite of where you already pinned to the bottom of your Cover. Pin each center side of elastic to each center side of your Cover.

Using a sewing machine, start sewing around, attaching the elastic to the Cover by stretching the elastic to the size of the Cover, and not stretching the Cover. This will make the elastic pull the Cover in so it sits snuggly over the toilet lid.

Throw it over your toilet! Repeat pattern for everyone you know.

I realize how annoying it is to see CHRISTMAS in the title of a blog post over Labor Day weekend. I’m kind of annoyed with myself for sitting here, in shorts, with all the windows open, talking about Christmas, but I’m trying to set a good example!

When you are knitting sweaters for people for Christmas, you have to start early. Even when you are knitting smaller projects for people for Christmas you have to start early!

PT's Soon To Be Sweater

Let me take a moment to address The Sweater Curse. The Sweater Curse states that if you start knitting a sweater for your boyfriend, you will break up before you finish it. It also states that if you do finish it and give it to him while you are still together, he won’t react like you want him to, he won’t wear it as much as you would want him to, and, thus, you will break up because he doesn’t appreciate you and takes you for granted and can’t even wear the sweater you spent HUNDREDS OF HOURS KNITTING?!

I think there is legitimacy to The Sweater Curse. I have never knit a sweater for a boy before. So why start now? Especially since PT and I recently broke up and got back together? Why am I pressing my luck?

Because I like knitting sweaters. And I like PT. And if any boy would properly appreciate a hand knit sweater it’s PT.

Jalapeno Wool of the Andes

After doing some research on ravelry about the Cambridge Jacket from Interweave Knits, I ordered Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks in Jalapeno. The green is perfect!

I also decided that I’m going to change the jacket into a pull over. I love the ribbing, I love the collar, I love the shape of this sweater, I’m just not a fan of the zipper! So I’m going to knit it in the round and put a button closure in at the neck.

I’m a little nervous. I’ve knit sweaters for my mom before, but this is for a boy! Am I nuts? Am I dooming my relationship?

I grew up in a house that always had food in it. My mom is an amazing grocery shopper, and she got it from my papa (who is doing much better now, thank you). We often discuss the amazing deals we found on our recent grocery trips over our Sunday meal. I suck at this game. Everything in Chicago costs so much more than in Michigan that even when I get a good deal here, it’s like paying full price for something in Michigan.

Which is why PT and I have been building our grocery list in anticipation of our trip! We leave late tonight!

Which is why PT and I have been needing to get creative with our eating this week. But when I say I’ve got no food in the house, it isn’t like when other people say they’ve got no food in the house. I’ve just got a lot of pantry staples with no way to bring them together. I’ve got a pantry full of food because my mom always has a pantry full of food, because she is an amazing shopper. And she taught me well, despite my Chicago cost of living.

Pantry Staple Stir Fry

Wednesday night I cooked up some potatoes in the wok to get them crispy, and I dumped in a can of corn (Forgive me. A can of corn during CORN SEASON? I wanted to cry.) a can of black beans, and some taco-y and spicy seasonings. We topped it with some shredded cheddar (stolen from my roommate) and dumped some salsa on top. Served with chips (also stolen from the roommate)! This was great! Filling and fun; kind of like eating a whole lot of corn and bean salsa, with potatoes.

Toe Up Socks!

Sock are the Sweetest!

Wednesday night was Toe Up Sock class, finally! I have been trying to teach this class forever, and something came up every time. So I was so happy when Tara, Gil, and Lori signed up!

But, quickly, my delight turned to their horror. Really, they are only laughing to stop from crying. Toe up socks are hard to get started, but I kept saying the more stitches you get on your needles, the easier it gets!

Yeah, it’s a lot of needles. And yeah, that figure 8 cast on is hard. But they got it! And I bet if you ask them now they would recommend the class!

… right? I mean. Probably.

Oatmeal for Everyone!

Yesterday all of my meals looked like this. Random stuff mixed into oatmeal made on the stove, with a piece of toast. I love oatmeal, I do, but. But. But I’m excited that we are going to have some new food in the house real soon.

Soon to be Stockings

My Knit Picks order came in today! I ordered that Wool of the Andes yarn on top for the Christmas stockings I’m going to knit for PT and I. I love off color Christmas stockings, so when I saw that green I had to have it. It looks great with that Caron Simply Soft red.

Cucumber Sandwich with Swiss, and Leftover Potato Stir Fry

For lunch today I heated up the leftover potato bean thing, and had another cucumber sandwich. It wasn’t as exciting as I’m making it sound.

Off to Michigan in a few hours! I’ve got to pack. Have a great holiday weekend!

New Yarn!

My Knit Picks yarn came in! I was so excited that I fell into some crazy knitting trance. I remember getting the package, and opening it, and taking this picture (Velma was excited, too). See my cute sock yarn? It is kinda similar, blue-ish strips, but I love both of them and want to be knitting socks right now! I remember thinking that I wanted to be knitting socks right now, but that I was excited to pick my Summer Sweater back up. So today?

Front and Back Finished!

Isn’t it pretty? All I have left to do is, ‘cast on 24 sts and work in rib pat until piece measures 35″.’ Rib pattern? K1P1, of course. I can’t get away.

I spend money in waves. I put off purchases for a long time, then the door opens and I buy everything I’ve been waiting to buy. This way I only feel like I’m poor once a month, when I actually spend money, as opposed to all the time. In the past three days I’ve gone grocery shopping, made a Target trip, ordered some Sweatshop flyers, and finally placed my Knit Picks order.

ShineSport Cherry

This is the yarn for my Summer Sweater. I ordered three more skeins, which means this sweater will take 6 1/2 skeins. I’m not sure it will take this many, but the worst thing ever is when you have to order one skein of yarn.

Fruit Punch Multi

Since I can’t help myself, I ordered some sock yarn. The Essential Multi/Stroll Multi sock yarn was on sale, so I picked up Fruit Punch and

Tuscon Multi

Tuscon. Two skeins each so I can make knee socks, toe up, of course.

Now no more spending money for a month. I better not need more yarn for my Summer Sweater!