The Sweatshop of Love Blog

The Lot

Top Row, Left to Right:

1. Wine Cozy for PT’s Mom

2. Elephants for Grandma, three total

3. Three Pairs of Granny Square Slippers, one for Tara, Grandma, and Mom

4. Three Cabled Jar Covers for Rachel

Middle Row, Left to Right:

1. Crocheted Bib Necklace for Tara, my Sweatshop Secret Santa

2. Knitting Needle Knitting Bag for Mom

3. Lace Hand Warmers for Rachel

4. U of M Toilet Lid Cover for my brother Adam

Bottom Row, Left to Right:

1. Eric Man-Beanie for my brother Matthew

2. Glorified Necklace for Mom

3. Eric Man-Stocking Cap for Dad

Not Pictured:

1. Knitting Needle Knitting Bag for my friend Colleen, already gifted

2. PT’s Modified Cambridge Jacket, wrapped and under the tree

3. Two Slouchy Berets for Blog Giveaway Winners, in Green and Pink, shipped off

I don’t know whether to think that is a lot or a little. I have been knitting since September for the holidays. I did knit myself a sweater in there somewhere, too. And wrote a few patterns. And taught a lot of classes.

But with it all laid out there like that, it is weird to think I did all that in just over three months.

Just Pudge being Pudge

I wrapped it all up, no thanks to Pudge Rodriguez,  and most of it is ready for the trip up to Michigan.

I hope you got all your holiday knitting done in time! Is there something you will be giving half finished?

Hi, Sweetie!

I was a very busy lady this weekend! Starting with this little guy, who I made on Saturday.

Isn’t he the cutest?

I’m making a couple of these for my grandma for Christmas. My grandma doesn’t read my blog. My grandma and papa refer to the internet as ‘the google’. I complain about how my mom has dial up? My grandparents have never had the internet, and never will. So at least my grandma will be surprised by her present!

Elephant Plays Fantasy Football

Elephant Hangs Out With PT

The elephant helped us keep an eye on our fantasy football stats, and really liked to hang out with PT.

The pattern Flower Power Elephant by Ala Ela and is a free ravelry.com download, you can find it here.

Colleen's Knitting Needle Knitting Bag

And I knit another Knitting Needle Knitting Bag for my friend Colleen, who also doesn’t read the blog, so I’m safe here, too.

Regular Bamboo Handle

When I finished the first side, I put in the handle and didn’t like the light color of the bamboo with the yellow yarn.

Darker Needles, Cute Lining! Matching Button!

So I got some wood stain and painted the needles. I put in some cute fabric as a liner and got some fancy fabric buttons that I loved so much so the liner matches the buttons!

Fabric Button Love

Mom's Bag's Button

And I finally added the button to my mom’s bag to match the lining, too.

Lions Win Pizza!

PIZZA

As usual, PT and I made pizzas for Sunday football, but this time they were special because they were Lions Win Pizzas! My retarded Lions won their first game since December 2007! I couldn’t believe it! I jumped up and down fake/kinda serious screaming for 20 minutes!

My pizza had carrots, banana peppers, corn, and caramelized onions, and PT’s had all of that plus olives. Especially smelly olives this time.

I’ve got a group class tonight, and we are finishing up those Toilet Lid Covers! I was talking big about making a Lions Toilet Lid Cover, but I’ve made some slight changes. It will be finished tomorrow!

I had a big talk with my mom when I was home this weekend, and we decided the best way to do this is to just email her when I write a blog she can read. This also means I can start writing about my frequent arrests!

That is only funny if my mom were to read it.

Knitting Needle Knitting Bag

I am all done with my mom’s knitting bag! It turned out so cute. I love the bobble pattern of the actual bag, I love the seed stitch handles I decided to add. I also added that closure at the top. It’s seed stitch, and I’m going to get the fabric buttons I used on the Vogue Cropped Jacket, so the button will match the…

Lining!

I love the tiny flowers. This is the same fabric I used on the buttons on the Cropped Jacket! I can’t wait to pick up more of those buttons. They are definitely one of my best recent discoveries.

This is a really cute bag. It came together quickly, is fun to knit, is a great size, and it very unique! I’ve never seen a bag with knitting needles worked into it. When I first attached the needles but hadn’t seamed it up I thought it might be hokey looking. Maybe it’s hokey.

Do you think it looks hokey?

Ok! Let’s try this out!

Now, just to review, as a knitting blogger who is planning on knitting a lot of presents this season, I’ve got to blog about what I’m working on, even if that involves people who read this blog. I can’t control what you read, but I can give you fair warning!

Mom, this post is about something I’m knitting for you! Whenever you see ‘Christmas Present Update: Mom’, it means I’m going to be writing about what I’m making for you! So turn away now

I’m also sticking with my plan to write a lot at the beginning of the blog, so as to not blow it with a picture right at the top, for accidental finding.

Now.

I saw this super cute Knitting Needle Knitting Bag on ravelry the other day and fell in love with it!

Knitting Needle Knitting Bag

How cute is that? The women on ravelry had it lined in cute fabric and were painting their knitting needles before making them the handles! I had to knit it. For my mom.

Two Sides Completed!

Berry Stitch

This knit up very quickly. The berry stitch is fun to do and before I knew it I had one side completed. I got some bamboo needles and loved how they looked with the bright green Vanna’s Choice yarn. I’m working on the handles now, which are supposed to be garter stitch, but I didn’t like how that was looking so, hold your breath, I’m making seed stitch handles. I’m three inches into handle one, and so far so good! We’ll see how I’m feeling after 21″ each handle.

I haven’t picked out the fabric to line it yet, but I’ve got a huge stash that I can’t wait to look through!

So Mom, if you are reading this, I hope you like it!

… grr.