My Newest Happiest Place on Earth :)

My view for the weekend!

Happy Knitting!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Only a few people....

BMFA Barn Sale, November '07, chill out people, this is an old photo....hehehe...and obviously not all mine...hehehehehe

This is one of my favorite pictures of Christy! Now that is a best friend....someone who gets up early on a Saturday morning and drives 50 minutes or so with her friend to a "barn sale" for sock yarn and then stands guard over the pile of yarn while said friend continues to shop (who me? str? sale? shop? blushes) That is Christy in a nutshell. All with a smile on her face! In all fairness, I did wear the pink bridesmaid dress way back when and helped her bustle and unbustle her dress when needed :) so you know, it all works out.

So when I've just finished working on a scarf (thank you all for your compliments!!), and like some of you, sometimes I get sick of the scarf knitting (its typically got to be with really really pretty yarn to keep me engaged!). So when someone asks me to knit them something, on a deadline no less, well....let's just say I think long and hard about if I really want to. And if the requested handknit item is something that I once knit, and SWORE I would never knit again (granted that was five years ago when I was a newish knitter and said project took forever, but still), I really think long and hard.

There are only a few people, Christy being one of them, for whom I would knit this item for. Actually its for her cutie daughter whose having a "theme" birthday party in less than two weeks (eek!). Oh, and what am I knitting by the way....

Yeap. The neverending scarf (knit in the round, so really its two scarves, or lots and lots of hats!). Thank goodness I'm knitting the child size instead of Rowan's. I'm at 5 stripes out of 19. I so can finish this by next Monday or Tuesday (but poor Lil' Guy, I may never want to knit him one...well, as CupcakeFaerie pointed out tonight, maybe in five or six years when he's old enough to appreciate it I'll be ready to knit it again). I pray HotMama's kids don't ask for one soon!

No worries Christy! You are worth every stitch!! I just wish I could hand deliver the scarf! But I think this has earned me another visit up to Portland!! Hugs!!!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

That Something Special that Rocks!

Aubergine

That gorgeous skein of STR Eggplanted (heavyweight, of course) that I picked out at camp needed a very special pattern.

Pattern: Aubergine (ravelry link)by IrishgirlieKnits

Yarn: BMFA Socks that Rock heavyweight, colorway Eggplanted (1 skein)

Needles: Size 8

Gauge: ~5 1/2 stitches/inch in pattern

Length: 5 1/2" x 70" (after blocking)

KEY

sl 1: slip 1 stitch

k: knit

p: purl

p2tog: purl 2 stitches together

FC: faux cable that creates a new stitch (I've done my best to explain this stitch both in words and pictures below); to complete the "faux cable," slip the right hand needle between the 2nd and 3rd stitches on the left needle and make a yarn over (you are essentially creating a new stitch, see picture a. below); pull the new stitch through and you have a new stitch on the right needle (see picture b. below); now knit stitches 1 and 2 on the left hand needle as normal, you have three stitches now on the right hand needle (see picture c. below).

a. b. c.

This pattern is a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2 stitches (1 slipped stitch at each end). The pattern can easily be modified in width (if you want to try to avoid pooling, try changing stitch count or needle size/gauge) or used with thicker or thinner yarns (see below).

Instructions:

Cast on 34 stitches (I used the German twisted long-tail cast on. My attempt to prevent curling. Seemed to work, not sure if it was necessary or not. I had just learned it at camp and wanted to try it!).

Row 1: Sl 1, k all

Row 2: Sl 1, p all

Row 3: Sl 1, *FC, k 2 * (repeat * * until last stitch), k1

Row 4: Sl 1, *p 3, p2tog * (repeat * * until last stitch), p 1

Row 5: Sl 1, *k 2, FC* (repeat * * until last stitch), k1

Row 6: Sl 1, p 1, p2tog, *p 3, p2tog* (repeat * * until last 3 stitches), p 3

Repeat rows 3-6 until desired length

Finish with a one row knit, one row purl, and then bind off. Please let me know if you have any questions or find any errors. Thanks!

credits: The "faux cable" stitch pattern appears in a Japanese reference moyouhen 500 boubariami moyoubetsu ketteiban.

I love the potential of this stitch pattern. It works so well with my favorite yarn and I love how changing the stitch count can easily change the look of this scarf. I wanted to show you my original gauge swatch (I know, I know...I swatched for a scarf?!!?!). Its in January One and had fewer stitches and at least from first go, didn't look like this colorway was going to pool quite the way Eggplanted did. Goes to show you what a few stitches can do, huh? I also was playing around with needle size here too (first part on size 8, ended with size 7).

I also did a mini-swatch in mediumweight STR and I was loving it, but the neverending chevron scarf came to mind, and I stopped. I was craving immediate gratification, but someday, maybe in mediumweight this would be pretty.

And tonight.... I cast on this. Just to see.....

MMMMMalabrigo.....

Happy Knitting!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Lucky Me!

A few weeks ago I won a contest Nathania was having over at Purls Beyond Price! I stopped by Purlescence today to do some knitting (okay, and a little shopping, but I'll show those pics later) and Nathania gave me my prize. She spoiled me thoroughly!!

Inside that pretty Della Q bag....

A little bit of sock yarn heaven! Trekking XXL, Lisa Souza Sock yarn, STR... and do you see that sock pattern!! Its a new pattern by Nathania Apple (so new its not even in Ravelry yet....they are selling it at the store though) that uses STR!! Nathania was worried about finding a color of STR that I didn't have (I told her I would love any color, even if I already had it).

But guess what???

I don't have Fire on the Mountain! Isn't it gorgeous! Why didn't I have it?? I love it!!

What a prize!! Thank you thank you Nathania :)

Happy Weekend!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Is it Friday yet?

Cause we're pooped.

Happy almost Friday!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

2 for 2

Pattern: Leafling by JC Briar

Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight, colorway Lucky

Needles: US 2, (2.75mm)

Size: small

Fit: Perfect!

Can't believe I've finished both of my Rockin' Sock Club socks so far this year (let's not talk about last year, okay). And just in time for our next shipment! Thank goodness for long plane rides. I really liked the construction of these socks (based on Cat Bordhi's new sock architectures) and they fit perfectly!! Yay!! Plus, they will always be my "lucky" socks because they arrived right in time for me to find out I'd be able to go to sock camp!!

Can you believe I only have one pair of socks on the needles?! I was stressing a bit with three on the needles...phew! Two is the max for me I think, if I can help it!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

French Quarter balconies

Beignets at Cafe du Monde

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Something special that rocks

Let the good times roll!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Enamored

enamored: to inspire with love; captivate

I've fallen head over heels for my new sock.

I started it late Sunday night and haven't put it down since. Yes, I love the yarn (Socks that Rock, lightweight, color Blue Moonstone).

But I think its the pattern that I love. It is my most complicated sock pattern to date, but its moving right along!! The pattern is Trickle by the very talented Nathania Apple. I've had the pattern for awhile but when I saw the new BMFA ad in Interweave Knits featuring the sock it gave me a reminder to start it. I was good and resisted ordering Mochaberry to knit it out of and used some stash yarn! But when this is done, I'm soooooo rewarding myself with some Mochaberry!

We'll see how much progress I make on these on my quick work trip to New Orleans this weekend!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happy Spring!

I hate when they fit perfectly. And almost stripe matchy-matchy perfect.

Actually, I only hate it when they aren't for me!

But I know mom will like them for Mother's Day! Oh well.

Pattern: Ampersand

Yarn: BMFA, Socks that Rock, mediumweight, coloway Freckles

Puddles followed me out for the photo shoot. She loves when its windy!

"What?!"

There was no way Bailey was getting off dad's lap to go outside!

Happy Mother's Day!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The Goods

As promised....

Malabrigo 100% Organic Cotton

Love love love. I bought it from Imagiknit's booth at the Maker Faire. All the colors were lovely. Tapmouse helped me pick these two colorways to make a little baby something for the many babies I'll be knitting for soon!

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, colorway Parry Hotter

I couldn't resist this colorway, exclusive to Noe Knit. I figure if times get tough, I'll just knit the socks and sell them to my sister :) hehehe

Le Cerf, 100% English wool

These last three skeins though are probably my favorite, and not just because they were free :) Last week was quite a hectic work week and Snowboarder surprised me with these three pretties Monday night! He had picked them up for me over the weekend just because! He's got good taste in yarn that guy :)

Now I think its time for some Stashbusting!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

ETA: Rosie was on the Yarn Harlot's blog today!! Hmmm....maybe I should make a celebratory STR purchase??!!! Just teasing! Kinda

My Favorite Ones So Far...

The Monkey KawKaw socks are complete!! I already wore them today!

Today was a good day :)

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The Maker Faire?!!?!

The Yarn Harlot at the Maker Faire

Look! She's holding Monkey kawkaw!

I was so excited to see Elizabeth again and meet her son Nathan! Isn't he a cutie! We both brought our funky sock monkeys to say hi to Stephanie!

Cpurl and I got to say hi (she has some great pics of the Faire on her blog!)!! We took this photo as evidence for Zonda!

Rosie and Louie (Tapmouse's monkey!) had a great time today! This is a cupcake mobile (crazy, huh? We thought of you Terry!).

Seriously, the Maker Faire is a bit different? A big geeky science fair, with yarn thrown in??!

These guys were there too. 104 2liters of Diet Coke and 600+ mentos create this!

Overall, a great day! I even bought a teensy weensy bit of yarn...details to follow!

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Still Monkeyin' Around!

Monkey Sock #1 done. Still loving that colorway (which you can all get now!),

Socks that Rock, lightweight, KawKaw

And sock #2 is already started and will be saying hi to the Yarn Harlot tomorrow!

Happy Weekend!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits