YPF! The Luscious Edition

I'll start by saying this. As gorgeous as the Malabrigo sock yarn is, it still wasn't my favorite thing that I took home from Stitches.

Here it is. In all its lusciousness.

Blue Moon Fiber Arts LSS (Luscious Single Silk)

60% merino, 40% silk

500 yards/8 oz.

5 st./in on size 6 needles

colorway: Motley Hue

Incredibly soft

3 skeins...enough to make something absolutely gorgeous!

any ideas?? I have a few, but for now will just love it

It was hard deciding between this color and Valkyrie

The sockateers informed me that this yarn just debuted at Madrona and Stitches.

Thank you Tina! I hope this is available soon on the website! Or we can always start a campaign, right Nartian?

Are you starting to understand why Disco is wondering about the destash update :)

She'll be proud to know that it has officially begun.

Happy Weekend!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The Socks of Stitches

Look at that cutie-patootie baby sock I designed in JC Briar's class, "Design Your Own Socks." I need to make the mate to this one and take some better photos, but I just love it! This was the first time I took a class at Stitches and I loved it! JC was an awesome teacher, very knowledgable , and was able to teach to the wide range of skill levels in the class. Disco did a nice review of our class today on her blog too.

We were both excited to learn Judy's Magic Cast On and I'm now ready to tackle some toe-up socks! That's Disco sock below- she was doing the happy dance about the cast on! There were lots of things I picked up in the class, but overall, I am much more confident about sock knitting and different design aspects!

I also couldn't resist taking some pictures of my favorite socks!

Tapmouse's Cedar Creeks (I feel like I helped cheer these on to be finished!)


Disco's Embossed Leaves (they match mine!)

Hey, look, I finally finished Dad's Mudslide Thujas! We had some time to knit a bit throughout the weekend and I finally finished these.

Pattern: Thuja

Yarn: Socks that Rock, heavyweight, color Mudslide

Modifications: Cast on 4 extra stitches for dad, and knit the leg 1" longer than pattern suggests. These are Dad's second pair of Thujas in STR and I think we've convinced him that STR is a lot better than those Pastaza house socks he was wearing (actually, I don't think he's worn those since I made him his first pair of STR socks!).

But really, I know you all want to see some of the gorgeous yarn I got at Stitches, right?!

I'll tease you a bit longer, but I will show you one of my favorite colorways of Socks that Rock that I got at Stitches! Typhoon Tina! I sooooo wanted it last year after I saw it in pictures from Sock Camp (I even emailed JoAnn and asked about it!) so I was happy happy when I saw it at Stitches. Here it is in lightweight, but I also got a couple skeins of it in heavyweight!!

Socks that Rock lightweight, colorway Typhoon Tina

(swoon!)

I'm still on the happy Stitches high...can you tell?!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Best Stitches Ever!

And it was the best one yet because I spent it with so many friends!

Disco, me, and Cheryl (thanks for the Malabrigo!!) at the Ravelry party

Yes, let's give me wine before I start shopping for yarn?! What was I thinking?

At lunch on Saturday, I not only was able to hang out with Stilaholic and Tapmouse, but meet Adrienne, who designed this month's Rockin' Sock Club Sock.

And knit on the soon to be longest sock.

Cockeyed and me

Hanging out with the Sockateers was fabulous! We all had a great time at Purlescence!

Teddy, Disco's oldest son, knew we'd see the golden gate bridge this weekend.

Thanks for my beautiful picture Teddy!

Windy, but the rain cleared at least!

I was also able to thank my ravelry summer camp swap pal, Christina, in person at her booth, Article Pract. I can't wait to show you the patterns I got there...she just released her own published designs! Fabulous!

And I also finally, finally, got to meet Cpurl at Stitches! Zonda, aren't you proud of us!!

Seriously, I had a smile on my face ALL weekend!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Overheard this Weekend!

"That's not really her stash. That's more like her pretty vase of flowers she just puts out, right?" (Disco said to Rowan, referring to a basket of approximately 20 skeins of gorgeous sock yarns on my desk)

"That must be destashed. When are you seriously going to where that?" (Disco referring to a skein of fabulous, but maybe too bright for me, Yarntini)

"Yes. You must get it. You don't have any pink and brown yarn." (Disco sarcastically said of course, hehe)

"You're going to need another tub for your sock yarn that you bought today." (Disco said after I showed her one of my plastic bins for STR)

"Hi Vickie Howell." (oh yes, Disco just said hi as if they were best friends! And Vickie asked her to friend her on ravelry!)

"Look. Fug." (hehehehehe)

"I'm a junkie." (what I said at the Malabrigo booth, and look below to see why I said it!)

Malabrigo Sock Yarn, color of no name, as it is a test sample (squee!)

We've had a fabulous time!! Disco leaves to go home soon. More details, yarn pRon, and pictures coming this week!! Stitches Rocks! Disco Rocks!!

Happy Knit from your Stash!!

(beginning now of course!)

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I Heart Woolgirl

I know not a surprise if you've read my blog at all. But it still needs to be said. I love Woolgirl. Not just the shop, but Jen! I've been trying to be better about my yarn purchases this year, which included resisting her fabulous New Year's sale and all those updates! And although technically I was getting yarn for my birthday (money to spend on yarn at Stitches!), I needed a little Woolgirl fix for my birthday (and I had a 10% off coupon from sock club!)! Seriously, what better way to treat yourself on your birthday, then to send yourself some yarn pressies!!

And I used my destash money!!

So pretty!! Four of those are one of my new loves, PigeonRoofStudios.

All I can say is WOW! I was a bit nervous, ordering that many of one yarn without seeing it and touching it, but the colors were so fabulous. Love both the fingering and sport weight.

PigeonRoofStudios, fingering weight, color Plum Tortie

yummy

Couldn't resist the MadelineTosh Turquoise either. Ahhhhh. Now I want the Olivia too.

Oops. The Dream in Color Classy, Gothic Rose, couldn't fit in the photos!

Three more days until Disco is here!! Oh, and Stitches!!

Happy Stash Enhancement Week!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The Purl Scarf

"Just because I am cute and we are hanging out today does not mean I want to model your scarf Auntie Irishgirlie. Plus, this mohair is a bit itchy," says Little Guy.

"And I'd rather play baseball! But, you're right I did have fun at the knit store today, even though we didn't buy anything!"

Finished this on the drive up. I love the colors. Great stashbusting!! I've had all these yarns for over a year I think!! Yarn ingredients....Sheep Shop, Kidsilk haze, and BMFA Kidmo (color Lagoon). More details here.

5 more days til Stitches!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I Got....

VD!!! Valentine's Day love from my secret pal technically arrived yesterday, but I had to pick the package up at the post office today. And what a way to start Valentine's weekend getaway!!

It took lots of self-control to actually take this picture before unwrapping all the perfectly wrapped presents!! The packaging alone was amazing!

Goodies Galore!! Handmade cards!! I have been wanting to make more cards again (I have quite the card-making stash!), and "Bensmomshelly" from the Knittyboards not only made me lots, but sent some additional supplies for me!! And doggie treats for Bailey and Puddles, fabulous local goodies from Toledo, OH (the chocolate bark is to die for!!). I felt so spoiled just opening the package!!!!

Thank you thank you Shelly!!! I absolutely love everything!!

Of course, last by certainly not least, the yarn. Sox by berroco. I haven't seen this new sock yarn yet, and I love it! Are the colors not perfect for me?! Very soft too!!

Thank you for sending me some fabulous VD Bensmomshelly.

This swap will always mean a little bit extra to me because last year, Momma-Monkey and I gave each other VD :) I really need to cast on my Carolina socks soon. Just thinking of her family today.

We're safely in Reno. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend with Snowboarder and the family. Finished my Purl Scarf on the drive up.

Happy Weekend!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

A New Bag!

Namaste Cali Laguna Bag, color Olive

color is a bit deeper, but that darn flash!

My birthday gift to me! Again, with destash money!! I bought it at DreamWeavers, but as I was posting the link above, looks like I got it just in time. Olive is sold out there until April (but other colors in stock). Try The Loopy Ewe here. I love my Namaste Messenger bag, but its getting a bit frayed around the edges from all the travel this past year. I just love my new bag and it arrived just in time for our mini-road trip to Reno this weekend! Snowboarder, Boondock Saint, and Little's Guy mom will be hitting the slopes while Auntie Irishgirlie knits and hangs out with the Little Guy!! Fun indeed!

Notice, my purl scarf. Its been such a busy week that's about all my mind can handle for a bit before bed the past few nights. Looking forward to finishing some socks this weekend.

Happy Long Weekend!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Your Candy Heart Says "Hug Me"

A total sweetheart, you always have a lot of love to give out. Your heart is open to where ever love takes you! Your ideal Valentine's Day date: a surprise romantic evening that you've planned out Your flirting style: lots of listening and talking What turns you off: fighting and conflict Why you're hot: you're fearless about falling in love

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

Happy Valentine's Day!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The Best Day!

A little something from here...

and

delicious dinner at NOLA with the yummiest dessert ever!

beignets, bread pudding, and southern pecan pie

That Snowboarder sure is a sweetie!!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! It was a fabulous day!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Birthday Weekend Highlights

It started with hanging out with the Little Guy!

"Hey, look what happens when Auntie lets me feed myself!"




Swingin' at the park

Fabulous birthday dinner with my other family

Learning to play Boogie on the Wii (note the disco ball!)

And, for the record, yes, that cutie in the pink kicked my butt! She can dance!

Today dad got one of his mudslide thujas for his birthday.

While we watched Elizabeth, The Golden Age (good, but not great like the first, another one of my favorites), Puddles and Bailey snuggled up into one of their favorite spots!

Oh, and my birthday Woolgirl purchase.....if you can't wait for pictures, here's a hint (and if you look below where it says "customers who bought this product also purchased" you'll see the rest of the goodies!). Best part, it was all paid for with "destash" money!!

However, whenever I open the closet, yarn still falls out (literally). So I did a bit more organizing and I have some new "donation" yarn and "destash" yarn to post this week! Now when Disco comes to visit and tries to find all my stash, well, at least it won't be jumping out at her!

At the back of the stash were the makings of a Purl Scarf that I've wanted to do for awhile. I may just cast this on this week, despite the too many projects going already!

Tomorrow, technically today already, Snowboarder and Rowan are in charge of the official birthday fun!

Have a great day!!!!!!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I'm it.

Melanie tagged me. And since Little Guy is asleep....here goes :)

4 jobs I've held:

Premier Babysitter (just kidding....but since the age of 12 and all through high school I lived in kid central it seemed!!)
Sales in the Children's Dept. at Nordstrom (are we sensing a theme!)
Washing Dishes in the Dining Hall in college (worst job ever...the smell...you prayed you didn't get the lunch shift in between classes....thank goodness this evolved into office assistant in the computer science department by sophomore year)
Behavior Consultant for children with autism

4 movies I watch over and over again:

Pride and Predjudice (BBC)

Elizabeth

Love Actually (so much so, that I can't seem to find it?)

Harry Potter 3,4,5 (I know, I'm too lazy to write them all out)

4 places I've been:

Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

Sitka, Alaska

Edinburgh, Scotland

Paris, France

4 places I've lived:

Daly City, CA
San Mateo, CA
Notre Dame, IN
Menlo Park, CA

4 tv show I watch:

Grey's Anatomy
Law & Order:SVU
Friday Night Lights
American Idol
(and two shows that I miss, Ally McBeal, and Alias, although still watch that on DVD)

4 people who email me regularly:

Rowan
Disco
Christy
And way too many people at work :)

4 favorite foods

cheese enchildas (okay, pretty much most authentic mexican food)
chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting
pizza
shrimp po'boy, jambalaya, beignets, pralines, gumbo (at least lately!!)

4 places I'd rather be:

snowed-in, by the fire, at Granlibakken, in Tahoe, with Snowboarder
in Portland with Christy and the kids making cupcakes and yarn-crawling!!!!!
anywhere along the West Coast of Ireland
hanging out at the Musee D'Orsay in Paris


4 things I'm looking forward to:

going to Stitches West with Disco!!!!!!!!!!
making my first Woolgirl purchase of 2008 tomorrow (a little birthday treat for myself!)
celebrating my birthday next weekend with the family (Reno or Tahoe...still up in the air)
yarn shopping in the UK (and doing lots of other things there too, but priorities!!)

4 people to tag:

Dannette
Rowan
Disco
Cherie

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

WIP: The Socks Edition

Its all about the socks this week baby! Dad loves his Rockin' Thujas that I made him for Christmas, especially since he can wear them with shoes (as opposed to the heavy Pastaza house socks he has been living in that he loved). So, for his birthday I'm knitting him another pair.

STR, heavyweight, in Mudslide

I'm being good and using stash yarn. Of course, I'll feed dad's sock addiction (seriously, he wore his Thujas to Christmas dinner, to coffee on Saturdays, to the SuperBowl party, he loves them!!) by telling him they'll have more colors at Stitches West! Oh, and Dad's birthday is Saturday (yeap, two days before mine!) so I better get a move on!

After I finish Dad's Thuja's I'll be working on my Serendipity Socks.

With the slightly ridiculous goal of trying to finish these for Valentine's Day! Wouldn't they be perfect!! I love the pattern and they fit great!!

Of course, the sock I really really want to work on, that I wanted to work on even more than the Wild Monkeys, is the second sock to the lonely sock that I left at my friend's house in New Orleans (and I'm praying it is making its way here in the mail!).

This is the point I was at when I was at the airport and I realized that I left the sock at her house. And then I stopped. I knew I would finish it before the other sock arrived home to me and I would be sad.....really, I LOVE this sock. Perfect colors that I can wear everyday without being "wild" and the fit...well, its the first pair in awhile that fits me perfectly and that I don't have to give away :) So, until my sock comes back to me, I'm not working on this.

Oh, and there has just been a little bit of progress on the cropped cardi. I'm a bad sister-in-law. Oh well. I'm a rockin' babysitter, right lil' guy? (I'll be playing with him all day Saturday!!!).

And to prepare for Stitches West (Squee!!!!!) a bit of destashing (the good stuff too, because umm...it sells quicker!!) is going on over here! (ravelry link)

Happy Sock Knitting!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. Dad, notorious for just looking at the blog pictures, actually read the comments about Puddles (you know, he shares joint custody during the week). In addition to saying, "Why aren't there pictures of Bailey?" He said, "She's a girl." Thanks guys! :)

Puppy Love!

Puddles wanted in on the photo shoots this weekend.

All of Bailey's pictures were too sad.

Try to have a happy Monday!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits