Good Things.

Two very good things.

1. This past weekend I wasn't at TNNA, the knitting industry's trade show, but my designs were. I love working with Anzula Yarns, and I have a new design that I'll be releasing soon featuring their new yarn, Croquet. Can you see it below?

Cannon Beach in For Better or Worsted, at Anzula's Booth at TNNA

There is one day left of TNNA, so if you are there, be sure to stop by Anzula in Booth #747 to see my designs and then stop by Deep South Fibers in Booth #1048, my wholesale distributor to order them! 

2. One reason I'm not at TNNA is because at the end of June, I'm moving to Anchorage, Alaska! Yes, this San Francisco Bay Area born and raised girlie is going on an Alaska Adventure! I have an exciting job opportunity working at a small, ABA company with children with autism, and I'll be able to see that new special guy everyday too! My current job has been really stressful given my health issues this past few years, so I'm looking forward to a little less responsibility, while still doing the same work. I'll still be home every few months for my preventative treatments, so I'm hoping I won't miss my family too much (who am I kidding! I'm heartbroken that I won't be seeing Magpie, Lil Snowboarder, and Lil Guy whenever I want, but thank goodness for FaceTime!). 

To help celebrate, I'm having an Alaska Adventure sale on all my patterns $6.00 or less all month long! Receive 20% off by entering the code: adventure  This includes my new pattern, Kenmare Lace Fingerless Gloves, which is already on sale until June 10.

Lots of good things happening. Hope good things are happening for you too!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

1000 & Blogiversary Special #3

1000 posts! That is crazy to think about. As I looked back through some of my older posts I found these sets of pictures and they summed up what this blog has meant to me!





Thank you guys!!! I think I'll have to make an updated friend photo collage for an upcoming post.

So our next blogiversary special is all about quick gift knits. I can't believe it is less than two weeks until Christmas! I definitely am not as organized as the Yarn Harlot with her spreadsheet. In case you are like me, I've picked some of my quick knit patterns on sale for this special.

From Dec. 12-15 (11:59pm PST), receive 50% off the following IGK patterns:

Alpine Lake
Dotty
Lilianna
Miles to Go
Naylor Street
Sorin
Sweet Baby Kate
Winter Wonder



All of these patterns require just one skein of yarn. Ok, well, not Alpine Lake, but it is knit out of bulky yarn and it knits up quickly, I promise. And if you don't have any bulky yarn, mix those bases. Take your favorite worsted and sport weight and knit them together. The cowl can be oversized!



There is a smaller cowl version of Winter Wonder that takes just one skein and would make a perfect gift. Erica knit this one above a few years ago. I think it would look great knit up it the yarn I just ordered from Bare Naked Wools, Kent Worsted.



So a quick update on my gift knitting. It isn't going that well, and I really only have two or three gifts to knit.



The tween's fingerless gloves are moving along slowly because going back to work full time has kicked my body's butt, literally. I was exhausted on Saturday. And this week in a lot of pain again. Ugh. But I'll have time off over the holidays soon!

And I know I mentioned the glove pattern would be done soon. Next week....I promise! They are super quick!



Then I need to knit this cutie pie a little something. I'm thinking a stuffed animal maybe. We'll see. She's not tolerating hats too much lately. Hmmmmm.....

How's your gift knitting going? Any last minute deadlines?

Oh, and speaking of gifts. Our contest winner is Renee Anne! Congrats Renee!!! Send me an email or message on ravelry with your address and I'll mail them out to you. I hope you and the boys survived the nasty storm we've had here in the bay area this week.

Lots of rain today......Puddy was a bit wet after her walk tonight.



Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

TNNA: The Stuff

I've come to the conclusion that I can't fit all the goodies from my trip to TNNA in June into one post. Trying to do that results in me just not blogging about everything, and that's no fun, right?  So, I'll surprise you guys with some of the fun things I received.....bit by bit.

Let's jump right to the yarn, ok?



Two skeins of gorgeous Baah! Yarns La Jolla.  I knit my San Mateo out of La Jolla and just loved it, so am quite excited to put these two beauties together.



This gorgeous skein of Shalimar Yarns Breathless is calling to me to be cast on soon. I just love it!! It was so nice to meet Kristi, the dyer behind Shalimar Yarns, and Lara, one of my online blogging friends, who I finally was able to meet in person. Lara did a great job talking about Shalimar Yarns on her post here.



Anzula Cricket. One of my new favorite yarns. I couldn't resist a few baby girl colors since my sister is going to have a baby girl!! I knit Lilianna out of Anzula Cricket and it is the perfect one skein baby project, if I do say so myself (biased, biased, I know...but that yarn is heavenly!).



I'm about to cast on a solid color version of my Peekaboo Penelope baby sweater.  I just love this color, even though it isn't a traditional baby girl color. What do you think?



Not yarn, but one of my favorites that I saw at TNNA. New cards and gift tags from Knitterella. I bought them as soon as she made them available online. Love love love them!! Jill was kind enough to throw in an extra in my order, so one of our lucky KAL participants is going to win a great prize!!!  If you haven't heard, come join our IGK 3rd quarter KAL...this one is a hoot!!

In other exciting news, I'm hoping to get to knit nite tomorrow nite!! It's the small things, right?!?

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