Sweet Baby Kate

Babies, babies, babies! When faced with at least 6 babies being born in the next few months, I knew I needed to knit something fast! That's when I was inspired to make a sweet, wee version of my Cotty socks, which were named after my great-aunt Katherine. The Cotty socks have been referred to as "potato chip socks" as in you can't knit just one pair. With an easy to memorize pattern that works with just about any yarn, I knew this would solve my baby knitting dilemna!

Shown in BMFA Socks that Rock lightweight, colorway Goody Goody


Also shown in Kollage Yarns Sock-a-licious, colorway Blue Mist

Shown in BMFA Socks that Rock mediumweight, colorway Peek-a-Boo Peony

This set includes a baby hat and socks. The socks are a perfect way for using up leftover sock yarns. Can you imagine a matching pair of Mommy Cotty socks too! Make these even daintier by adding a matching ribbon trim to the lace!

Thank goodness I'm not hosting a baby shower anytime soon! Wouldn't these make perfect decorations that could go home with the mommy-to-be?!

Pattern: Sweet Baby Kate

Yarn: ~65 yards of fingering weight yarn for the socks and ~80 yards of fingering weight yarn for the hat; for a slightly smaller size, and using smaller needles, approximately the same yardage may be used for lighter fingering yarn (e.g., BMFA Socks that Rock lightweight, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, The Plucky Knitter MCN)

Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm) for socks, US 6 (4.00 mm) for hat

Gauge: 32 sts=4" for socks; 24 sts=4" for hat

Finished Measurements: 2 1/4" foot circumference, 1 1/2" leg length for socks; 6" width, 6" length for hat

Size: 3-6 months

I'm offering the pattern at an introductory sale price of $4 for Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 3-6)!

Happy Baby Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Bellingrath

I've been to Alabama just once. Over 10 years ago, I was visiting my bestest friend in the whole world, who was living in Biloxi, Mississippi at the time. She suggested that instead of going to New Orleans again (I was thinking more along the lines of why wouldn't we go back to NOLA?), we should go to Mobile, Alabama for the day. And so we did. Little did we know that pretty much nothing would be open in Mobile on a summer weekend when almost everyone was at the coast instead. I was underwhelmed. However, on the drive back we stopped at the beautiful Bellingrath Gardens and it made the day worth it (well, almost. I remember still wishing for beignets). The gardens were beautiful!

This shawlette and sock design, Bellingrath, was inspired by both those lovely gardens and the perfect Blush color yarn, Sock-a-licious, from Kollage Yarns in Alabama.

Introducing Bellingrath......

















The shawlette. One skein, gotta love that!

And I just have to say, my model and photographer....LOVE THEM! I really have some of the best friends a knitter could have. Ilikecake (you may know her by her gorgeous sock designs) worked the runway (well, garden in this case) while Cheekyattitude worked her magic behind the camera (you can check out more shawlette pictures here).

The socks feature the same lace edging and panel. I'm pretty tickled with how that works :) They are modeled perfectly by Cupcakefaerie! Again, what would I do without my friends.

The best part is that these two great projects are available in one pattern! It'll be debuting at the Stitches Midwest Fashion Show (squee!!!), kits will be for sale in the Great Yarns Booth and the Kollage Yarns Booth, and I'll be signing the pattern in Kollage's Booth on Saturday! Please stop by to say hi :)

But if you want to cast on right now, or can't make it to Stitches Midwest, Patternfish is carrying the pattern and you can download it now here (I am just so excited!).

You know the saying about it takes a village? Well, this design will always be very special for me. It really has taken a village. Erica for challenging me to this creative process (a shawlette? sure, no problem, never knit one, let alone design one....in five weeks...no problem!). Thayer and Terry for modeling. Tricia for her gorgeous photos. And my two awesome, who knits as fast as them, test knitters, Manda and Madeleine (I practically cried with relief when they agreed to test knit under very very tight deadlines). Of course, Susie from Kollage for giving me this exciting opportunity!

