WIP Holla Knits Test Knit

Although my time is somewhat limited lately, I always make time to help Allyson out with her new patterns. She has helped me so often with clients and questions and I feel this is my way of making it up to her (while getting amazing yarn to knit and amazing design). The Holla Knits 2nd Spring Collection is coming soon and I am anxious to see all of the beautiful pieces and designs. I am currently working on one of Allyson's designs for this collection.

One of the best things about testing knitting for Allyson? I get beautiful hand dyed yarn for FREE (my reward for helping). I have received some of the most beautiful yarns when knitting these projects for her.

Georgia Peach Review and Pattern Giveaway

 

Welcome Sweatshop of Love readers!! The Georgia Peach is one of the most amazing knitted sweaters I have ever seen for a man. I have searched high and low for a pattern for a sweater that my husband would actually wear if I were to knit one for him. There wasn't a single one that he said he thought looked cool.

When I knit this sweater, he was the model for the finished product. He looked great in it and he actually said he would want one! I was shocked. This pattern was amazing to knit, but what's even more amazing is that my macho man husband likes it too. I knit this sweater using Knit Picks Swish bulky weight in  Planetarium and Red. It was such gorgeous yarn to work with (but then again, what Knit Picks yarn isn' amazing). I also knit this before Allyson had a chance to create the duplicate stitch templates for the teams, which she added later for me

The construction if this sweater was really well thought out. Allyson thought of every design aspect while creating this pattern. The collar was the funnest part for me. At first I was confused with the construction and why I was being directed to do certain things. At this point I didn't have Allyson's pictures to guide me. Once I saw her pictures, it made more sense. Then once I was finished it completely made sense. Seeing as this sweater followed the vintage look from baseball past, you will see some of the inside of the sweater when the collar was opened. Being the professional she is, Allyson thought of this. It made sense to make this portion look as good as the outside. And that it did!

2 Day Christmas Whirlwind

This year, our Christmas was a little less than traditional. The biggest tradition broken was that Santa came the day after Christmas because daddy had to work on Christmas. However, with a one and a half and a two and a half year old who would really know the difference.

 

FO Vintage Knitting

I finished it!!! Don's sweater, it's finished! Granted the project isn't quite complete yet. Allyson is in the process of writing up duplicate stitch charts for team logos so she is using this sweater as a guide. I mailed it off to her to complete that and add the custom leather buttons.

Love this neckline!

WIP Vintage Knitting

As of today, knitting is taking over my life. This is a good sign for business, but a bad sign for my projected time frames. Nonetheless, I am almost finished with the vintage baseball sweater for Don. I started the sleeves Tuesday night (after I skipped that portion to work on the button bands). I don't have much done on the sleeves yet (or at least the pictures don't show the progress), but I thought I would share the gorgeous contrast of the colors. Wouldn't you know it, they are blue and red!

 

WIP Vintage Knitting

Although baseball season has come to a painful and sad end, I am lucky enough to get my baseball on with some vintage baseball sweater knitting. Allyson, my amazing promoter, got an email wanting to know if she could knit a vintage baseball sweater. With her busy schedule, she is not able to take on other projects. So instead, she sends them to me.

The Tigers and the World Series

For anyone who doesn't know, our family are avid Tigers fans. My husband is literally obsessed with baseball, especially Tigers Baseball. So much so that we are planning a vow renewal ceremony for our 5 year anniversary that will have a heavy Tigers influence and our kids' names are Nolan and Ryenn (I was tricked with Nolan's name after I said no professional athletes, but then couldn't get the name Ryenn out of my head for our little miss). But right now, we are only concerned with the Tigers winning the World Series.

Holla Knits Accessories: Multiplicity!

Welcome Holla Knits Readers! I am excited to once again have helped Allyson with test knitting her pattern for the Holla Knits Accessories issue. Not only do I help my sis out, but I get amazing knitted projects in the process!


Top: Emma Welford's Wallpaper Cowl, Katie Canavan's  Scallop of the Sea; Middle: Teresa Gregorio's Knight Service, Tara Shade's Black Swan; Bottom: Anna Elliott's Snowball Bonnet, Allyson Dykhuizen's Multiplicity

FO McCarren Park Cap

So due to my busyness, or maybe laziness, I didn't even mention last week that I was working on an order for a hat. My friend, Sam, saw one of the pictures from the Holla Knits photo shoot and LOVED the hat I was wearing with the Devon Cardigan. The hat belonged to Lily and just happened to be one of Allyson's designs.

WIP Holla Knits Accessory

Sometimes I feel like Holla Knits is my baby too, thanks to Allyson allowing me to be a part of the preproduction of it. This is my fourth test knit for her for Holla Knits, and every pattern is just as great as the last. There is amazing talent in the designers involved in Holla Knits.

WIP Two Boyfriends

Bottom band and vertical side done

With so much going on this week with the house, I have neglected a lot of things. Including my blog and my knitting. Nonetheless, I have made some progress on my Two Boyfriends cardigan since last week. I finished the vertical side, with so much agony in doing so. The pain was worth it because it is turning out exactly how I wanted it to look.

FO Modeling Photo Shoot

I was super excited to get the chance to model in the Fall/Winter issue of Holla Knits. It was great to work with Lily, Susan, and Allyson. It was a blast hanging out with them. And of course, what girl doesn't like to try on different outfits! The launch of this issue was on Monday and I must say it is packed with so many great patterns (one of which I got to test knit). I thought I would share some of the pictures we had, as well as show of the talent of these designers.

 

FO New Girl

The Fall/Winter 2012 issue of Holla Knits launched yesterday. Seeing as Allyson is my sister, I am lucky enough to see everything while it's "in the works." I also get to test knit Allyson's designs. The New Girl was my third test knit for Holla Knits.

Two Boyfriends with Split Personalities

Allyson, knitting pattern guru, designed a cardigan pattern a few years back that I have already knit a few times. The second thing I ever knit was this pattern during one of her knit-alongs. I joined the knit-along two weeks late with my first version and then joined two weeks after that (so four weeks in) with my second version. That's two sweaters in less than eight weeks.

Randoms of Minnesota

Although the two main places we went were the Minnesota State Fair and the Mall of America, we also visited other places. We had two girls night; Wednesday when we first arrived and the following night. Martha, our amazing and gracious hostess, took us out to Salut Bar Americain on Wednesday night. It was a french style bar. We sat on the patio because it was amazing outside. Martha and Susan, my mother-in-law, got Smokin' Cosmos. They were so neat! Allyson got, what she calls, an old man's drink (something with whiskey). I got what was called a Pool Boy. Of course this ended up as the joke of the night.

Mall of America

On our second full day in Minnesota, we did some shopping. We started the day with a feast at IKEA for under $10 for 6 people (that's including 2 babies)! Where can you go for that little of an amount?!


IKEA Feast

After eating we shopped for a bit in IKEA. We got some things for the house (Tupperware, knives, cutting board, etc. ) and a play rug for the kids. It's a road rug where the kids can drive their cars on the fake roads (already a huge hit). We also found a few dressers we really loved for our bedroom. We were unsure of what size would be best, so we decided to wait.

Minnesota State Fair

When Allyson told us we were going to the Minnesota State Fair, I never imagined what we walked in to. I was imagining a small area with a few food vendors and cheap carnival rides. Instead we walked into a fair that looked like a smaller version of Michigan's Adventure Amusement park. It was ridiculous! There were streets filled with food vendors, buildings full of animals and other local products, rows of carnival games, and the midway filled with amusement park rides. We were there for like 5 hours and barely scratched the surface of things to do.

So many people!

Sunny Sunday

Family fun days are the best. We went to the park today and the babies loved every second of it (Nolan actually threw a fit when we had to leave). My mother-in-law and Allyson called earlier in the morning to see what our plan was. They then asked if we all wanted to meet at the park for Nolan and Ryenn to play. So after nap time, we all headed to the park. Ryenn kept trying to dig in the wood chips and eat them. Nolan kept hiding in the bushes. They went on the swings, the slides, and just ran around. It was so nice to get out of the house on such a great day!

 

Modeling Photo Shoot?!

I never in a million years thought that I would be modeling for anything. Granted it is for Allyson's magazine so I kind of have an in with the boss, but still. I never thought I would feel comfortable enough with myself to model. But after losing so much weight, it was really a no brainer when Allyson asked me. I was excited and felt more comfortable after dieting.

Adaly Myles Place is 1!

Today is Adaly Myles Place's 1st birthday! It seems like just yesterday that I was talking through the set up of my Etsy shop with Allyson. I started with a few photography props, but have grown to over 30 products available.

Photo courtesy of K Newborn Photography