10 years.

That seems a bit crazy to be blogging for 10 years. And yet, here we are. I'm so glad we are still here, though posts are fewer. We still seem to stay connected via Instagram or Facebook or Ravelry. Heck, many of you are my dear real life friends now...we text, talk, meet-up, vacation, cry, laugh. All thanks to this blogging and knitting community.

This isn't a big reflection post...I'm trying to get back into the things I love, like posting more regularly, so let's not make it harder, 'mkay? 

Things I love you ask? Here are a few. Well, let's stick with the theme and make it 10.

1. Pom Poms. I want to put them on everything this year. They make everything a little bit happier, and we can all use more happy. Now if only I could knit faster.

2. Finishing things. Ha! Finally. The recipient didn't want a pom pom. I didn't understand it.

Conversationalist Hat featuring Plucky Knitter Primo Aran

3. Anything Jo Malone. You know when you hear lots of lovely things about something and you know you'll probably love it, but you don't want to go down the rabbit hole? Well that was me for so long, until I was treated to these mini perfumes. OMG. Love them all. Pretty sure I'd love everything in this line.

4. Me time! Self-care....who knew?! From acupuncture, to knitting, to swimming... making me a priority has been an awesome thing that I realized I had forgotten to do for awhile. We need to do that more often, don't you think?!

5. This song. It's been in my head since he sent it to me to listen to. I love that I have my own personal DJ now :)

6. Sales. Here you go! Our blogiversary sales start today..... 50% off these select patterns from now until Dec. 6. NO COUPON NEEDED (just add to Ravelry cart and discount is applied). Be sure to check back later this week for more patterns on sale too!

7. Tea. Thank goodness I love it, as I'm trying to slowly wean myself off of my beloved iced cafe au laits. #darnmilk

Ballydesmond featuring Plucky Knitter Primo Sport

8. Indie Design 2016 Gift-A-Long! I'm so excited to be a participating designer again this year. Jump on over to this group and check out the amazing indie designers, cast on a gift (for anyone! yourself included!), and let's enjoy this holiday season.

9. Knitting weather!! It has been chilly here for California weather...in the 40s and 50s. Just lovely.

Yep. Both new hat designs coming soon. 

10. This man.

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Comfort & Joy

Happy Happy Blogiversary!

I can't believe that 9 years has passed. I met Irish Girlie through our local Knit Nite (I've met the best people that way) and have enjoyed being part of her posse as she discovered and shared her wonderful design skills. The picture above is from our 2009 trip to Port Ludlow and my first Sock Camp so so long ago. So much knitting, food, and fun.

It didn't take long for IGK Designs to start going gangbusters and I got to take pictures of the gorgeous designs usually with the stunning Thayer to model.

 

Miss you so much Thayer!
The shoot for the Comfort Food  mitts and cowl set was a blast and just looking at the pictures makes me want to head to a cafe for some comforting hot chocolate.

I love how a soft chunky yarn makes them feel like a warm hug. Especially if you do them in a luxurious Plucky Knitter yarn like the ones above.

The pattern of cables is so easy to memorize that I chose it to accompany me to Italy last year.

So many good memories come back whenever I slip these on.

Comfort Food mitts knit in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Chunky

This pattern has become my go-to holiday knit. And paired with the cowl or separately, they are sure to be treasured by anyone who receives them. The pattern is 50% off from now until Dec. 13, 11:59pm PST.

Be sure to check out what other IGK designs are popular gifts for the holidays over in the Irish Girlie Ravelry Group December KAL So much loveliness to choose from.


Pattern: Comfort Food  

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A Note from Irishgirlie~~ CONTEST TIME & MORE SALE PATTERNS

Since it is the weekend, let's celebrate with a contest and a few other patterns on sale. First, Tricia mentions that Comfort Food is one of her go-to holiday gifts. What are your go-to holiday gifts this year? They can be knitting related or not...leave you suggestion in the comments and you'll be entered to win an IGK pattern of your choice and a few Knitterella gift tags and cards that I'll put in the mail to you next week!

Gift knits for the babies in your life....Sweet Baby Kate and Dear Baby Francis are both 50% off this weekend, until Dec. 13, 11:59pm PST with Comfort Food.





And one of my favorite go-to knits from last year, Sorin and Sorin Fingerless Gloves, also on sale this weekend!

Have a great weekend!! More blogiversary fun next week!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits & Tricia aka CheekyAttitude

A Post from the Anchorage Airport

I so needed this weekend. A quick weekend trip to Anchorage, Alaska to visit my guy was just what my heart and soul needed.



When I made this big leap of faith back in July, he was a big influence in my decision, and no matter where things end up, I'm forever grateful for that. But being back in Alaska, everything just seemed so perfect. I loved the rainy weather. Oh how this California girl misses it. The dark morning and early evenings. Of course, he jokes that I wouldn't love it in December, and he's probably right. But right now, when my head is killing me and the light doesn't help it, you know, I kinda love the vampire lifestyle :)



Look at that magical misty fog!



