Happy Friday!

Fall is in the air....



I may not be at Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival this year, but I did plan ahead with a little BMFA purchase to get me through the weekend!


Gail's Autumn Joy is absolutely perfect. And I just can't wait to cast something on with the BFL.


STR The Witching Hour, Vine Maple, Gail's Autumn Joy



Happy Pumpkin Time!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. Sock pattern sale still going on! See details here.

Did I tell you....

That I picked up Cat Bordhi's new book yesterday at Purlescence Yarns. I absolutely love it!


And I can finally show you the fabulous heel from my personal footprint socks that Cat taught us at sock camp! These socks are probably my best fitting socks yet and I can't wait to knit more socks with this method!



I'm even thinking of casting on my Sknitches Syncopation yarn in the colorway, Seriously? this week using one Cat's personal footprint patterns. The heel will keep the self-striping going just perfectly!


Oh, and did I tell you that I forgot how much I love knitting things other than socks with sock yarn? I'm not sure if I really forgot, but wow! I'm loving Madelinetosh Tosh sock knit up as a lacy baktus. I'm over halfway done!


And did I tell you we're having a sale on IrishgirlieKnits' sock patterns this week? I didn't? Now I have!

The Socks that Rock Group over on ravelry is wrapping up its Cotty knitalong and I have loved every minute of it!!! To see the gorgeous Cotty socks in STR for the past three months has been incredible!! I was telling my great-aunt Mimi (aka Winnie) today about all the different socks and she still can't believe it! Then I told her there were a few requests for an Uncle Frank and Grandma socks and, oh, the stories kept coming. I love when she gets in the story-telling mood!

The sale is a big thank you thank you to you all for your support with my knitting designs! All my sock patterns will be $4 from today until Sept. 30!

Cotty (oh, and by the way, the stitch number is just perfect to put into Cat Bordhi's Personal Footprints pattern...see Cheeky Attitude did it here!)

Blackberry Brambles

Winnie

Happy Sock Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Who needs toys?

When you have a paintbrush?






Or yarn?



Or doggies?



Or friends?



Happy Weekend!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

A Fresh Start!

Look what I did last night.


Woohoo! I wound yarn for three new projects! Can you believe I haven't done that since before Sock Summit?! Things have been busy busy around here!



Hence, the crazy pile that is amassing on my desk.


I cast on for an easy project for the Sept-Oct Woolgirl Scarf/Shawlette Knitalong! We just started the KAL, so feel free to grab your favorite Woolgirl yarn and join us! (Or she is having a shop update/mini-sale this weekend if for some reason you are low on Woolgirl yarns!) I'm using Madelinetosh Sock in the Kale colorway (this has been in my stash for a long long time!) to make a Lacy Baktus.


This yarn still taunts me though (as is the book I still haven't read!). It is STR heavyweight in Spinel and I have had about an inch of a February Lady started in this since last February. Soon I say. Soon.

Now its time to knit. Well, until Lil' Guy and his dad show up. Then its time for running.

Happy Friday!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Rockin' Winnies

I don't know why I love these socks so much.



If its because the colorway, Socks that Rock lightweight in ST-1, reminds me of Sock Summit. Oh Sock Summit, how I miss thee.



Or if it is because I'm always tickled when my STR stripes nicely. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind pooling (or why else would I have tons of STR?!), but the matchy stripes, love.



It could be because I love the toes.



I may love these so much because the colors seem to evoke fall for me. And it even rained a bit today. Fall is here!



But really, I may love these socks mostly because they match my new Dansko shoes just perfectly!

Pattern: Winnie

Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight, colorway ST-1

Needles: US 1.5

Happy Sock Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

We Need a Winner!

Especially since my Fighting Irish couldn't pull out a win for us today. So sad. They lost in the final seconds to Michigan 38-34.




Even the doggies were sad.

So, instead, I have the winners from last week's contest! You all are looking forward to a lot this fall! Thank you for all the comments! Our winner of the big grand prize (quick, go look at it one more time here) is....drumroll.....

Jen from Knitting Like Crazy


Congrats Jen!!

And since there were so many entries, I thought I would have the random number generator pick a few more for me to email a copy of my new sock pattern, Winnie. Those winners are...

Rippedandfrogged

Carol

Irisheyes Lynn

Please email me at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com so that I can send you your prize!! Thanks so much!

Congratulations!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Winnie

Meet Winnie.


I can finally show you my new design. It was originally designed for the Plucky Knitter's Classics sock club and now its available for you.


Designed for the Plucky Classics "Big Shouldered Broads" series, well, how could I not name these after my Great Aunt Winifred....Winnie. Headstrong and amazing.


Great Aunt Catherine (Cotty), Great Uncle Frank (whom I never met; he died in WWII and received a Purple Heart Medal); Great Aunt Winifred (known to her friends as Winnie; but to us, she's just Mimi); Grandma (Dorothy, but everyone called her Dotty)

The youngest of four in her Irish family. But she always speaks her mind. And looks fabulous at the same time.


Thank you to Marcy aka Knittinggolfer for test knitting in Socks that Rock for me too!


I think the pattern looks great in the variegated too! Colorway, Spring Fling.



Growing up, I remember my great aunt joking to me about how pretty or cute I looked, but she would add, "Almost as gorgeous as me." I'm fairly certain she would say the same about these socks.

Pattern: Winnie

Notes: Instructions are written for a cuff-down sock. Both written instructions and charts are provided.

Yarn: 360 yards of fingering weight yarn. Shown in The Plucky Knitter Merino Cashmere Nylong fingering, 385 yards/skein, colorway Blarney; also shown in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock, lightweight, colorway Spring Fling

Materials: Needles Size US 1.5 (2.5mm) or size to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles, cable needle, stitch markers

Gauge: 32 sts = 4" over st st (note: for the socks that rock, the gauge was closer to 30 sts = 4" and did not seem to change pattern or fit that much)

Size: adult women's average/medium

Finished measurements: 7 1/2" foot circumference; 6 1/2" approximate leg length

Available for purchase here!

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

And the stash keeps growing....

I could say it was only because I won a skein of yarn!


Wool Candy Meringue Merino, colorway Sugared Violet


Look at this pretty pretty skein of Wool Candy that I won in a Bobbin's Nest Studios (one of our LYS) contest! Thank you!! They are now carrying this gorgeous yarn.... its local, how could they not carry it!

I then couldn't resist trying a skein of the sportweight, Wool Candy Fondant Merino.


Wool Candy Fondant Merino, colorway Fresh Fig

Neuroknitter and I discovered Wool Candy together at Sock Summit and it was instant love!! I think we may have convinced Woolgirl to start carrying it too (crossing fingers!!)! ETA: Woolgirl just posted on her blog that Wool Candy arrives this Friday to her shop (so if you aren't local, now you have an online retailer!)


Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes

Oh, and these goodies. Well, I had to hang out at Purlescence and knit for a bit! And they just happened to be 40% off and I have a hat in mind for Snowboarder! Totally justified, right?! hehehe (oh goodness, the stash keeps growing.....)

Dansko Women's Solitaire Veg Clog,Red,38 EU (US Women's 7.5-8 M)


And the shoe stash?! Yes, I just had to get these new Dansko shoes at Sock Summit (my first pair! and won't be my last!)! Don't they match my new sock just perfectly?! Socks that Rock in the colorway ST-1 in my new pattern (a sneak peek! it'll be out soon!!)!

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend! Any new stash enhancements I should know about on your end?

Happy Knit from your Stash Week!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. Contest still open here!

Are you ready....

..for some football?!!

We sure were at IrishDad's house today!


He had bacon sandwiches ready and brought out an old ND cup from the glory days when I was in school!


Bailey was ready!


So was Puddy-Wuddy!


That's right! I'm wearing my Lucky socks! And when your team is winning 35-0, you have plenty of time to knit! Go Irish!!!


After the game, there was baking! This recipe is so well-loved in our house that the page has come out of the cookbook! oops!


Spiced Pumpkin Bread! Happy Fall!!

This is such an easy recipe and makes two loaves! One for dad's house, one for ours. Or the freezer. It is a staple of football season at our house! And since I knew you would ask....here's the recipe!

The recipe is adapted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster (one of my oldie but goody cookbooks...love the baked stuff in this one!).

Spiced Pumpkin Bread (makes two 9 by 5 inch loaves)

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup water

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease and lightly flour two 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pans

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside.

4. Whisk together the sugar, eggs and oil in a separate bowl until well blended. Stir in the pumpkin, water and vanilla and mix well.

5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all the ingredients are moist and blended, do not overmix.

6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top begins to crack slightly.

7. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pans. Serve warm or place on a baking rack to cool.

You can also add 1 cup of nuts (I added pecans to our loaf), raisins (that's what dad wanted in his loaf) or other dried fruits after mixing the flour and pumpkin mixtures.

Happy Football Season!!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. WOW! Thanks for all the fabulous contest comments! Lots to look forward to! Contest is still open if you haven't left a comment....