Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It's a toe-tapping, soda bread eating kinda day!



Check out those sweaters. And listen to that brogue. Oh, it makes my heart smile. We will definitely be listening to the Clancy Brothers today.



And watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People.



Of course, I've made sure my knitting is appropriate...cables...and a lovely handmade Irish stitch marker from ReneeAnneKnits! Thanks dear! Love it.



And Irish soda bread. OMG. Best part about this bread is I discovered it at a LOCAL San Mateo bakery (Cake Creations) and they make it year round, and dad loves it! Not as good as my sister's, but pretty darn close!

Friday we'll celebrate with the munchkins....they are growing fast!


Emmypie


Magpie

And let's not forget it's also time for our annual Irish Girlie Knits BOGO free pattern sale!

Here are the details everyone...
March 17-18

BOGO Free! with the coupon code: LUCKY

Buy one pattern, get one free (lesser priced pattern will be free; Merrily and Sleepy Hollow Collections included, but other ebook collections excluded)!

Only includes patterns published by Irish Girlie Knits Designs in my Ravelry shop here.

Discount can be used more than once, but patterns must be bought in multiples of 2 (e.g., 2, 4, 6…). Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Feel free to share this info with your friends or any appropriate groups on Ravelry. The more the merrier!



I'll be wearing my Ring of Kerry today!



Be sure to check back tomorrow! We'll have a special guest post from Erica!

What are you all enjoying today and this weekend? Aren't we all a little Irish today?
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I Knit a Hat.

And a few other things I think I need to catch you all up on. Where has the time gone?!

First. The hat. Plucky Knitter designed the perfect hat to watch Netflix subtitled Mystery Series to (note: I loved Dicte and Witnesses). Meet the Conversationalist Hat. Modeled by not so little snowboarder, but I pretty much have worn it every rainy day we've had!





The gray definitely makes my blue eyes pop! It seems to do the trick for Emmypie's blue eyes too!



At the beginning of January I went to TNNA in San Diego. I debuted a new design there, Cobh, in Anzula's lovely fingering and DK yarns. I love this design....it's basically a Summer Wind shawl and perfect for playing with color.




Sabrina and Charlie, the lovely ladies from Anzula, and my shawl at Sample It





And our holidays were all about making memories, as they should be. I sure do hope you all had a lovely holiday and new year with your families too. Despite my absence here and ravelry, I've tried to keep up on Facebook and instagram and it looks like most of you have been busy too!


Because I LOVE this picture.









And sweet baby Emmypie looked like a Downton Abbey baby at her baptism too.



So there's the catching up. Today, I still haven't quite found my knitting mojo. I finished this single Ballydesmond back at the beginning of January at TNNA, and I'm still working on the second one?!



I have three new designs I need to write up, and I think that is what has stumped my mojo. I want to cast on a new design, but I won't let myself until I get those designs done. But at the same time, I don't really want to knit anything else.

But the days are getting longer, which is lovely. This was my view after work tonight.



A reminder to look up once in awhile :)

And I know this is late, but like last year, for the rest of the month we'll be celebrating birthday month around here! All patterns are 20% off for February! No coupon necessary. And hopefully by the end of the month I'll have those three new ones ready to go!



Next week is Stitches West so I'll definitely be back MUCH sooner to talk knitting!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Good things.

This time of year I can't help but reflect and focus on all the good things, even though it may be hard with what is going on in the world around us or around the holidays when people we love aren't with us. Two years ago at this time I was going through radiation, so it is hard to not feel blessed. I'll be honest, last year was a hard year too, and this year has been filled with so many blessings. So my list of good things may be a bit random. From sentimental, to my typical good knitting things, to a favorite recipe. And our blogiversary sale continues. Just a heads up :) I'm trying to find the light.

1. I'm going to start with an easy one. Did you see Clara Parke's 2015 Gift List? So many lovely things on it. I'll be honest. I ordered a little something for myself from Tolt Yarn and Wool. Sister, don't look....I have dreams of knitting this for Magpie (or me and Pa someday!). 

2. For all of us MI-5 lovers out there, did you know there was a movie that just came out?! Quite enjoyable!! We rented it this weekend and loved it. Oh how I wish Netflix would bring MI-5 back. It was perfect for knitting deadline marathons. I should also mention Jon Snow is in MI-5. Enough said.

3. Balancing the holiday treats with healthy cooking! I'm still trying new healthy recipes to keep it interesting too. New favorites include this Baked Oatmeal (so good for a holiday brunch!). There are a few different versions of the same style recipe by Heidi Swanson here and here. I used raspberries and almonds, btw. Delish!

Another winner was this beef, leek and barley soup from Smitten Kitchen. I made this for the second time this past weekend and substituted stew meat (less fat) instead of the short ribs and added more veggies (green beans and carrots and celery). Another winner!

4. Knitting by the fire. I'm on a secret design deadline, so the view of the fire is all you get for now (sorry!).

 

5. 'Tis the season for flannel sheets and falling asleep to the nutcracker soundtrack. My seasonal favorites.....da da da da da da da da da da dadadadadada....

6. Our next pattern sale! Adare and Adare Fingerless Gloves. I just love this set, and I especially love some of the projects that have been popping up on the project pages too! You should check them out (this is my favorite probably...every hat now needs a pompom!)

Each pattern is 50% through Dec. 10, 11:59pm PST, so just $3 each! Maybe a knitter you know has them in their queue....perfect time for a RAK?

Speaking of which....those of you on Instagram, have you seen the #getyouryarnwishesgranted? Talk about warm and fuzzy...I love it! I've already granted one wish....I'm just not fast enough granting the other wishes before someone else has gotten there. And also self-striping sock yarn is a very highly-wished for item. And I have none. Well, one skein of Canon Hand Dyed on my needles.

7. The munchkins in my life. My cup runneth over when I'm with them.






Someone else loves gingerbread cookies just as much as Auntie does!!

8. Yesterday (well, technically I'm still up late so really today in my book!) marked the start of the Year of Mercy for the Catholic Church. It is a Jubilee Year and Pope Francis has deemed it the Year of Mercy. Quite fitting for our world right now. A good thing in my book.

mercy: a broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.

Notre Dame has a prayer site that I kind of love. It emails you daily prayers (anyone can sign up). I don't check the email every day, but on days that I need it, it is perfect. A small passage from the bible, a prayer, and a relevant story. And by relevant, I mean meaningful for us. How I remember the homily being during Mass when I was in college. Not something over my head or about something I couldn't relate too. Anyways, I thought I would share this today, in case one of you needed a little extra love and light.  Insert your words for your God/faith/divine power where it says Holy Spirit/Lord or instead of Church, I like to think of me/us/community.



9. Happy Hanukkah to those that celebrate it!

10. Not necessarily a good thing....but 15 knitting days til Christmas. I'm so behind!

11. YAY!! I'm adding this one...it wasn't available last night when I posted. Kate Davies' new book is available (or here it is on ravelry). I've enjoyed seeing each of the new patterns she's released....the one club I've kicked myself for not joining! It looks lovely. I splurged and just ordered it. Thanks Santa!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Good things.

I've been writing this post to you for a few weeks now. So many blessings and happenings, and good things. I'm trying to savor each and every one and focus more on the good things than the stress and health stuff. But, I'd be lying if I said things are all sunshine and rainbows. Tonight though, we have good things.

1. Emmypie. I have no idea if this will be her blogname forever, but it was either Taco Salad, el bebe dragon, or Emmypie. Or Mouse. She is just the sweetest thing! We love her.


Naylor Street hat, Plucky Primo Sport




Keegan hat, Plucky Knitter Primo

2. Big sister, Magpie, turned 2!!





3. I'm still trying lots of new healthy recipes. This delicious pumpkin bread recipe is here.



4. I've released quite a few new designs. I was pretty inspired by Plucktober. I only have one of these designs left to release.



I love all of the new designs, but Ballydesmond has really taken off this past week! It was even featured on The Plucky Knitter's blog and newsletter this week (fyi.... update time!!)! The intuitive cables, the unisex nature of the design, and how quick these knit up certainly help. Plus, with the holidays coming up, I think everyone is thinking gift knitting (Tracey has already knit two pair this week for teacher gifts!).

5. Speaking of gift knitting, this year I'm participating in the Indie Design Gift-A-Long 2015! Plus I plan to try to get some gift knitting done too!



Here are a few of my designs that will be on sale, along with lots of other indie designers (over 300!) patterns. The Gift-a-Long starts tomorrow, Nov. 19 at 8pm EST. Use the coupon code: giftalong2015 to receive 25% off my select GAL patterns, as well as many other designers. The sale ends Nov. 27, but the gift knitting fun will continue until the end of the year.

6. Happy Halloween!






Man, I wish Lil' Guy lived closer. Look at that soccer star!

7. Chilly evenings and the first fire of the year. It is amazing to me that as the seasons change, I fall in love with each one again. But really, there is something about this time of year that I just love.



Yes, I'm stuck on fingerless gloves. These are in Primo Worsted Cold as Ice. Probably one of my favorite colors lately.

8. Our IGK Fall KAL. I love when the KAL just clicks and everyone is active and enjoying the KAL. This one has been a fun one and will be wrapping up at the end of November.....just in time for our Gift-Knitting KAL!



9. Notre Dame Football!!! Our entire family is looking forward to the Stanford-Notre Dame game right after Thanksgiving! It is here in Palo Alto, so we'll have another big turnout. Exciting that this game could be a make or break it for the Irish in getting into the playoffs. And I love knowing that there are a few of you who are just as obsessed with college football as I am. All the games are so exciting lately!!!

10. Sisters. I'm blessed to have a sister, brother, and sister-in-law. But there is something special about sisters. To think I used to not talk to my sister when she was little (I was a middle child. I guess I had issues.). She's my best friend now. I don't know what I'd do without her sometimes. And the past two months, seeing her with her new daughter, getting to spend more time with her while she's on maternity leave, it has been perfect. When I'm with her, I definitely am glad I didn't move to Alaska. I wouldn't want to miss moments like this.



There you go. A bit of a catch up. And so much to be grateful for this time of year. I hope your days are filled with good things too. I'd love to hear what you guys have on your needles or have been up to lately. I promise to be back soon.

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits