Grateful.

After spending a lovely holiday weekend with family and friends, I can't help but feel grateful. I hope you all had a nice weekend and are ready for the holiday season. I know I am! I'm sitting at my favorite cafe, with their lovely holiday decorations up, enjoying a cafe au lait on this chilly afternoon, listening to Adele (do you love her new album as much as I do?!).

A few favorites from this weekend....







We had awesome seats for the Notre Dame-Stanford game! And I finished my hat just in time Friday night. The yarn, Plucky Knitter Cachet, is absolutely divine! The pattern is going to be a new one....the Chugach hat, slouchy version.



The game was a heartbreaker....not quite enough luck for the Irish!









I think Lil' Guy liked his Grown-Up Keegan! Yes, yes....it has been forever since I knit him anything. We called this a cool skater hat and that seemed to help! What other 8 year old gets a Bello Worsted hat (that should read 45% cashmere!)?!?!

If you haven't had a chance to take advantage of my Thanksgiving sale, today is the last day.



And if you missed it, don't worry, December is blogiversary month! And you know we like to have some awesome specials for that!

I've also started a healthy for the holidays thread over in the IGK ravelry group! I'm starting the 21day fix program again tomorrow- serious commitment for the next 21 days! Feel free to pop over and join us as we share healthy tips and cheer each other on!



Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

A Whirlwind

It has been a busy, fun-filled few weeks, but I'll admit, a bit of a whirlwind. Knit nights, cooking club (fabulous idea, right?!), musical performances, softball games, friends and family from out of town, work, life....phew. How has your summer been?  Hopefully fun-filled as well! I can't complain about the busy as it has been filled with fun.





This dish has made me want to actually use the pressure cooker my dad bought but still hasn't used! So delicious!! Madeleine had all the ingredients ready, but I prepared the dish. Using the pressure cooker, I kept thinking no, no, this isn't worth it. Not much faster. But as soon as we all tasted the chicken, WOW! Everyone practically exclaimed they were getting a pressure cooker. The flavor was so good, you would have thought that it had been simmering away for hours.



And this. This is why we love Alexis. So good....especially with a bit of vanilla ice cream. In summary, cooking club was a hit and we plan to do it again!



Ok. One more foodie pic. My favorite summer salad. Me, the girl who really is not that fond of tomatoes, loves this salad. Heirloom tomatoes are magical.



I went with a group of friends to hear a local author discuss her new book. It was so interesting to hear more about her process and inspiration about the story. It was a quick, enjoyable summer read that I'd recommend. I'd also recommend this one. I think I've told you that already, but just in case you missed it.



I do love summer reading, especially by the pool! Not quite done with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but loving it!





Lil'Snowboarder had her first musical debut! Sooooo much fun and I'm just so proud of her! Lil' Guy loved it too!



There has been knitting too.



And the sock has a toe.



And sweet magpie keeps growing and smiling!



And now the fun begins! A whirlwind trip to NYC for a few days of ME time! So excited!

Happy summer!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

May Making

And just like that, May zoomed by. Although it might have been quiet here on the blog, May was anything but. I promise there was making....

Making memories with the family...







I am seriously smitten with Miss Magpie! I just love that she recognizes my voice now and giggles at our favorite silly games and sounds! Still in love with her!





Kind of like the way I'm in love with this kid, even when he is being a goofball!

Making, baking, and celebrating a lovely Mother's Day earlier this month.....









My sister and I put together a backyard tea that was just perfect. They totally got into trying all of my favorite teas too....so fun!



Seriously cute, right?!?! I know....I'm biased.





And this sweet girl made sure I had a special day. She has such a big heart, I'm truly blessed.

Making of the knitting kind.....



I had to practically force myself to knit the above few stitches last week, after three weeks of not knitting. I'll be honest, the beginning of the month was tough health-wise. I was experiencing a lot of pain that made knitting not so fun. But, after some tests, I had good news and my doctors have me on a great plan that is working! I have to say the past week or so I've felt almost back to normal, with minimal pain!

At Lil' Snowboarder's softball games last weekend, I finished the above project and then picked my Polartorte hat back up. Btw, I think we may have to start calling her Lil' Softballer or something because she has at least four games this weekend!!



I was looking forward to finishing this hat this weekend, but I left it at home?!?! Ugh. Fortunately I brought back up WIPs, but not ones I'm loving.... oh well.

What kind of making have you guys been up to in May? I can't wait to hear!

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. Saturday is the last day of my Madtosh May sale, where all IGK patterns and ebooks are 20% off with the coupon code: madmay

Spring Awakening

It's not just one of my favorite musicals.



Which by the way is going to be made into a movie.

It's this time of year where it is so nice to sit knitting at a softball game at 7pm, but still be a bit chilly. April showers, spring flowers. A bit more daylight. A bit more energy.

And with the transition of the seasons, you also need those transitional knits....cowls, scarves, hats. I've got a few new ones to share with you!

Sluggy





Designed with the lovely Shalimar Yarns Homage DK, this hat was originally designed to celebrate ShaliMarch. But what the heck, we can still knit with Shalimar in April, right?



My favorite thing about this design is that it looks great on the whole family.



Lil' Snowboarder is modeling the same hat as her dad, but it has a slouchier fit on her. I think he wants another knit in the large size too now.





Awwww....little Magpie looks so sweet in her hat, don't you think? I know, I know. I'm a biased auntie.


 Her hat is knit with Big Bad Wool's Weepaca yarn. This yarn is Ah-mazing! I just love how soft it is.


Notes: Instructions are written for a multiple-sized, slouchy hat. If a slouchier hat is preferred, you can either work the body of hat until desired length or go up a needle size for the body of hat. Modifications will require more yardage. Charts are provided.

                                                                                                              

Suggested Yarns: ~95 (140, 170, 200) yards of dk/light worsted weight yarn such as Shalimar Yarns Homage DK, Big Bad Wool Weepaca, The Plucky Knitter Bello Worsted, Bare Naked Wools Stone Soup DK

I can't wait to knit another one of these for me!

FYI, Sluggy is on sale through April 15, for $5.00 and then will retail for $6.00 

The other design available this week is Seamus.





A special thank you to Disco who knit this sample up quickly in the new Bare Naked Wools Confection. I'll admit, I was a bit jealous she was able to knit with this lovely yarn. But at least I get to wear this lovely infinity scarf. I just love this combination of cables and yarn.



I knit the smaller cowl version with one skein of A Verb for Keeping Warm Pioneer. Another lovely, gorgeous yarn.

This cabled infinity scarf or cowl is the perfect beginner project for learning cables, as there are only five rounds of cables. It is also perfect to show off that special skein you’ve wanted to cast on. Cables and worsted weight yarn makes this a quick knit!

Pattern Notes: Instructions are written for two sizes, a cowl and an infinity scarf, knit in the round. Written for cowl with instructions for infinity scarf given in parentheses if different. Charts are provided on the back page.

Suggested Yarns: 165 (370) yards of heavy worsted weight yarn such as Bare Naked Wools Confection, Anzula For Better or Worsted, A Verb for Keeping Warm Pioneer, Kolláge Yarns Fantastic, The Plucky Knitter Rustic, Brooklyn Tweed Shelter

 



Jill Zielinski, aka Knitterella, did an excellent job on the photo shoot (isn't her cousin Dani gorgeous?!!). Thanks Jill! I feel for her a bit with all that snow though.

Seamus is also on sale through April 15 for $5.00 (then retails for $6.00).

I also released Snow Plants this week, the shawl I designed for A Verb for Keeping Warm's Pro-Verbial Club. I'll be blogging more about this pattern, but did want to let you know it is available and on sale!





It is definitely springtime with all of these new designs. Three in one week! When it rains, it pours.

A few more quick announcements....

If you are in the LA area this weekend, then hopefully you already know about the LA Yarn Crawl, April 3-6.



Please be sure to stop by Knit Culture Studio to see some of my designs that are there for a trunk show. I love that they've picked some of their favorite designs from a number of designers to put together a pretty amazing trunk show. Plus, check out this gorgeous design that Hilary, the Yarniad, designed for them this weekend. Gorgeous!

The other announcement is that the Irish Girlie Knits Ravelry Group has picked our next KAL. Wish I Might and any other Stripey IGK patterns! Come join us for the fun (oh, and there is a coupon code there too!).

And with that, I think I better get to bed. Phew. I'd love to hear how your spring has been going? Any exciting plans for the weekend?

Happy Friday!!Happy Spring!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits