The Sweatshop of Love Blog

Back from a long weekend in Michigan and I’m feeling big/tired/groggy/just totally out of it.

I don’t sleep much when I’m at my mom’s house. I stay up late watching TV and hanging with my mom (I blame the Tivo – it’s just too amazing to stop watching at a reasonable hour), and I get up early so I don’t miss anything. My mom is an early riser, so by 7, or 6 central time, I’m up and at ‘em! And then it’s go go go all day long.

Cropped Jacket at Biggby

And I ate very poorly. Lots of sweets and pizza and cheesy potatoes. My body is so mad at me. I’m sore with no reason for it! It’s not like I got any exercise at all.

And I didn’t do a very good job of taking pictures, either! I pulled the camera out at Biggby because I was wearing the Vogue Cropped Jacket I worked so hard on while I was home and working away on at Biggby every day a few weeks ago.

Notice how my buttons are a little floppy? I need to reinforce them with some more yarn in the backs of them. Otherwise, I love this sweater! I wore it at least a little bit every day I was home.

PT Loves Biggby!

While PT checked his email (and celebrated the delicious Biggby coffee!)…

Early Stocking

… I worked on my stocking. I started it Saturday because I couldn’t work on anything else, with my mom being around all the time, and PT’s present would be a no go.

Moving Right Along!

Aren’t they coming out so well? That light green was exactly what I was looking for. The contrast between that light green and the red is perfect! Christmas-y, but not hit you in the face Christmas-y.

Oat Bowl!

Tomato Sandwich and Cheesy Potato Leftovers

In Michigan PT and I shopped like people going into hiding for the winter. I’m pretty sure we won’t have to go grocery shopping for months! The combination of Michigan prices, fresh Michigan produce, and having a car are just too much for us to handle.

Let the detox begin! It was so nice to have an oat bowl this morning with fresh Michigan peaches and grapes!

My lunch today was a tomato sandwich with my mom’s tomato, romaine, a little miracle whip and a pickle, with a side of leftover cheesy potatoes.

I’ve got so many veggies in my fridge my brain is exploding trying to think of what to make for dinner! Best problem ever.

Finished!

And Adorable!

I did more than just eat in Minnesota. I finished knitting my Vogue Cropped Jacket!

But first, the buttons. The pattern calls for fabric covered buttons, which I’ve never heard of before so I was going to just ignore that completely and get normal buttons, but when I was picking up snaps for the sweater closure, there they were!

Fabric Covered Buttons and Very Large Snaps

It looked like a big mess to me. I bought four snaps (the pattern, of course, calls for five snaps, but I didn’t want to spend another $3.99 for four more when I just needed one, so I figured I could make four work) and two packages three of fabric covered buttons each.

Easy Cheesy!

They are so easy! There is a pattern for the circle of fabric on the back of the package you cut out, and just trace that on your fabric so you get a circle. You put the fabric in the center of the button, force the fabric tightly into the teeth on the back of the buttons, then snap the button backs in place. I had six of them done in no time. And I love how they look! I want to use fabric covered buttons for every project I make here on out.

Love the Buttons!

They make such a difference! I love them. And I think the cute little flower pattern goes really well with the tweed-like yarn.

Bell Pattern

Even Looks Cute Open!

I’m going to block it just a little bit longer. The body is a good length, but I think the sleeves hit at a weird place, so I’m going to block the whole thing a tiny bit longer.

Overall I really liked the pattern! My numbers were a little off when I joined the sleeves and the body for the yoke, but that was probably my mistake. I knit a large size because the Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool is a smaller gauge than the yarn the pattern called for, so I think it worked out to being a small. I added 10 stitches to the front panel and 4 stitches to the skinny front panel. If I were to do it again I would only add 6 stitches to the front panel, as it is a little big, but not by much. My boobs are a little larger than what the small size would be able to handle. And I used size 10 needles throughout.

Now I’m kind of glad it’s so cool so I can wear it immediately!

I’ve been a little off kilter this week. There are a lot of things up in the air! I’m working on my class schedule which is an overwhelming (-ly fun!) task. I’m playing catch up at work from the time I missed. My roommate is moving out. PT and I are trying to figure things out. My papa is in the hospital with bleeding ulcers.

I’m just trying to hold on to things I know. Like knitting.

Seed Stitch Front Panel

I finished the seed stitch front panel of the Vogue Cropped Jacket with a miraculously small amount of complaining. I’m really liking how this sweater is coming out! I’m glad I added stitches to the panel; it looks like it will close nicely once I finish the other side’s panel and neckline.

I was on ravelry yesterday and saw that another woman was knitting this sweater and added 10 stitches to the front panel, too! It does make me feel better when I question the pattern with a friend.

Ugos

Kind of Blinding, Even

I’ve also been cleaning. Since I was in Michigan for a while, and then had a house guest last weekend, things started to get a little unpleasant.

I’ve got so many bags around with knitting and yarn in it I try not to think about it. Just Monday I cleaned and sorted at least 6 different bags. One of them had this painfully ugly yarn in it! I was given this yarn because the woman who bought it started that scarf with the bright rainbow yarn and hated it. I hate it so much that I threw it in a bag and haven’t seen it for three years.

I’m having trouble throwing it away, though, so it just sits in a bag in the corner.

Why am I having trouble throwing it away?

Yep. $37.95

So I’ve got like $120 of really ugly yarn on my hands.

Help!

I had a 50% off one online purchase at JoAnn.com, so I just assumed that that would probably take care of the shipping and I would be paying close to the $8.99 normal price for the Fishermen’s Wool I needed. Little did I know that shipping is $5.99! So even with my coupon I would still be looking at a total of $10.49 and a 7-14 day waiting period for my yarn. In 14 days I’ll be two days away from going back to Michigan for Labor Day weekend where I can get the yarn at Hobby Lobby, with a 40% coupon, for like $5.

Sometimes it’s hard being Dutch. I know in my head that we are talking about very small amounts of money, but can my heart justify spending an extra $5.49 for a skein of yarn just because I’m inpatient? It’s not even like I’m anywhere near wearing this sweater. It’s AUGUST, for Christ’s sake.

Then I remembered there is now a Michael’s in Chicago! In the South Loop. A quick google maps search and it is 5.2 miles away, a 10.4 round trip on my bike. My legs are coming off an extremely inactive trip in Michigan, and an extremely fatty weekend.

1) $10.49. Possible two week wait time.

2) Like $5.00. Almost three week wait time, get yarn over Labor Day in Michigan.

3) $8.99. 10.4 mile round trip to Michael’s, where they might not even have it.

I go on Michaels.com. If you sign up for their newsletter you get a 50% off one item coupon. Option 3 it is!

I bike down after work. I take it slow; it’s hot, I’m out of shape, but I make it and I’m feeling good! Michael’s is in that new mall with the new Whole Foods (which I shielded my eyes from and ran quickly by).

That is Better!

Upon entering I see Halloween displays! Still kind of ridiculous, but Halloween is two solid holidays and almost two months before Christmas, so I’m cool with it. They are excited about Halloween! I almost am, too.

Suck it, JoAnn.

I find the yarn section which is much smaller than JoAnn’s, so I get a little nervous. I find the Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool and sigh. FOILED AGAIN!

YES!!!

But wait! What is behind those ugly free patterns? MY YARN! It was hiding, but I grab one and run back up to the front of the store like someone is going to steal it from me.

With my 50% coupon? $4.95 baby! I am feeling so good I don’t even feel how much my legs hurt as I climbed the escalator back to my bike.  But oh. Oh did I feel it through the headwind all the way back home. But I had my yarn! I could start working on my sweater again!

GAH! SEED STITCH FOIL!

I get home and realize the next thing I have to do is the seed stitch front panel. The SEED STITCH FRONT PANEL!

I. Hate. Seed. Stitch.

I know I have to do it, I know! I knew I had to do it coming in. And I knit a couple rows. Like, 6.

… and now I’m looking for my next project

Vogue Cropped Jacket Body Finished!

While I work my way through the pictures from this weekend (friend in town=CRAZINESS!), I wanted to pop up and say hi! I don’t think I’ve been away from you this long ever. I miss ya.

I mentioned before that I was getting low on the Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool for my Vogue Cropped Jacket. I worked on it a little bit this weekend, enough to know that once Elizabeth left town I would need to high tail it over to JoAnn and get another skein.

But look how cute! I finished the whole body! I love this sweater, it came together really well. I had a little problem attaching the sleeves and the body for the yoke decreases, and I fudged the numbers and just worked with what I had. So far I’m really happy with it! I even slipped it on despite the heat to see what it looked like. Pieces left? The front panels and neckline.

So I battled the storms this afternoon and made it to JoAnn, where I was met with one of the most painful sights ever:

I Mean, Seriously?

It is August 17th. I feel bad enough scheduling holiday themed classes in September, but to pull out your Christmas yarn on AUGUST 17th?! Something told me that this trip wasn’t going to end well.

I found the Fishermen’s Wool section. I looked up:

Close...

I looked down:

Nope.

Huh. I asked someone and apparently JoAnn doesn’t carry the Maple Tweed I got at Hobby Lobby in Michigan.

So, you have it right. I have to now order a skein of Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool in Maple Tweed online.

But at least I don’t have to look at Christmas yarn on JoAnn.com.