52 Weeks of Happy (2/52)

I'm here in Long Beach for TNNA, and after a very busy few weeks, I'm so excited to be here for a few days of fun, networking, and knitting!!

This past week was a hard week, so I'm glad I'm taking the time to focus on the happy.....

4 happy things.

1. Being done with studying for my boards! I'm hoping I passed, but if I need to retake it in May, as originally planned, I'm going to enjoy the next 45 days until I hear my results (forever, right?!!).

2. Hotel rooms with pretty views.  Always feels a bit decadent.



3.  Margaritas with awesome friends.



4. Sunsets.



If you're interested, here's more info about 52 weeks of happy.  Tell me, what 4 things are you happy for this week?

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. A proper post to come later, but for those of you who have been waiting to purchase Sleepy Hollow, the slouchy hat and fingerless gloves I designed with Plucky Knitter Primo for a Woolgirl kit in October, it is now available here and on sale!!!

Sneak Peek

Debuting this weekend at Sample It! in Knitted Wit's booth at TNNA, is my new design, Warwick!  Modeled by the lovely Jill Zielinski, aka Knitterella, and lovely photos courtesy of Alisa Divine Deshano of Divine Images Photography.

The perfect one skein of fingering weight yarn project I think :)  This was designed with Knitted Wit's Shine, a lovely lovely yarn that really does shine.

This pattern will be added to The Sullivan Family Collection this weekend, so if you've been on the fence after Big Trees or Nestldown, you may want to get it for this one!  $18 for 6 patterns!                



Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Nestldown

Many of you remember that I knit and designed a shawl for my sister's lovely wedding last year.  I'm so excited to finally release the pattern, the second in my new e-book, The Sullivan Family Collection!

Introducing.....

Nestldown

A mystical, magical place is how my sister described Nestldown, the lovely estate where she got married. I knit this shawl especially for her wedding, a day filled with so much love.  The hearts that travel down the center panel and into the edging on this shawl symbolize all the love I have for her and my wishes of a lifetime of love and happiness in her new marriage. It was a magical day indeed.

The lovely photos above were by the amazing photographer, Teresa Halton.  My sister and our family were so pleased with the pictures she took that day.  Thank you Teresa!

This design started as an idea way back when I knit the Love Letters sock.  Disco and I both thought the pattern would make a lovely shawl.

Then fast forward to Stitches West last year where I was kind of bemoaning that my sister wanted me to knit a shawl for wedding.  Seemed like a lot of work to me.  But dear Kristine, form A Verb for Keeping Warm, and her mom completely encouraged me!!  Having never knit with laceweight yarn, Kristine picked this lovely skein of Shimmering Tussah Silk.

And my sister looked absolutely amazing that day.  Thanks sis!!

Pattern: Nestldown      

A special introductory sale price of $5, from now through Feb. 4, 2013.  This pattern is also part of The Sullivan Family Collection ($18) and the third pattern in that collection will be released next week.

Note: Instructions are written for a top-down shawl.  Both charted and written instructions are provided for the panel and lace edging. Options for modifying the size of the shawl are provided at the end.

Suggested Yarns: ~ 640 yards of lace weight yarn such as A Verb for Keeping Warm Shimmering Tussah, Anzula Wash My Lace, Malabrigo Yarn Lace, Dubai Knits Pure of Heart, Madelinetosh Tosh Lace, Fleur de Fiber Atlantis Silk

A special thank you to my fabulous test knitters, Josie and Jocelyn!  And Jill, for her awesome graphic design skills!

 

It was a magical day sister!! Love you!  Plenty of time for you guys to knit this for Valentine's Day!  Any takers?!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

 

Something easy

What a crazy busy week this past week has been.  I realized today that I had not knit since last Sunday evening when I bound off my new shawl design. Despite all the good suggestions for easy knitting while studying, I felt like I didn't have the time to wind yarn or energy to decide what to do.  Plus, I wasn't exactly at the easy studying part yet (e.g., lots of note cards to write).  And if I wasn't studying, I was proofing and working on final patterns to be released for TNNA.  I'm so excited to share three new designs with you guys in the next week or two!!!

But today I remedied that. I cast on something easy.



Another Lilianna.  A new sample for TNNA and Stitches West and then most likely a baby gift.  I just love Anzula's Cricket Yarn.  It is the perfectly decadent thing to knit with when I'm a bit stressed studying.  I have a skein of it in a lovely brown too...boy version coming up soon I think.  I worked on this a bit today at lunch with the girls, planning out the rest of our TNNA trip!  And then at Lil' Snow's first basketball game :)

My reward for studying tonight was to swatch with this.  Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend fingering.



I can't wait!! I have a sock design in mind, but want to play with the yarn a bit to learn more about it!  If you're interested in purchasing this new yarn from knitspot, Erica blogs about details here (complete with an adorable baby Padraig picture too!).  The new yarn should be in the shop soon!

Time for swatching....

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

{this moment}

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Right after the win...celebrating at the park!

Go Niners!

Happy Friday!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

52 Weeks of Happy (1/52)

Just after I posted my good things post yesterday, I read Liberty Yarn's tweet about the 52 Weeks of Happy. I liked it and I'm going for it.  You can never have enough happy, right?  I like that it may be a bit easier to do on a weekly basis than my good things.  There will still be good things.  And now, happy things.  4 simple happy things from the week prior.

This week's happy things...

1. Lazy doggies.



2. Happy tea.  Seriously. Yume from Lupicia described as a taste of happiness with vanilla, fruits and pretty rose buds.



3. Big pictures ready for my booth at TNNA.



4. A finished mission project and a very proud 4th grader!!





What happy have you found this week?

Happy knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Good Things.

1. 49ers are going to the Super Bowl! 

2. Being a SF Giants fan, Notre Dame alum, and a 49er faithful this year!!  World Series Champs, making it to the BCS, and now the Super Bowl, I can't complain :)  I think though Mimi is up there pulling some strings this year!

3. Blocking.  It is magic. I purposely chose this stitch pattern because I wanted more lace, more openness.  This was enhanced even more after blocking....I'm in love with this one.



4. Test knitters. Seriously, without them, I don't know what I would do.  Thank you ladies.  You know who you are.

5. New, or more like reformatted, and slightly new, designs.







I added a slouchy hat version to the Blackberry Brambles Hat and Cowl Set.  This new set is knit out of Fyberspates Scrumptious Aran, and it is just that.  So lovely!

Special thank you to Leslie for sharing her awesome smile, and to Tricia for capturing it so well!



And Jill for the pattern layout.  I've been keeping Jill busy all week with TNNA prep....more on that later! Thanks Jill.

Blackberry Brambles is on sale for $4.50 through February 4, 2013!   

6. Gorgeous new yarn that supports a good cause.  I've been meaning to try Fleur de Fiber Yarns, dyed by a wonderful sock camper friend, Angela, and her fundraiser for a family affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy was a good reason to try.  She's continuing the fundraiser through the end of January, check out her etsy shop.



Plus, she included tea with the yarn.  Talk about perfect :)  The lovely skein on the right is a laceweight seacell rayon and silk blend that I am just dying to cast on.  Colorway Clover, of course.

7.  A new KAL in the IGK Ravelry Group.  Come cast on a Naylor Street hat or Cotty Fingerless gloves!  Both patterns are on sale through February 4th too.  Disco has already finished hers!

8. Reading blogposts by some of my favorite blogging friends who are getting back into the swing of blogging.  I love it! Keep it up Disco, Tapmouse, Cockeyed, Cupcakefaerie, SnBLeslie, and Knittinggolfer.  Anyone else back on the blogging train that I missed, let me know!

9. Time off work for studying for my boards test next week.  So much studying to do, but at least I'm not working, right?!

10. Empty knitting needles. Not exactly a good thing, but I really don't want any projects to distract me from studying right now.  So I'm thinking to maybe cast on something mindless to keep my fingers busy for the next 6 days while I study...suggestions?  Toasty Mitts? Melody Scarf (but that cast on may require too much concentration)? I'm thinking maybe plain vanilla socks for dad? Help...

11. Downton Abbey. Yes.

What good things are happening with you guys?  I want to hear...a girl has to take a few study breaks, right?

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Sunday Happenings

We are off to a good start....



Barefoot Contessa's Chocolate Chunk Blondies have been made for the football game today.

The doggies have their bandanas on. Go Niners!!



I've got my knitting to finish....





I am in love with Knitted Wit's Shine yarn.  It really does shine!  This design will be debuting at Sample It! at TNNA in less than two weeks!!

I'm just about done, which is perfect because tempting new yarn arrived yesterday and I can't wait to play with it.



Yes, yes, that lovely yarn is Knitspot's new custom blend yarn! If you know Anne's design sense and attention to detail and quality, then you know this yarn is going to be perfect, right?!  I'm so excited to swatch and start designing with this!!!  That will be a whole other post, but I couldn't resist a few pictures right out of the package!



Breakfast Blend, colorway Oatmeal, coming soon from Knitspot.  You can see her working on it in her recent post. 

Now it is time to cheer for the 49ers!!!  This first quarter isn't looking to good, but there is a lot of game left! Go Niners!!!!!

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

{this moment}

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Go Niners! Beat Falcons!

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

 

Go Niners!

Nothing helps get you over a tough championship loss better than your other favorite football team winning a playoff game!  Go Niners!!!

I didn't go to the game, but we did go to my brother's tailgate party for a bit!  He knows how to throw a tailgate and the kids had a blast!













Aren't those two kids the cutest?!?!



Pa bought them new hats...hehe! Too cute!









A perfect day, and it ended even better with a 49ers victory!!!  Knitting content to resume this week :)

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Go Irish!!

Beat Bama!!

Go Irish!!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The First Good Things.

1. Less than 24 hours until Notre Dame plays in the National Championship!!  Go Irish!



2.  Friends who know you take this stuff seriously and ensure you celebrate in style!

3. Childhood memories and a bestest friend in the whole wide world who helps remind you of them.



When we were in the 4th or 5th grade, a group of us girls made our own library.  We kept our index card box on our desks and checked out books at recess, etc.  Back before Kindles :) My best friend is home for the week and she brought this for me!  I love the date stamper the best I think.

4. Healthy food made for the week!  We made Winter Minestrone again (it was a hit!!) and a fabulous turkey chili.  So, so good. 





5.  Lazy mornings.  I've certainly enjoyed them the past few days.  Oh, Monday morning, you are going to hurt. 

6. Tea.  I now have a tea stash too.  Fortunately it is much smaller than the yarn stash. 

7. Downton Abbey Season 3 started tonight!! It was lovely!!



And I enjoyed it properly :)  Sunday nights are going to be good for the next few weeks.

Back to work tomorrow.  But I can't complain about the goods things so far this year.

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. New Year Sale! I am so very grateful for each and every one of you and truly appreciate all the support as I continue designing!  From now through January 7, 2013, receive 20% off any individual Irish Girlie Knits Designs pattern (excluding Cotty Fingerless Gloves which are already on sale) and the Merrily Collection (excludes other Collections). No coupon needed.