He cooked dinner Friday night, while I took care of snacks during the Notre Dame-USC game. Go Irish!!





Our drive today out on the Seward Highway to Chugach National Forest to see the glaciers was just beautiful!


Portage Glacier


Spencer Glacier





The Glacier from the Whittier side of the ONE-LANE TUNNEL....for 2 1/2 miles... under the glacier...with 5 safe houses....yeah...that freaked me out and I wanted to say, "But what if..." and he just said, "Save your scenarios. I don't want to hear them, even when we are out of the tunnel." You know...like what if there was an earthquake? A car accident? A nuclear war...are these the bunkers the president goes to??? What are in those safe houses?? Bezzie....tell me about this tunnel thing??? Ok, I just did a little research, but I'm sure Bezzie has more info for us :)

And a new hat I designed Friday morning....





I don't regret not moving to Alaska, although long-distance hasn't been ideal....he's moving back to the bay area soon though. But we both know we'll always have a plan B because we both love it here. And I can wear ALL. THE. HAND. KNITS.



Sorin and Aleyska.



Glaciers, hand knits, and a happy heart.

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

A Knitter's Kind of Cyber Monday

It's late Sunday night, so I can't really imagine saying Happy Monday, especially not after a lovely long holiday weekend. So instead, I hope your Monday is kind and gentle. Happy December though! Let the holiday celebrating begin!



I hope you had either a happy Thanksgiving weekend or a lovely weekend. Mine was lovely and filled with lots of family time, until today where I ended up in bed with a sinus infection. But after lots of sleep, I'm starting to feel better, and now can't sleep. Isn't that how it goes?

My Black Friday was spent in jammies buying some yarn from the Plucky Knitter update. I don't have too many gifts to buy this year, but the ones I do, I think I have under control. A few to knit I am finally starting. But I thought I'd share with you guys the Cyber Monday deals that us knitters are interested in....just in case you need to do any shopping for YOU this year!! I'll be honest, I bought some for me already!

But first, I need to answer Tricia's question from her post over the weekend. It was a great question about casting on and how long is too long, in case you missed it. First, I prefer to use the German Twisted Cast On Method. We learned it from JC Briar from her Cast On Class at Sock Camp (highly recommend any of her classes if you ever get a chance to take any of her classes). And I use a general guideline of about how much yarn to set aside when casting on by setting aside about 2.5-3x the amount of the final project measurements. So if these gloves should be about 8", I would set aside 24" (but I probably set aside more because I'm a generous guesstimator).



But this amount of tail leftover wouldn't bother me at all.



And this is why. I'm a end weaver. I try to weave my ends as I go along. ALL. THE. TIME. They bug me. And yes, these are matching fingerless gloves to go with the Sorin hat. You guys have seen these and I'm keeping my promise on not casting on new designs. These are a gift. I'm just finishing up the pattern and hoping to get them released in the next few weeks. The worsted weight version knit themselves practically! This was my progress today.....sick, asleep most of the day, and in bed.

Ok, so back to Cyber Monday!

Today receive 25% off all IGK patterns AND ebooks (this is the only time already discounted ebooks are included in the sale). NO COUPON NEEDED.



Reminder, my new design, Sorin is on sale for $5.00 through Dec. 7, but the additional After-Thanksgiving sale continues through today.



And since it is December, our new pattern of the month is Pont Neuf, which will be on sale for $4.75 the entire month. (so today take advantage of that extra discount!!)



But there are plenty of other places to do some knitterly shopping. MarlyBird has a great list with TONS of Cyber Monday deals.

A few highlights from that list....

Knitterella is offering 25% off all of her patterns (on ravelry) AND products in her shop with the coupon code BETHANKFUL  I stocked up on a few things, but especially these holiday gift tags for gifts.

Bare Naked Wools and Knitspot are offering a few discounts. My favorite though is that the previous Fall in Full Color Club ebooks and Bare Naked Wools Club ebooks are 50% off! They include up to 17 patterns each and are over 200 pages practically! I love the ebooks that I already have so completed my collection this weekend. They really are stunning and a steal for 50% off. A separate deal is Cyber Monday is free shipping with purchase of $75 or more.

Also, Jennie the Potter is having an update at 11am central time! Yay! And she's also doing a special collaboration with Miss Babs and that update will be at 12pm Eastern on Miss Babs site (double yay!).

Any other places I should spend my paypal money today??

As I mentioned, my weekend was filled with lots of family time and I have to say, I love being able to hang out with Magpie so much. She is definitely out of hat wearing practice. We had to take a gazillion pictures just to get these few of her wearing a mini-Sorin hat. Here are a few to make you smile.





Happy December! Let the holiday knitting continue!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits