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?

Wall Organizer!

Sewing is way more high contact than knitting is! You forget that when you haven’t done it in a while. And, granted I did go to the gym  yesterday morning and ran a couple miles while watching college football pregame, I’m SORE this morning.

In my SHOULDERS. And arms. Because I haven’t sewn for a long time.

It’s not just sitting at the sewing machine and going at it. You are rolling around on the floor, cutting a ton of fabric, measuring your fabric out, getting up and down off the floor.

… ok yeah it’s pathetic that I’m sore from sewing.

But got so much done! I made my wall organizer! Kinda.

Bottom Row

It’s a little crooked. The pockets are a little crooked. The top was a little crooked and, thus, it hangs a little crooked. I have never made a sewing project without a pattern that you pin to the fabric and then cut out before. This pattern was like, cut two 21″ x 31″ rectangles. In hindsight, maybe I should have marked out the measurements instead of being too stubborn that thinking I could just wing it. Eh.

Top Row

I scrambled around my apartment to find things to put in the pockets for the picture, but I’m excited to actually put things in there that will come in handy. And it makes my work table look more like a work table. I love it, despite it’s crookedness.

I made a couple artistic changes to the original design – I made the rod casing the same color as the pockets instead of the same color as the background. I sewed around the entire wall hanging after turning it out to give it a more finished look. I finished it by seaming the rod casing and sewing it over the top of the purple pieces after I had turned it out so I wouldn’t have to hand sew.

Overall, the pattern was over written, and not even for clarity’s sake. I skipped an entire page of instructions that could have simple been described in one step.

But! I’ve got a wall organizer now!

Tara's Linings

Tara, who made my amazing sign, asked me to pay her in linings for all the cabled change purses she is making for holiday presents, so I knocked those out yesterday, too. Seven! It was a lot of cutting.

Toilet Lid Cover Elastic

I had a couple toilet lid covers to put elastic into. Rachael took my class and I said I would elastic her, and I finished my brother Adam’s house warming/Christmas present.

Go Blue

Though, naturally, Michigan was getting the crap beat out of them while I was working on this, which took the joy out of it for me. I see it’s cute, I see it turned out well, but it makes me want to punch someone. I don’t think Adam reads the blog so I’m not worried about him seeing it.

Rachael's Toilet Lid Cover!

Velma Approves

Velma loves my toilet lid cover so much! She is always sitting on it when I’m getting ready to leave in the morning. I couldn’t even slip these on my toilet lid without her jumping up and making herself comfortable.

Rachael’s lid looks great! And Velma obviously loves it.

Off to class this morning, then I’ve got to FINISH THOSE STUPID SLEEVES! And make that message board thing. And maybe my Halloween costume.

AND I’ve got a HUGE announcement coming tomorrow! Chicago knitters will be pleased as punch. I’m not going to say anything else because I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag. I’m bad enough with secrets as it is. Check back tomorrow!

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.