Sunday, May 15, 2011

Weekend Wrap-Up!

Oh, it is Sunday afternoon already, and although this weekend has zoomed by, I feel like I was able to get lots accomplished this weekend!  I feel like I have so much to catch you all up on, so here goes.  A bit of my weekend, a bit of an update, and heck, a contest if you make it through the end of the post.

1. New designs in the works!

Primo!!!

An infinity scarf design featuring The Plucky Knitter Primo.  I'm loving this one!!  Oh, and yes, it matches my new project bag perfectly. 

Sunshine Luxury Sock

I showed you a peek at my new design for Sunshine Yarns on Friday, but thought you'd enjoy a close-up.  I'm on to sock two now, and since this is a sportweight yarn, Luxury Sport, it is knitting up quickly.  And I"ll admit, this yarn is a bit like crack.  Seriously.  Love love love.  I keep looking at the website to see what other colors I would knit this with and try really hard not to click order.

2. Another pattern has been reformatted.  Here is Winter Wonder. It's never too soon to start thinking holiday knitting.

winterwonder.cover

On all of my new patterns I'm now featuring suggested yarns instead of limiting the pattern to just the one or two yarns I used to design it with. There are so many lovely yarns out there that would often work. For this pattern, in addition to the Malabrigo Rios, Kollage Yarns Fantastic and The Plucky Knitter MCN Lite, I've added a few other yarns to tempt you with: The Plucky Knitter Primo Worsted, Miss Babs Yowza, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Gaea, A Verb for Keeping Warm Toasted.

Winter Wonder is also now featured on Malabrigo Yarns website here! So cool!  And once again, Knitterella has done an amazing job with my pattern layout!  If you need any graphic design work, she is fabulous!

3.  Doggies!! Lot's of snuggle time this weekend with Bailey and Puddy!

Hi Bailey!

Hi Puddy!

How can I resist those eyes?!!?!

4. Walk Now for Autism Speaks is just a week away, and so far we've raised $340 from the sales of my Walk Now pattern.  Thank you all so much!  I'd love to get to $400 by the time of the walk next weekend!

5.  A bit of retail therapy arrived on Friday.  A new project bag from Knitterella!

knitterellabag

Love!! Seriously cute! She has a few other designs here!

6. I spent a bit of timing updating things in our Irish Girlie Knits group over on Ravelry.  Can you believe we're up to 287 members!!!  So fun!   Our Sweet Home KAL is coming to a close at the end of the month and I just posted our lovely prizes from Kollage Yarns and Dubai Knits.  It's not too late to join the KAL here.

7.  Cotty was picked for the Year of Stash Socks June KAL!  Yay!!  I'm doing a coupon code for 20% off Cotty from now until May 31st with the coupon code: yoss     Come join the fun!

8. I've also spent some time this weekend adding new blogs to my Google Reader.  When bloglines went away, my blog reading dropped a bit.  But now that I've figured things out with Google Reader and Flipboard on my iPad, I'm back in blog reading mode!  I've discovered a few new non-knitting ones that I'm enjoying too ( Crafting an MBA, Single Dad Laughing).

So for today's contest, leave me some fun blog recommendations to add to my google reader!  If you have a blog, let me know too!  Knitting blogs, foodie blogs, other blogs I should be reading....let me know! And then from the list of comments I'll pick 5 winners to receive a copy of my Sweet Home PatternETA:  You guys rock the baking blogs (already added a few!).  Keep them coming, but for the sake of my tummy, if you have any healthy eating/cooking blogs to recommend I'd love those too :)

ETA: Contest closed.  Check for winners here.

Phew! I think we're all caught up on my end!  So how was your weekend?  Catch me up :)


Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

26 comments:

Renee Anne said...

It's always nice to wander over to my blog and visit (yes, that is a shameless plug).

I also read The Plucky Knitter (which I'm sure you already read, too), The Yarn Harlot, and Susan B. Anderson (she did the Itty-Bitty series, if you're not familiar with her)...and those are just a couple of the ones I delve in.

Caffeine Girl said...

With my DD home from college, I had a lovely weekend, thanks for asking!

I blog at www.caffeinegirlknits.com. If you haven't been by, please do! I recently finished a Petit Pont scarf!

cpurl17 said...

Good luck on your upcoming walk! I'll be rooting for your team next weekend!

Discoknits said...

You know I've been on the fence about SDL for a while and I recently decided NO and took him off my readlist. He's just a tad bit too contradictory for my liking (e.g. posts about how you're crap if you do this, that or the other, then posts about how no-one should be judgemental, etc, etc). Have you read his other blog though? About building a bigger blog? That's interesting. And may also explain some of his contradictory-ness (not a word, I know, I know!).
Did you like the email convo blog I recommended? Funny, or what?!
hugs xoxo

Melanie said...

I've been following your blog since I bought one of your snowboarder hat patterns last summer. I've managed to avoid socks thus far in my knitting career, but your patterns tempt me every time I look at them...

I'm not much of a baker, but I love just looking at the wonderful things in Sprinkle Bakes.

I also recently started a blog about my crafting (mostly knitting) and education, found here.

Zonda said...

Hey, your Primo also matches your needles ;) I really like Flipboard and google reader. I really like this new blog No Big Dill Beautiful family and sewing and photography.

Scrabblequeen said...

Since you love to bake...I think you'd like
http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/

It's full of yummy and pretty food, and kithcen goodies too. Cupcakes are featured often...need I say more?

neknitsandbeads said...

Oh I can't wait to see your new infinity scarf pattern!

MicheleinMaine said...

Your dogs are filling me with spaniel longing! I used to have three cockers, and two of them lived to be 14. They have the cutest eyes (which can make up for their extreme naughtiness!)

Love that luxury sport yarn - now I am stalking too!

If you haven't already, "Getting Stitched on the Farm" is an awesome, sheepy/gardening blog. Also, for food, you must know about "Smitten Kitchen" and "Angry Chicken". Both are great.

Sarah JS said...

For a wonderful combination of kniting, cooking, and photography, check out Fiber Fool (blog.designedlykristi.com), though she'll be taking a couple weeks off at the moment for some family travel.

I also follow theIndependentStitch (Deb Robson, fiber guru and spinner extraordinaire) and needled.wordpress.com (Kate Davies of Owl Sweater fame & renaissance intellect from Scotland).

dianne said...

I'm loving all the suggestions you're getting for blogs to read and am checking most of them out myself!

As for me this weekend, Chandler had a hockey tournament so we went to 5 hockey games. His team made it to the finals and won the whole thing which included beating a Canadian team :-) And I also went to my baby sister's bridal shower :-) It was a full weekend here!

SpinningLara said...

I love this blog: http://www.silver-trumpet.blogspot.com/

Ok the owl bag rocks, it's just too cool for words. The socks do look like crack for knitters.

I also like this blog: http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/ Her books are great too.

Wendy McDonnell said...

Your welcome to mine. I try to post at least OAW... always fun photos and tons of knitting. :-) www.wmdramble.blogspot.com

Dee L. said...

I love your patterns and blog. :0)

For food blogs I really like For the Love of Cooking. She tries to make her recipes healthy without being crazy about it. I have made many of her recipes and they have all been hits with my family. Especially her delicious soups. http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Jenny (renewedmind on ravelry) said...

Let's see, my favorite blogs would have to be Yarn on the House at http://yarnonthehouse.blogspot.com/and also knittingwithsandrasingh.blogspot.com

Kelly-ann said...

Carrie...

I love this knitting blog even though I don't know any french. I just love viewing her photos picture.

http://www.batilou.org

Here is a healthy food blog that is also cheap - what's not to like?!

http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/

Discoknits said...

Oh yes, someone else mentioned the needled blog. She is one of the most interesting people I read. Definitely put her on your readlist :0)

Megan said...

My google reader is full of knitting blogs, and is growing with the suggestions from your comments! Great idea for you and for your readers! As I love her designs and patterns, I will recommend http://cecilyam.wordpress.com

Thanks for the opportunity to win!

Kathleen C. said...

Wanted to double the recommendation of Smitten Kitchen. Excellent recipes and food photos... and some of it is plenty healthy (while some is not... yum!).
If you do pick up on needled (double recomended as well) go back to last year or so. She had a pretty major stroke and reading of her continuing road to recovery is... well, it's astounding. And truly inspiring.
Do you know the Rainey Sisters' blog? Some gorgeous knitting!

JoAnnaJae said...

Would love to do a shameless plug for my blog over at www.ambitiousknits.com.

Also love http://woowork.blogspot.com/ (the most adorable crochet EVER) and http://techknitting.blogspot.com/ (the most useful knitting blog).

neknitsandbeads said...

You even matched your needles to the yarn that matches the...

Pamela said...

I've been reading Smitten Kitchen, and A Cooking Life.

Liz E. said...

I'm, um, going to totally shamelessly plug my blog, http://blog.silverillusionsknits.com, you know, since you asked. :-)

Seconding whatever commenter said that your new owl bag is absolutely adorable!

Janet Hutchinson said...

I usually always get a giggle from Derfwad Manor and Murr Brewster. Neither are knitting blogs, but both women are excellent writers, with good senses of humour as well.
I am also a fan of So the thing is - she can talk knitting, but I like to read her for her slices of life and her humour.

Audry said...

My two newest favorite blogs are http://onesheepishgirl.blogspot.com/ and http://www.laylock.org/blog/
Both are knit related. The pictures on both are absolutely lovely.
And I'll throw my blog in as well http://bear-ears.blogspot.com/

watercolordaisy said...

Fun blog!
I have one, http://washesofcolor.blogspot.com/
or just click my name. It's just about me and my life as a single girl, haha.

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