52 Weeks of Happy (4/52)

Lots of happy this week, with it being birthday week and all.  But here are 4 simple ones...

•  Making Valentine cards with Lil' Snowboarder

•  Brussel sprout chips from a special night out....Delish!!

•  Checking things off the pattern writing list

• Puddy, and how she loves the camera sometimes

It has been great to read everyone else's happy moments too, whether in the comments or those who have started blogging their 52 weeks of happy (knitter friends here, here, and here).  If you are inspired, read more about it on little birdie. 

Wishing you all a very, very happy Valentine's Day!  I'm sending you guys big big hugs!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

TNNA: New Designs

I released quite a few new designs at TNNA, but two were brand spanking new and I haven't had a chance to do a proper blogpost on either.

Sleepy Hollow



This hat and fingerless gloves pattern was originally designed for Woolgirl's Classic Writers Knitting Club, for the Sleepy Hollow Kit.



I'm a bit partial to the slouchy hat to be honest.





These lovely photos were taken by Vivian Aubrey, a stunning photographer (and knitter!) out of Portland, OR.  She did an amazing job!! Thank you Vivian!





The yarn is The Plucky Knitter Primo fingering, in the colorway Ichabod.  It is heavenly!!  The color was just perfect for the kit, but I can't wait to see this set knit up in a bright, kicky spring color too, don't you think?

A haunted wood where deep in the night rides a headless horseman. A legendary superstition that permeates throughout the enchanted town of Sleepy Hollow. The dark and twisty pattern in this set of fingerless gloves and slouchy hat remind me of that wood, but you wouldn’t catch me walking about there in the middle of the night!

Pattern: Sleepy Hollow   on sale for $4.50 through Feb. 12, 2013!    

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

Suggested Yarns: ~180 (195) yards of fingering weight yarn for fingerless gloves and ~ 200 yards of fingering weight yarn for hat such as The Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, Sunshine Yarns Classic Sock, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock lightweight

Materials:

Size US 1 ½ (2.5mm) or size to obtain gauge either DPNs or circular needles

Size US 2 ½ (3.0mm) or size to obtain gauge either DPNs or circular needles

Stitch markers

Tapestry needle

Waste yarn

Gauge: 32 sts and 48 rows = 4” over st st for fingerless gloves and hat on smaller needles

            ~28 sts and 44 rows = 4” over st st for hat on larger needles     

Size:

one size fits most adults for hat

adult women’s medium (large) for fingerless gloves

The second design I released at Sample It! at TNNA and it was a hot seller!  Just one skein of fingering weight sock yarn makes this a quick knit too!

Here is Warwick.....





This project came down to the wire for me!  With a looming deadline, I realized my fabulous photographer and friends may not be available for photos by the time I finished knitting this.  And just as I was figuring this out, I saw a tweet from Jill that she was doing a photoshoot for a client.  Well, I emailed Jill and yes, she is now coordinating photoshoots for some of her clients.  Lucky me!!!

So yes, that familiar face in these photos is Knitterella herself!



 

Alisa from Divine Images Photography captured the shawl and Jill just perfectly!  I couldn't be happier with the photos!





The yarn is Knitted Wit's lovely Shine!  It really does Shine and I can't wait to use it again.  If you'll be at Stitches West in a few weeks, be sure to stop by and pick up some Shine.

Warwick

On sale for $5 through Feb. 15, 2013. 

This shawl was inspired by the trees in the backyard of my childhood home on Warwick Street. A deceptively simple, yet elegant design that requires just one skein of fingering weight yarn.   This is the third of six patterns in The Sullivan Family Collection (6 patterns for $18) 

Note: Instructions are written for a top-down shawlette.  Both charted and written instructions are provided for the lace edging.

Suggested Yarns: ~375 yards of fingering weight yarn such as Knitted Wit Shine, The Plucky Knitter Plucky Feet, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction, Anzula Squishy, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, Sincere Sheep Agleam

Materials:

·         Size US 7 (4.5mm) or size to obtain gauge, knitting needles

·         Stitch markers

·         Tapestry needle

·         Blocking pins

Gauge:  ~22-24 sts and 32 rows= 4” over st st before blocking

Finished measurements: 50” wide and 22” long at center points, after blocking

A very, very special thank you to Jill for all her help with coordinating the photoshoot, modeling, and as always, doing a fantastic job with the graphic designs and layout!  Thank you!! Be sure to contact Jill if you are interested in her services.

This weekend has been a bit about recovering from the busy past few weeks and a bit about celebrating!  My dad's birthday was yesterday (happy birthday Pa!) and mine is tomorrow.  And my sister's is next week!  Friday night my sister and I went to see Ed Sheeran in concert! LOVED HIM!!!!

Mom took us to brunch this morning and it was delish!!





Kate and I had the chicken and waffles! So yummy!



They even brought us birthday bread pudding! I was in heaven!!

I thought I'd do a little celebration for you guys too.  Here's a coupon for 20% off any individual pattern from Irish Girlie Knits Designs in my Ravelry Shop (excludes Sleepy Hollow Collection, but Warwick, Merrily Collection, Blackberry Brambles Hat and Cowl is included!).  Just enter:  birthday  from now through February 12, 2013!  Feel free to share the word!

Next post will be all about the fun new stuff I brought home from TNNA!!!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Anything fun?

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

52 Weeks of Happy (3/52)

So much happy this week, but here are 4 simple ones...

1. Road trips.

2. Girlfriends who love you through thick and thin, and get you sprite and crackers when you are sick (and tell you not to worry about the carbs....dear God, do you know how many carbs are in a regular sprite?!?!).

3. Baby cheeks. Cutie babies wearing hand knits (in this case, Naylor Street).  Thank you Erica for making my day last week with this picture!

4. New yarn.

OMG.  I'm in love with Anne Hanson's new yarn, Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend fingering.  I have the oatmeal colorway on the needles and the 40% alpaca is making this yarn so divine to knit with.  I heart it!

Happy just about Friday!  What is making you happy this week?

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

TNNA: The People

Part of the fun part of TNNA is hanging out and meeting people who love the fiber arts industry as much as I do! I was a bit disappointed that I was horribly sick with food poisoning or some stomach bug on Saturday, the first day of the show, and I couldn't hang out with anyone.  Well, except for SnBLeslie, who was also horribly sick. So Sunday and Monday I tried to make up for lost time and catch up with everyone!



At the Deep South Fibers Booth, I met Megan and Julie from Creative Bug.  I can't wait to tell you more about Creative Bug (future blog post!)!  You can go take a quick peek if you must.  Beware, you're going to be inspired to be creative!  I know I was.....guess what I'll be doing this weekend.



I was able to say hi to Maridee and Barbra from Yarnover Truck and congratulate them on their new venture! If you haven't heard of them, check them out. At our knit nites, we are always wishing there was a yarn truck, similar to the food trucks that have become so popular.  I hope they do a Northern California road trip eventually!



The best part of having my own booth this year was meeting yarn store owners.  So exciting to hear which patterns of mine they like, what their customers are wanting more of, and planning ways to support each other's business (e.g., trunk shows, teaching classes).  I met Nancy from Noble Knits.  Her online yarn store is fabulous and carries many IGK patterns (and free shipping too!).



Then there are the knitting designers.  I never ever imagined this path that I'm on and I'm trying to soak up so much knowledge from the designers I've looked up!  I met Michelle from Fickle Knitter Designs two years ago at my first TNNA.  She was so helpful then and has continued to be since.  It is so exciting to see how her business has grown.  Check out all the lovely shawls!



Jen, from Knitting Like Crazy, and I were able to hang out a lot this weekend.  She was at TNNA to promote her new book release, Sock-Yarn Shawls . I'm so excited for her!  Congratulations Jen!!



Pretty awesome to see her signing her new books!



Miriam Felton, an uber-talented designer and Craftsy teacher (love love loved her class!), and Sabrina, from Anzula Yarns, were having fun going over yarn for new designs!  I love Sabrina's yarn and you'll be seeing a few more IGK patterns in her gorgeous yarns.  I did finish a sample of Lilianna in Anzula Cricket.  Such a quick knit!  I now have the yarn for the little boy version....coming soon!



Now, I don't know if you have taken a Craftsy class or another online class, but if you are like me, you feel like you know the teacher after seeing videos of them.  So, when I saw Laura Nelkin, I forgot that she really didn't quite know me (ha! at least we are friends on twitter, but still).  It was great to gush over her class too! 



And she just finished filming another one, so keep your eye out for that.

Such a busy few days! And these were just the people I remembered to take my phone out to take pictures of!  Next post....the stuff!  So much stuff!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Not sure where to start

The last few days were a whirlwind at The National NeedleArts Association Winter Trade Show.  It was an awesome weekend and I'm so glad I decided to have my first booth!  I have so much to share with you guys, but since I'm still processing and catching up, I thought I'd shared just a quick picture or two.

First, a big thank you to Donna and Linda, from Deep South Fibers, my wholesale distributor!  Without their support, this wouldn't be happening!!





And the IGK team for the weekend, the best knitting friends a girl could hope for!  Thank you so much!

 

This is us at the end of the show, ready to hit the road before the LA traffic hit!  Cupcakefaerie already blogged a bit....go check out the cool new things she saw at TNNA!

We got in late last night at 10pm, but these two were happy to see me!

I also released two new designs over the weekend.  I promised proper blog posts, and I still promise, but for now, how about some extra photos?!  

Sleepy Hollow

A hat and fingerless gloves set, using fingering weight yarn, on sale for $4.50!    

Warwick

Modeled by the lovely Jill Zielinski, aka Knitterella (while you are on her blog, check out her awesome new Gradient design!), with photography by Alisa Divine Deshano of Divine Images Photography.  

I can't wait to show you more pictures and tell you more about Warwick, but it is available now, and on sale for $5!    

So much more to tell you!  I'll have plenty to blog about in the new few weeks!!  

Best thing about TNNA was being inspired and motivated to get started on new designs!  

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

 

TNNA Prep!

Today was set up day at TNNA and I'm having my own Irish Girlie Knits Designs booth as part of Deep South Fibers, my wholesale distributor.  I think the booth looks great considering it is my first show.   Here's a peek..







I'll try to take some better pictures tomorrow.  Guess who forgot her camera at home?!! Yeap.  Fortunately my friends are here with me, so hopefully they'll get some nicer ones.

After booth set up, we had lunch by the water....



Then it was time for Sample It! This is the only time where yarn store owners can actually buy the new products and take them home this weekend....the rest of the weekend will be for placing orders.  My new design, Warwick, debuted at Knitted Wit's booth.  Lorajean, the dyer behind Knitted Wit, had awesome colors and most were gone by the end!





I'm hoping to have Warwick for sale tomorrow night....ran out of time tonight!  UPDATE:  Warwick is on sale and available now!


If you are here for TNNA, be sure to come see me in Booth #566!  Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend! I can't wait to see all the new stuff for spring at the show tomorrow!

Happy Friday!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits