Finally

I think I'm finally starting to feel like my self again. I hope I don't jinx that, but to be honest, I say that things are getting back to normal a bit while at the same time I had two days this week where I felt pretty crappy (e.g., headaches, pain). So why does it seem like things are getting back to how they were? A few reasons....

For one, last weekend my bestest-friend-in-the-whole-wide-world was home to celebrate her 40th birthday. When she was home at Christmas, I wasn't able to see her because I was so tired/sick to make the 45-minute drive on my own. This weekend I felt good and when Lil' Snowboarder asked if we could spend the night, a couple hours at a party turned into an all day and into the next party, and I felt great. Decadent to relax with family and friends that have known me since I was 6 years old.

Another reason....I finished knitting something! Normally, that's not something I'd get over-the-moon excited for, but lately, the knitting just hasn't been there.



Shhhh!! Don't tell Anne I haven't blocked the lovely hat yet. The Polartorte hat is actually a quick knit if you, um....knit it. I also went to knit night three weeks in a row, so I think that helped. It has probably been over a year?! that I've been to that many consecutive knit nights. That alone is so good for the soul.



I can't wait to block this hat this weekend and see how the yarn, Bare Naked Wools Stone Soup DK, blooms. I loved knitting with this yarn and can't wait to use it again.

Speaking of finishing things, I also released a new pattern this week, Miles to Go (which would look fabulous in Bare Naked Wools Stone Soup DK). This hat was originally designed for Woolgirl's Robert Frost Kit for the Poets Club. I will sooooo miss Jen's lovely kits, but am so happy for her to take time for herself.





The woods are lovely, dark and deep.   
But I have promises to keep,   
And miles to go before I sleep,   
And miles to go before I sleep.



The last stanza of Robert Frost’s Stopping By Woods on A Snowy Evening poem inspired this slouchy, warm hat. The featured cables and leaves panel reminds me of those snowy woods, dark and deep.




Shown above in Oink Pigments DK, a lovely, squishy yarn



I just love the photos Jill took.....a perfect hat to wear on a walk through the woods.



When I came home from Stitches West, I cast on this lovely skein of Plucky Knitter Bello Worsted shown above and was smitten. I just love love love that yarn! And it is perfect for the slouchy style of this hat.

Miles to Go     

Notes: Instructions are written for a hat that is worked in the round.  The hat is sized for a slightly slouchy fit.  Charts are provided on the last page.

Suggested Yarns: ~180 yards of Plucky Knitter Bello Worsted, Oink Pigments DK, Anzula Cricket, Bare Naked Wools Stone Soup DK

Materials:
Size US 6 (4.0 mm) or size to obtain gauge either DPNs or circular needles
Size US 5 (3.75 mm) or one size smaller than used to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles
Cable needle
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Gauge: ~22 sts and 34 rows = 4” over st st for hat on larger needles    

Size: one size fits most adults for hat
                                     
Sizing Modifications: The ribbing on the trim of the hat provides a lot of stretch and accommodates most head sizes.  However, if you would like to make the hat smaller or larger, it is recommended to make these modifications by working fewer (e.g., for smaller hat) or more (e.g., for larger hat) repeats of the ribbing section in multiples of 4 sts. Then incorporate or remove those stitches in the stockinette portion of the body of the hat. You can also modify the slouch of the hat by making the hat longer (e.g., for more slouch) or shorter (e.g., for less slouch).

Finished measurements:  8 1/4” unstretched (up to 10” streteched) width, 9 1/2” length  for hat



The pattern is on sale for $4.50 through the end of the month. BUT if you use the coupon code: summer   you'll receive an extra 30% off of that (so it'll be just $3.15).

And one more reason why I know I'm feeling better.....



I've been swatching (the colors above definitely are too wonky for the final pattern, but I was trying different things out, hence...black and white). I think tonight I may even cast on a new design......

So there you go. A lot of good, everyday things that help me now I'm going in the right direction. I just feel like summer is going to be great!

Any fun plans for your weekend? I hope so. Here's to a happy weekend!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Queen Alice

Happy Weekend! My sister and I are up for a long weekend visit with Mimi in Reno, which means lots of relaxing and knitting!  And hopefully seeing Harry Potter tomorrow as well!

I promised another reformatted pattern and here it is....

Queen Alice

Queen Alice was originally designed for Woolgirl's Alice in Wonderland Sock Club.


As Alice's story begins in a daisy field, so too does this sock pattern.  The cuff is made up of daisy stitches, and from here, the sock tumbles down the rabbit-hole, comprised of cables.


But in Wonderland, everything is a bit different. And with these socks, the front and back are both a bit different too!


Enjoy the journey!


I've been wanting to have these socks knit up in a solid color, such as this lovely Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! I've had the colorway Adonis Butterfly set aside for awhile!  I have to thank Jana for doing such an awesome job knitting these up so that I could have the pattern reformatted!  Thank you Jana!


Another thank you to my mom for being an awesome sock model!! Thanks mom for being so patient with me and the gazillion photos!


Now, we may not have had a white rabbit available for the photo shoot, but my mom's dog Maddie was quite happy to take part!



Isn't she a sweetie?!

Queen Alice  

Notes: Instructions are written for a cuff-down sock.  Sizes are provided for either a sport weight yarn or a fingering weight yarn.  Charts are provided on the last page.

Suggested Yarns: ~ 350 yards of sport weight sock yarn such as The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga, BMFA Socks that Rock mediumweight, Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sport, Dashing Dachs Sport Weight Sock

~ 385-400 yards of fingering weight sock yarn such as The Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga, The Plucky Knitter Primo MCN 75/20/5, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, Wollmeise 100% Merino Superwash, Dashing Dachs Fingering Weight Sock

Materials:

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

Size US 1 (2.25mm) or size to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles for fingering size

Stitch markers

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Gauge:  32 sts = 4” over st st for sport size

               40 sts = 4” over st st for fingering size

Size:  adult women’s average/medium

Finished measurements:  6½ ” foot circumference, unstretched; up to 8½” stretched; 6” approximate leg length for sport size; 6¼ ” approximate leg length for fingering size

I'm also offering a special pricing of $4.50 until Monday, July 18! 

I want to thank Jill for doing a fabulous job with the pattern reformatting! She really makes this easy and I hope to have most of all of my patterns reformatted in the next month or two! 

Speaking of Jill, her website has a fresh new look!  Go check it out.  And she also just finished knitting her Summer Wind.  She looks fabulous in it, don't you think?   

Now back to my secret sock summit knitting! I hope to show you pictures of that soon!  9 more sleeps til I leave!

What are you guys up to this weekend?


Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Love Letters

Back in December I designed a sock for Woolgirl's Love Letters themed sock club kit.  I was paired with the lovely Miss Babs who dyed a gorgeous colorway.  I'm so excited to be able to release this design now for sale to the public.  Introducing....

Love Letters

Ever thine, Ever mine, Ever Ours.

A love letter.  Romantic, passionate, simple, expressive.

These socks feature alternating cables that remind me of the calligraphy scrolls I envision on Beethoven's love letter to his Immortal Beloved.

The hearts, though together at the cuff, travel down one single side of each sock.  Two individual socks that come together as one pair.  A bit like love.

Now that is what I call a dead sexy heel!

A special thanks to Disco for sample knitting this pair for me! I wanted to reformat the pattern and take new pictures and she helped make that possible!! Thank you!!  And my sister did an excellent job modeling the socks too! Thanks sis!  Again, a thank you to Jill for doing a fabulous with the graphic work for my pattern!

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

Suggested Yarns: ~385 yards of fingering weight sock yarn such as Miss Babs Yummy Superwash Sock, The Plucky Knitter Primo MCN, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, A Verb for Keeping Warm Creating, Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock, BMFA Socks that Rock lightweight

Materials: Size US 1 (2.25mm) or size to obtain gauge, either DPNs or circular needles, cable needle, stitch markers, tapestry needle

Gauge:  36 stitches and 48 rows = 4” over st st

Size: adult women’s medium

Finished measurements:  7 3/4” foot circumference,  6” approximate leg length

I'm offering a special introductory 20% off this pattern from now until July 5, with the coupon code: happy4th

Affectionately yours,
Irishgirlieknits
xoxo

A Bit of Catch-Up!

What a busy few weeks this has been?!  Let's catch-up a bit, shall we?

1. Did you watch the Royal Wedding?  I did.  Loved it.  Love, love, loved it.

2. Have you seen Woolgirl's April Sock Club Kit yet?  If you don't want to be spoiled, look away around #5.

3. Sock Summit registration begins on Wednesday, May 4!!  I'm hoping to maybe get a class or two, in addition to my own!!!!!

4.  I drove Mimi back home to Reno this weekend.  Not such a fun drive when I have a horrible migraine/sinus headache.  So I treated myself today to a trip to Jimmy Beans Wool.  Love that store, but really try not to stop at it every time I'm in Reno. I don't need yarn, remember.  But, in honor of Madelinetosh May, I bought a little something today.




Two skeins of Madelinetosh Prairie in colorway Cove

5. Woolgirl's April Sock Club shipment arrived earlier this week and I heart everything about it!

Two awesome patterns, and yes, I may be biased because one of them is mine!  When Woolgirl asked me to design something for her Favorite Things/Raindrops on Roses themed kit, I jumped at the chance.  Especially when she told me about the yarn!  I absolutely loved knitting with Stricken Smitten's yarn....the color is just stunning!

Raindrops on Roses Shawlette, by Irishgirlieknits

feel free to favorite it, but it won't be available to the public until June 2012!  But you might be able to score one in the Woolgirl's Sock Club Forum on Ravelry here

6. Podcasts.  I've finally discovered the joy of knitting podcasts.  Don't ask me what took so long?!  Current faves include FiberBeat, Knitmore Girls, SavvyGirls.....any others you'd recommend?

7.  You know that sneak peek I showed you the other day?  I'm so excited to share it with you this week.  Miss Babs will be selling the pattern in her shop at Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival next weekend!  This will be the first (of hopefully many more!) pattern that I will be wholesaling and I thought a bit of a professional pattern layout was needed.  Knitterella to the rescue!  I'll tell you more about the pattern in my next post, but today, I have to share a picture of the new pattern layout.

I love it!  Working with Jill has made my designing job so much easier!  We will gradually be moving many of my patterns over to this new layout as I hope to start expanding my wholesale accounts!

8.  I have barely knit a stitch this week!  Tends to happen when I finish a new design.  I have another design in the works, just haven't cast on yet.  So let me live vicariously through you guys for a moment....what are you knitting?  What project can you just not put down?  Do tell :)

Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happy Easter!

Wishing you all a fabulous day!

From Bailey,

Puddles, 

 and CutiePatootie!!  My bestest friend in the whole wide world's 6-month baby boy!

Auntie IGK hasn't done the best job when it comes to the knitting, but when he sends me a text saying, "Auntie IGK, my head is 17" around.  Love, CutiePatootie,"  well, let's just say I got my needles moving!

 I think he looks pretty darn cute in his new bunny hat!

 I didn't even realize how perfectly it would match the vest I made for him!

And the Easter Bunny brought me something special too!
(warning: Spoiler Alert for Woolgirl's Victorian Writer's Club)

Swoon! Swoon! Swoon!  The theme was Little Women, one of my favorite books, and once again, Woolgirl has done an amazing job!  The gorgeous yarn is from The Plucky Knitter (you all know I love Sarah's yarns!!) and the stunning pattern is by Sivia Harding. 

Such a fabulous Easter bunny gift!  Thank you Woolgirl!!

Happy, happy Easter!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Queen Alice

Alice in Wonderland premieres today! I don't think I'll see it opening weekend, but it looks fabulous and I can't wait to see it!

Perfect timing for Woolgirl to send out the first shipment of her Alice in Wonderland Themed Sock Club. Who of course to start with than Alice herself?

Warning: Woolgirl Alice in Wonderland Sock Club Spoilers Ahead




I just love this kit! The Alice Journal, the adorable project bag, the wee Alice stitch marker...



the yummy yarn from Dashing Dachs, and look at that pattern! Yay! I can finally show you the socks that I designed for this kit! I'll admit I was a bit nervous to design for a particular "theme" but I think I worked it out!



The socks begin with the daisy stitch, just as Alice's journey began in a field of daisies. And then she tumbles down the cable-filled rabbit hole!



Meet Queen Alice. The pattern is exclusive to Woolgirl for the next six months, but then will be released to the public (hey, probably right in time for the DVD release!)!



I was a bit sad to send these socks off to Woolgirl, but now that I have my kit, I can't wait to cast on!

Happy Friday! May it be filled with a bit of Wonder!
xoxo IrishgirlieKnits