Now that the secret project is out, I can't wait to get back to showing you all what else I'm working on. Come back this week for more knitting, a pattern sale (yay!), and a contest or two!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo IrishgirlieKnits

Sweet Home

Sometimes all it takes is a simple name to inspire a design. Chateau, the colorway name of Kolláge Yarn's Sock-a-licious Yarn, made me think of lazy days on the porch of a beautiful southern home, with columns similar to those of Tara, sipping sweet tea.





A Southern home perhaps because the yarn arrived with a postmark from Alabama, home of Kolláge Yarns.



...Alabama...lace...columns...chateau...home...sweet home.

Pattern: Sweet Home

Yarn: Kollage Yarns, Sock-a-licious, colorway Chateau

Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)

Gauge: 32 sts. = 4" over st st

Size: adult women's medium and large

Finished measurements: 6¾" (7¾") unstretched (up to 8" (9") slightly stretched) foot circumference; 6¾" (5”) leg length

Notes: A cuff-down sock with written instructions that include charts specific to each size and are provided on the last page.

A very special thank you to my fabulous test knitters Jocelyn, Gaylen, and Madeleine! Tricia did a fabulous job on the impromptu photo shoot! And to Susie at Kollage for donating the yarn for them to knit with!

Happy Knitting! Its time for Sweet Tea!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Decisions decisions

Tough knitting decisions around here.

1. I really, really want to finish Sock #2 of my new Sock-a-licious design, Sweet Home.



2. But it is Father's Day this Sunday. Dad needs some socks. Well, he actually wants me to mend the socks with the holes, but that doesn't sound like fun. Just not sure I can whip up a pair of Uncle Frank socks by Sunday.



And I really want to keep working on these.



3. But then next week, I need to knit another pair of baby socks for my bestest friend in the whole wide world (we've been friends since we were 6!!). A baby boy, her first! So I was thinking of making wee Uncle Frank socks.

Of course, in true knitterly fashion, somewhere deep down I think I can knit all three. Who am I kidding?

Happy Decision Making!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Busy Busy!

Busy week at work. Busy weekend...walk-a-jog Friday night, Autism Walk Saturday, farmer's market, cooking food for the week, more work stuff on the weekend. Busy upcoming week. But then, work slows down and summer is here!

This was all the knitting that was done this week. Not too much, but I'm loving my new design!





Gorgeous Sock-a-licious in the colorway Chateau. Love it!

Hope your weekend was full of fun! Here's to a great week ahead!

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Socks, Socks, and More Socks!!

Call me crazy but I signed up for this last week. That's right, 52 pairs of socks in a year! Its not like I don't have the stash for it.



WIPs count. I have a few of those. And baby socks count and I know way too many little ones being born this year. I'm also way behind on Christmas knitting, and everyone in my family loves socks.

I think my biggest challenge will be not getting distracted by other gorgeous items to knit. We'll see how I do.

I prepped by winding yarn today!



And by buying a new book yesterday at Purlescence, Think Outside the Sox. Such inspiration in these socks!!



I also gathered all my sock WIPs. I had forgotten about this one. Burst in The Plucky Knitter Superwash Merino Wool, colorway Father Goose.

Plus there is also Summer of Socks, so bring on the socks!!

But I know you all are really here to find out who won the Sock-a-licous contest! First, our fabulous winners who rewrote Fergalicous for us! You guys did an awesome job :) Loved them all!

Karen
Mya
JelliDonut
Crzyknittengran
KnittySue

I'll be sending a copy of Blackberry Brambles to your email shortly. Let me know if you don't receive it.

And our lucky winner of this gorgeous skein of Sock-a-licous and the Blackberry Brambles pattern is....



Kathleen (aka Katbetty on ravelry)!!! Congratulations!!! I can't wait to see what you knit with this. And a big thank you to Kollage Yarns for the extra skein to giveaway!!

Happy Sock Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Top 5...

....reasons why I am absolutely exhausted.

1. Really, really long week at work.

2. Still not completely over this allergy/sinus infection...tail end, but I think that isn't helping the energy thing.

3. Babysat my nephew, Lil' Guy, last night and this morning and although I bribed him to "sleep-in" a bit longer (it worked), 8am was still way too early to be up on a Saturday when I went to sleep at 1:30am. What was I thinking?! I know all of my mom friends are reading this laughing at me right now :)

4. We had a blast at the farmer's market this morning, but lots of walking. Still worth it.


Note all the stawberry juice stains on his shirt. What was auntie thinking??



5. There has not been enough knitting around here. It is a Catch-22. Too tired to knit, but not knitting also makes me a bit cranky and tired...



I did get to start a few swatches of my skein of Sock-a-licious. This is the lovely Mango colorway! See, the past week was cold (in the high 50s/low 60s) and rainy around here. I needed to will summer into coming! This colorway seemed like the perfect way to do it!!



I think it worked! It was a gorgeous sunny day today! It seems like the first time in awhile that it was almost "hot" out! All this photoshoot needed today was a yummy Margarita!

Oh, and don't forget. If you haven't entered, you've got until 10am Sunday morning (tomorrow) to leave a comment here to win a gorgeous skein of Sock-a-licious!

So, enough about the reasons why I'm exhausted. Here are the reasons why things are looking up...

1. I'm already in my pjs and have my knitting right next to me.

2. I have absolutely no commitments for the next two days. None. Nada. (okay, well, I have some reports to work on for work, but I'll be in denial about that for at least the next day and a half!).

3. I am going to knit, knit, knit.

4. I may even get a trip to Purlescence in tomorrow to relax and knit with friends. And they are having a sock yarn sale. That never hurts :)

5. I'll even get a workout or two in before this holiday weekend is over!!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Sock-a-licious!

Meet one of my new favorite sock yarns. And I promise, it is not just the name that makes me love this yarn.



Although, with a name like Sock-a-licious, it's hard not to love. Now, sing it to this. Hehehe.



For me, it is all about the colors! Those semi-solid colors, the varying shades and depth of color that keep you interested while knitting, look gorgeous knit up, and are perfect for just about any pattern.



I'll admit. This colorway, Chateau, is probably my favorite!



But the color isn't the only reason why I love it! You know I love color, but I'm also a yarn snob. I'll admit it. My stash doesn't really lie. You all know this about me. And this yarn, with 70% Fine Superwash Merino Wool, 10% Silk, and 20% Nylon, well, it feels snobby! It feels so squishy and soft just like some of my favorite sock yarns.

Color, yarn content, name I love, perfect, right? But there's more. Wait for it.



It is going to retail for just under $20 a skein, with each skein having 350 yards!! Told you I love it!

I say going to, because it has just been released by Kollage Yarns and should be hitting the stores soon (ETA: Paradise Fibers is taking pre-orders, yarn arrives next week, oh, and it is retailing there for $18.75)! One of my good friends from Sock Camp, Erica, sent me 3 skeins of Sock-a-licious!! Seriously!! Sometimes its nice to have friends who work for yarn companies!!



Best part, one of the skeins is for you!! Time for a little contest, don't you think!! I saved this gorgeous one, colorway Heather, for you guys (sorry I can't part with the Chateau!). Wouldn't it make a perfect pair of Blackberry Brambles? You don't have to knit it in Blackberry Brambles, but I will be including the pattern with the yarn!



So how can you win this yarn and the pattern? Just leave me a comment of what pattern or item you'd love to knit this with!

I'll admit, this yarn is so nice, I know I'm going to knit some type of cowl or scarflette with it too...want that pretty silk by my face!

Bonus contest.... if you rewrite the lyrics to Fergalicious (doesn't have to be the whole song) with Sock-a-licious (hehehe...because someone should, right??), you'll be entered twice! and the first five song writers will automatically win a copy of Blackberry Brambles!

Contest will run through Sunday morning at 10am.

And yes, I said she sent me 3 skeins. I couldn't wait, one skein is already wound, swatch started and everything!!

Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits