Granlibakken

Mondays after a long weekend are always tough.  So let's make it a bit better with a new pattern release!

I love this new design for a number of reasons, but mostly because it was knit on vacation back in October while I was tucked inside a warm cabin and fire place while it snowed and snowed and snowed outside.



We stayed at Granlibakken in Lake Tahoe, and so this pattern was name.

Introducing Granlibakken  





Designed with the lovely Studio June Yarns Springy Sport, this crescent shaped shawl will knit up quickly.  This yarn is so sproingy and soft I thought it had a bit of cashmere in it, although it is just a lovely merino wool.



I do love the picot edge on this design too!  I think it gives this shawl a little something extra.  I also think this would be a fun design to do in two colorways, don't you?





And how perfect to travel with a gorgeous model (SnBLeslie), a photographer (cheekyattitude), and a stylist (cupcakefaerie)!  I am so blessed to have the best knitting friends ever!!  Of course, that doesn't stop me from saying, "Hey Mr. Fireman, can she take a picture with you?!"



I do need to thank the rest of my village who helped this pattern come to be.  Celia was a fabulous test knitter, despite the stress of knitting while the Giants were in the World Series!  Jill, the indie dyer behind Studio June Yarn, and I have been collaborating about this project for a few months.  Thank you for the yarn support Jill!  And special thanks to Jill, my awesome graphic designer, for another wonderful pattern layout.  From rushed deadlines to photoediting photos to helping with my Ravelry Ads, I could not do this job without Jill! Thank you!!

Granlibakken is a Norwegian name meaning a hill sheltered by trees. It is also the lovely Lake Tahoe winter resort where this shawl was knit and designed during the first snowfall of the year. This crescent-shaped shawl provides that extra warmth for those chilly evenings.

Finished measurements:  64” wide and 15” long at center point, after blocking

Suggested Yarns: ~540 yards heavy sport weight yarn such as Studio June Yarn Springy Sport

Materials:

·         Size US 6 (4.0 mm) or size to obtain gauge, knitting needles

·         Tapestry needle

·         Blocking pins and/or blocking wire

Gauge:  24 sts and 32 rows= 4” over st st before blocking

Notes: Instructions are written for a top-down shawl.  Both charted and written instructions are provided for the lace pattern. 

And since today is the last day of my Thanksgiving Sale, now is the perfect time to buy this pattern.  Granlibakken, as well as all the other Irish Girlie Knits Designs individual patterns and collections, are 25% off, no coupon necessary! 

Plus, take advantage of Studio June's Cyber Monday sale and purchase the yarn for the pattern.  Receive 25% off when you enter code GIVETHANKS at checkout- through Midnight EST on Monday.



Happy Monday!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

More Knitting

I love long weekends, especially when I don't really need to go anywhere.  It makes cleaning not so bad when you have a  few days off.  It allows time for blogging and knitting and adding projects to Ravelry!  Like this Naylor Street hat.  I finished it this summer and I'm just now getting around to adding it to ravelry.  My sis was kind enough to model it for me at Thanksgiving dinner.







 Yarn: Madelinetosh Vintage, colorway Fragrant

I've been working on my Cotty mitts this weekend while enjoying tea out of my new Jennie the Potter mug.  One done in STR mediumweight and the other in progress in Plucky Knitter Primo Worsted.



I resisted the Black Friday sales yesterday.  I was tempted by some of the yarn store ones, but who am I kidding.  I still have lots of yarn!  And upon cleaning, found a few more skeins that I haven't put away yet.





I can't wait to try the new Plucky Knitter Bulky yarn.



I fell in love with Studio June's Springy Sport when designing Granlibakken.  I think either of these would make lovely Naylor St. hats, but I'm thinking of using them together.  We'll see.  FYI, Studio June extended her Black Friday sale through Cyber Monday.  Receive 25% off when you enter code GIVETHANKS at checkout.  You'll need 2 skeins of Spring Sport for the design...order now and you can be ready to cast on when the pattern is released next Wednesday!

Another finished project was my Go Giants World Series Cowl!  When we were at SOAR, I knew I wanted to knit an orange cowl during the World Series and fell in love with Floating, a 70% Superfine Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% cashmere fingering weight yarn, from A Verb for Keeping Warm.  It is a little bit of heaven and the Thai Iced Tea colorway was just perfect!   I doubled it and make a Comfort Food cowl.





Don't forget my Irish Girlie Knits Designs After-Thanksgiving Holiday sale is still going through Monday, Nov. 26!  Receive 25% off any of my patterns or collections...no coupon necessary!



Please feel free to add any other holiday sales that your favorite etsy or yarn dyers are having in the comments :)  And if you are looking for gifts for the knitters in your life, definitely check out Kate from Hello Knitty's gift guide for knitters.  It covers just about everything!

The rest of my weekend is going to include some baking, knitting, catching up on my grad school class (ugh!), working out, and most importantly, watching the Fightin' Irish beat USC!!!  Go Irish!!  Really hoping to keep that #1 ranking!!!  We haven't been number one since I was a sophomore at Notre Dame!

What are you guys up to?  Hope you have a lovely weekend!!

GO IRISH!!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Summer of Socks!

Over in our Irish Girlie Knits Group on Ravelry, we are having an unofficial IGK Summer of Socks knitalong.  And believe it or not, I finally have a finished pair of socks!!  My BFF is going to be so happy to be getting her birthday socks....even if it is a few weeks late!

My Cotty socks, in The Plucky Knitter 80/20 Superwash Merino Nylon sock yarn.





It seems like forever since I have finished a pair of socks, but actually, I did finish a new sock design back in June for Knitted Wit's and Sincere Sheep's Among Friends Yarn Club.  And I can now release it for sale!

Here is Candy Necklace  

When you have fun, sassy variegated yarns, you need a design that allows those colors to shine.  This pattern does just that.  Plus, the easy-to-memorize lace that travels the length of the sock almost reminds me a bit of those fun Candy Necklaces that we wore with our friends as children.  I know Knitted Wit’s sweet, candy-colored yarn sure does too!

Pattern: Candy Necklace

Notes: Instructions are written for a cuff-down sock. Charts are provided on the last page.

Suggested Yarns: 340-400 yards of light fingering weight yarn such as Knitted Wit Superwash BFL, Sincere Sheep Keen

Materials:

Size US 1.0 (2.25mm) or size to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles

Stitch markers

Tapesty needle

Gauge: 38 stitches and 54 rows = 4” over st st

Size: adult women’s Small (Medium, Large)

Finished measurements: 6 ¾ (7 ¾, 8 ¾)" foot circumference;  6” leg length

Since the summer is a perfect time to knit socks, I'm offering a special introductory price of $4.00 on the pattern until July 16, 2012!  No coupon needed! 
 

At TNNA last month, my other new sock design, Alpine Lake Socks, was released by Kollage Yarns. 





I designed these back in December when I designed the Alpine Lake Cowl- I loved the pattern so much I knit the cowl too!



The stitch pattern is perfect for solid or variegated yarns, and is also a great unisex pattern!  I actually knit dad a pair out of STR heavyweight (using the small size of the pattern with the heavier yarn) back in December as well.  I'll have to get a picture of those soon!

Size: Adult Small (Medium, Large)

Finished measurements: 6 ¼ (7 ½, 8 ¾)" foot circumference; 5 ¾ (5 ¾, 5 ¼)” approximate leg length

Materials:

·         1 (1, 2) skein(s) Kolláge Yarns Sock-a-licious, 70% merino, 20% nylon, 10% silk, 354 yds/100 g skein; Shown in color Sangria

·         Size US 2 (2.75 mm) or size to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles

·         Stitch Markers

·         Tapestry needle

Gauge: 32 sts and 40 rows= 4” over st st

Pattern Notes: Instructions are written for a cuff-down sock. Charts are provided on the last page.  Written for Small size with instructions for (Medium, Large) sizes given in parentheses if different.

The lovely photos were taken by my awesome photographer, Tricia Soto (aka Cheekyattitude), and cupcakefaerie makes a great model too!

Both the Alpine Lake Socks and the Alpine Lake Cowl are available now either online or through your LYS that carries Kollage Yarns!

Now that my sock needles are free, I need to figure out what I want to cast on next.  I even have new sock yarn tempting me.


Studio June Yarn Eight Bells, colorway Crocus   



The colorway is just perfect!  I love it, but to be honest, I can't decide if it wants to be socks or a shawlette of some sort.  I've been thinking of Blackberry Brambles Shawl for quite some time...hmmmmm

While most of the country has been having record heat waves, we've had a nice warm summer so far.  The beach was 75 degrees last week!  Although it is supposed to get into the 90s in the next few days...eek!  I do know that the doggies love their morning sun spot.



Happy Summer!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits