Fall

I love this time of year. Late fall in the Bay Area is when all the leaves are still gorgeous!






And these socks are just perfect for fall!



I loved this pattern and I loved, loved the yarn!



Pattern: Socktoberfest Mystery Socks by Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops
Yarn: The Plucky Knitter MCN fingering, colorway Pumpkin Latte

Happy Monday!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

A Long Day

Yesterday was a good day. A gorgeous day for a fall football game between Notre Dame and Stanford.

It was a day filled with.....



.... tailgating games.



.... yummy food.



.... fabulous friends (or Cal fans willing to cheer for the Irish!).




.... family.







.... and, ultimately, heartbreak. Another last minute loss, 45-38.

Its going to be a long off-season.

Go Irish!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

28 Days

Barely 28 knitting days til Christmas! One more Christmas present done here.......


And for the record, this is the only Christmas present I have wrapped. The things I'll do for a photo shoot, heh?


Socks that Rock lightweight, colorway Jingle Bell Rock


Christmas Cotty Socks



I know I'm biased, but I love how quickly these knit up! And the purty stripes. So, to celebrate Thanksgiving and less then a month of holiday knitting, the Cotty pattern will be on sale for the rest of the weekend, until the end of Monday, November 30.

Pattern: Cotty

I have a small holiday knitting list this year...I think I have a hat, a toy, and another pair of socks and then I'm done! What do you have left to knit for the holidays?

Happy Holidays!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm looking forward to a low-key, relaxing holiday with family, doggies, yummy food, and time to knit! Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happiness (1000)

Six hours of dyeing with my favorite dyer.



It doesn't get much better than this.






The artist at work.



Ta-da! So cool. I'm happy just writing this post. Such a fabulous knitting weekend it was.



And look! I dyed that! You know me and blue. I pretty much love this!


The yarn is BMFA Geisha. Yum.



And this is 100% 2ply silk. Another yummy.

I wouldn't mind dyeing yarn more often if it was all set up for me and clean up was taken care of (Stephen and Debra are rockstars!!). And of course, Tina's yarn. Perfect. Well, I take that back. I could do without the fun fur. Yes. It was high-quality fun fur that Tina had us dye, but still fun fur nonetheless. I'm thinking of turning my fun fur into some type of pet. Or I may mail it back to Tina tied with a pretty bow. hehehe.

Happy Dyeing!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Which team are you on?

Team Edward or Team Jacob?



The Seattle airport even had action figurines. You can tell which teams SnBLeslie and I are on! But, its not like we went to the midnight showing or took a day off on Friday to go see the movie (no judgement, I promise). I think there are 8 of us from our Stitch n Bitch going this morning to see it!!

Happy New Moon!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

More Knot Hysteria!

I was home sick today. Too bad this wasn't my view. I think I would have felt a wee bit better.



Oh, hey, did I show you the fabulous goody bags we got at Knot Hysteria! Stitch markers, yarns, amazing stuff!! Thank you to all the vendors who donated!


I finally got a chance to wear my Blackberry Brambles hat in The Plucky Knitter MCN Worsted, colorway Lipstick.


My Jingle Bell Rock Cotty socks had some fun during show and tell.


These will be a Christmas gift, although I don't think I'll be doing too much holiday knitting this year.




I think this card from Tilly Flop says it all.



Yes. Those are straight needles. I am attempting to practice lever knitting as Steph showed us in class. I can be more efficient. I can be more efficient. I can be more efficient. I hate straight needles. I can be more efficient.


Early morning in Port Ludlow. Sigh.

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Knot Hysteria Knitting Retreat!

It has been freezing but gorgeous here in Port Ludlow.


And these two women sure know how to get a group of knitters together and have some fun!


Note: Shopping for the FOUR of us on the first day. Just wait til you see all of our handdyes!! Six skeins of Tina's different fibers.....can't wait to show you!




Yesterday dyeing. Right this moment, back from lunch and Steph is just starting to teach us. Gotta go!

Happy happy Knitting!!!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Where did it go??

Seriously. Where did the last week go? Busy busy at work. Then a quick trip up to Reno to bring my great-aunt Mimi home from an extended stay here in the Bay Area. Then back to work. Now packing for my upcoming knitting weekend in Port Ludlow!!! One more day of work, and babysitting Lil' Guy while his parents go to the 49er game tomorrow night, then one more sleep and the fun begins! Phew! I need a vacation!!!

On the knitting front, well, its a bit all over the place. And daylight savings has thrown my project pictures (it is sooooo dark when I get home!).

I did turn this lovely Madelinetosh Worsted, colorway Copper Penny....



...into this. An Uncle Frank hat. Its actually done, but again, no pictures yet.


Oh, and the super cute project bag you ask? Piddleloop. I don't know how I've resisted buying more with her shop being recently updated! So many cute project bags still available!! Eek!



I don't think I've shown you this Uncle Frank sock either? It is already packed for my trip to Pt. Ludlow (along with, oh, maybe 3 or 4 other projects!). STR mediumweight, colorway Bella Coola

I'll be checking in soon. I promise.

Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Wordless Wednesday

The doggies were showing off their new bandanas from the groomer's tonight. Aren't they cute?

Happy Wednesday!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Blackberry Brambles Collection

Remember I mentioned that I finished up a Blackberry Brambles Hat. Snowboarder helped me take a few pictures so that I could finish writing up the pattern.


Knit in The Plucky Knitter MCN Worsted, in the colorway Honey Wilkes.


Here's my favorite part of the hat!!!


Umm. Snowboarder?!! That is my hat. Mine. I secretly hate that he looks good in just about any hat, but love that he wants to model pretty much anything I knit :) And yes, he watched me knit four (!) hats this week (more pictures to come I promise), and none of them were his black Koolhaas. Soon. I promise.


Littlest Snowboarder wanted in on the photoshoot too!!





The pattern for both the hat and cowl set are written up and all ready to go!

Pattern: Blackberry Brambles Hat and Cowl Set

Yarn: approximately 115-125 yards of worsted weight yarn for the hat and 160-175 yards of worsted weight yarn for the cowl. Pattern shown in The Plucky Knitter Merino Cashmere Nylon Worsted, 1 skein Honey Wilkes for the hat; 1 skein Doris for the cowl

Needles: US 7 (4.5mm) or size needed to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular for both cowl and hat; hat also requires US 6 (4.0mm) or one size smaller needle used to obtain gauge

Gauge: ~18 sts = 4"

Size: women's average/medium

Finished Measurements: hat 8 1/2" width, 7 1/4" height; cowl 10" width, 8" height




And! The Blackberry Brambles Collection is also now available!

This collection includes both the Blackberry Brambles sock pattern and the Blackberry Brambles Hat and Cowl Set and is offered for a reduced price. (btw, if you purchased the Blackberry Brambles sock pattern prior to the end of October and are interested in the hat and cowl set, email or PM me on ravelry so we can work out the discount)

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits