The Sweatshop of Love Blog

I’d like to preface this post by saying that, while acknowledging that I’ve got a lot on my emotional plate right now, I had to crop my crying face out of most of these pictures, and that is a bit of an overreaction.

Minimalist Cardigan Fail. And I cried. I’m staring at it right now, actually, wanting to cry. It’s like knitting masochism.

Curly Front, Pre-Block

These pre-blocking pictures kill me. Had I known that this would be the last time I’d be wearing and loving my sweater I wouldn’t have just thrown it over the long sleeved t-shirt I wore yesterday.

Nice Normal Sleeves!

I also would have cleaned my mirror before taking these pictures.

I was just finishing up the sleeves in my last Knit a Sweater a Month Challenge post. Sure, I was getting sick of the double moss stitch, but I was still rocking it out and loving it so much!

Remember how in love with this sweater I was when I started?! I still felt that love, even if it was a little boring.

So I finished knitting up the sleeves, seemed it all together, and I thought it was looking good! The size was right on. The only problem was that the front panels were super curly, but I saw that while I was knitting it. I knew a quick block would take care of it, no problem.

Stupid Huge Sweater

As soon as I had it in the bath the light bulb went off:

Fingering weight yarn+larger than gauge needles+lacy stitch=STRETCH

Really, Really Big

I mean, look at those sleeves. Look at the length! It’s supposed to be a cropped sweater with 3/4 length sleeves. I just look like a midget. With wide shoulders.

Stupid Wide Shoulders

But that got me thinking. What if I re-seam the shoulders to make them hit higher? That would pull the sleeves up and at least make it look like I knew how to dress myself.

Pinned? Maybe?

It puckered in the front but kind of cutely!

Back View... hmm

It puckered in the back in a not so cutely.

Not Re-Seamed

Re-Seamed

And, while seaming the shoulders up did make it look a little better, I snuggled it, dried my tears, and decided to give it to my mom for her birthday.

So, happy early birthday, mom. With a tear, because I really wanted this sweater! But I know you will love it. Because it is psychotically beautiful, and your favorite color, and will look fantastic on you.

I’m glad it is getting a good home. Now I’ve got to get more Woodland Sage Knit Picks Gloss because I need this yarn to be in my life. In sweater form.

Sigh. Double sigh.

A Head Start

So I got a little head start on my Sweater a Month Challenge. A 13 day head start, to be exact. But I couldn’t help it! I was done with my holiday knitting, this yarn had been staring at me since October 27th. I’m not a very patient person to begin with! I couldn’t not start it.

Moss Stitch, Kinda

The Minimalist Cardigan, by Ruthie Nussbaum, is a hugely popular pattern on Ravelry. It was originally in the Fall 2007 issue of Interweave, and it is kind of hard to believe I’ve waited over 2 years to finally make this sweater happen.

Mods: Where do I start? The pattern calls for worsted weight, I used Knit Picks Gloss, fingering weight. When I saw this sweater the first time I thought it was a light weight little summer sweater, and I was kind of shocked to find out it wasn’t. And when I saw the Woodland Sage I knew I needed this sweater in this merino silk blended yarn.

The yarn gauged small, no surprise, but with the same size 7 needles the pattern called for it only sized about an inch off. I picked the 39 1/2 size. I wanted to knit a little more to make sure it wasn’t too loose, that it kept the integrity of the stitches, and it looks lovely. It’s a light weight sweater, right?

I hate lots of pieces so I cast on 191 for both sides and back. That single moss stitch would kill me so I modified it to a two stitch moss, with a K2P2 rib repeated for two rows then switched for two rows.

I’m so in love with the color of this sweater it is almost disgusting.

So Pretty!

Surprisingly I haven’t wanted to poke my own eyes out with these circular needles yet! I think because I’m loving how the stitch is looking, how the yarn is working, how the ribbing turned out, how the front panels are laying.

I’m like a love sick school girl for this sweater. If I keep up this knitting rate I’ll have it done before January even starts.

There is still time to get in on the Sweater a Month Challenge! Email me at allyson@thesweatshopoflove.com to get on the mailing list! The first official Sweater a Month Challenge post will be January 4th.

Big Box o' Yarn!

I wish I was a tiny person, like Thimbelina, so I could swim in this box I just got from Knit Picks!

Woodland Sage Gloss

I ordered this pile of fingering weight Gloss to knit this sweater:

Minimalist Cardigan

Only I have to make it hard on myself. The cardigan calls for worsted weight yarn. But I’m going to wait to worry about that.

CotLin Planetarium

I ordered this pile of cotton linen blend in Planetarium to knit this sweater:

Dollar and a Half Cardigan

Which is actually close to the correct gauge! So that is exciting. You can see that half of the cardigan is cabled, and the other half is a stitch pattern rib.

So what am I doing lining up all these sweaters to knit for myself? 2010 is going to be The Year of the Sweater! I’m going to knit a sweater a month.

(plus that will keep me from starting any of these sweaters once I finish Girl Friday)

Want to knit a sweater a month with me next year?! I know you want to. Think about it. You’ve got some time to plan. I’ve got three sweaters already picked out! Three down, nine to go.

… might have to knit a sweater or two for other people. But, can you really ever have enough sweaters? I guess I’ll find out!