Grateful.

After spending a lovely holiday weekend with family and friends, I can't help but feel grateful. I hope you all had a nice weekend and are ready for the holiday season. I know I am! I'm sitting at my favorite cafe, with their lovely holiday decorations up, enjoying a cafe au lait on this chilly afternoon, listening to Adele (do you love her new album as much as I do?!).

A few favorites from this weekend....







We had awesome seats for the Notre Dame-Stanford game! And I finished my hat just in time Friday night. The yarn, Plucky Knitter Cachet, is absolutely divine! The pattern is going to be a new one....the Chugach hat, slouchy version.



The game was a heartbreaker....not quite enough luck for the Irish!









I think Lil' Guy liked his Grown-Up Keegan! Yes, yes....it has been forever since I knit him anything. We called this a cool skater hat and that seemed to help! What other 8 year old gets a Bello Worsted hat (that should read 45% cashmere!)?!?!

If you haven't had a chance to take advantage of my Thanksgiving sale, today is the last day.



And if you missed it, don't worry, December is blogiversary month! And you know we like to have some awesome specials for that!

I've also started a healthy for the holidays thread over in the IGK ravelry group! I'm starting the 21day fix program again tomorrow- serious commitment for the next 21 days! Feel free to pop over and join us as we share healthy tips and cheer each other on!



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

Happy Birthday IGK!

SPECIAL GUEST BLOG POST

Welcome to the start of something new - a guest blogger from time to time. I thought it would be fun to kick off this series today, giving Irish Girlie an extra special birthday treat - a day off of  blogging! And hopefully lots of extra knitting time! I chatted with Irish Girlie's knitting friend Erica and she was super excited to start the fun! 
Enjoy, 
Tricia

I  pondered about what I could talk about today. I had all kinds of ideas about IGK's favorite things. Then it hit me! I could take an afternoon celebrating her with my lil man and document our adventure. He loves Auntie Irishgirlie



and loves birthday celebrations!

I buckled him into his car seat and whispered in his ear, "we're going out for cupcakes". He was beside himself. All the way to Royal Oak he chanted "cupcakes, cupcakes"! We walked inside Taste Love Cupcakes and it was like they knew a 2 1/2 year old with a pancake obsession would be stopping by.

Flavor of the day - Chocolate Chip Pancake. He had no idea his two favorite things could be morphed together. We ordered Chocolate Salted Caramel for Auntie.

Padraig slid over her chocolate cupcake to the empty seat next to him.



I told him Auntie wouldn't be coming, but we could talk about her and sing to her. He immediately chanted "Let's Go Irish"! Isn't that a hoot!? It wasn't Happy Birthday, but I knew it would melt Irishgirlie's heart. We dove into our cupcakes and happily chanted "Let's Go Irish" between every bite!

Happy Birthday IGK! I hope today is filled with baked goods and laughs and Irish-themed music. Even if it's a cheer you would hear at a Notre Dame football game. Mwah from us!



To keep the birthday fun going, let's leave LOTS of comments on this post so when Irishgirlie's home tonight knitting and relaxing she'll have lots of fun birthday wishes to read! Cheers to virtual presents!

Just a reminder... Irish Girlie Knits patterns are 20% off in honor of birthday month!



You can browse her catalog of patterns here. I suggest Keegan if you want a quick, cute knit. My mom knit Padraig another one last week!

The design has such a generous fit due to its construction. The largest size on the pattern still fits a toddler!

Another reminder...don't forget to enter Tricia's contest here. You have until February 12 for a chance to win!

Happy Birthday IGK and Happy Knitting on your new Anzula design!
Erica (kzooerica on ravelry)

Keegan Baby Hat + Socks

Are you ready for some cute?




Can you believe how itty bitty Magpie is in these pics? I knit this set for her last March. She's grown so much since then.

This baby hat and sock set is a great last minute gift and a perfect way to use up leftover sock yarn! Cabling is done every six rows, making a relaxing knit and an ideal travel project for an experienced knitter and a great project for beginners learning cables. I suggest knitting a few so you always have a baby gift on hand!

And look at those oh too cute feet!

This set was knit in Anzula Squishy, colorway Country Green. I just love this colorway.

I think I need to cast on a new one for her. Maybe one for Valentine's Day? Or I could wait a bit and knit one in a nice springy green for St. Patrick's Day. 

Pattern: Keegan

Notes: Instructions are written for a cuff-down sock, with charts provided. Sizes for socks and hat can be modified by using lighter fingering weight yarns and smaller needles, or sport weight yarn and larger needles. 

Yarn: 75 (100) yards for socks and 80 (110, 140) yards for hat of heavier fingering weight yarn such as Anzula Squishy, The Plucky Knitter Primo Sport, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight, Kollage Yarns Sock-a-licious, Knitted Wit Victory DK, Koigu KPPM. 

Needles: Size US 2.5 (3 mm) for socks and Size US 5 (3.75 mm) either DPNs or circular 16" with DPNs needed for decreases for hat, or size need to obtain gauge

Gauge: 32 sts and 48 rows = 4" over st st for socks and 24 sts and 32 rows = 4" over st st for hat

Size: 3-6 months (6-12 months) for socks and newborn (3-6 months, 6-12 months) for hat

Finished Measurements: 2 1/4" foot circumference, 1 1/2" approximate leg length for socks and 5" (6", 7") wide, 6" (6 1/2", 7") length for hat

It looks like my sweet niece's modeling career is taking off already....thanks Magpie! Your college fund will be growing!

And thank you for the lovely graphic design work Jill Zielinski, aka Knitterella!

Available for purchase at an introductory rate of $4.00 until January 31, no coupon needed!  

Happy baby knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

A weekend of celebrating!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We started celebrating this weekend- baking Soda Bread, watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People, playing Irish music all day. I think I love this holiday because it brings back such fond memories of my childhood and grandparents and St. Patrick's Day parades and Irish Dancing and family. There was lots of family time this weekend.



What a happy smile Magpie has! I just love her to bits! It is ridiculous the amounts of photos I have of her because every time I see her she is changing. And the baby coooing....I love the reciprocity when I coo, she coos. So sweet!



Haha! Here she is modeling for Keegan.Those socks are coming off if she has her way. Too funny!

There was time for knitting this weekend too.





At softball...





With sangria by the pool. A quick one skein cowl, Seamus, which is being prepped for a new IGK release. The yarn is A Verb for Keeping Warm's Pioneer and it is beyond lovely. The cowl is blocking now, so I can cast on for my Polartorte hat. The yarn arrived Friday and wow oh wow is Bare Naked Wools Stone Soup DK just fabulous!



So soft!



This was in with my package from Knitspot. Do tell Erica or Anne?!? Don't make us wait...hints??

Speaking of Bare Naked Wools, I finally released Contorta, my new design in Breakfast Blend fingering.





I'll do a proper blog post about them later this week, but did want to let you know the pattern was available in case you wanted to take advantage of the St. Patrick's Day 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 (e.g., does not include patterns published by Kollage Yarns, BMFA). However, see below for some new patterns that are now IGK patterns as well!

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!

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 (e.g., does not include patterns published by Kollage Yarns, BMFA). However, see below for some new patterns that are now IGK patterns as well!

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! - See more at: http://wedonothaveaknittingproblem.blogspot.com/#sthash.TM6JDBht.dpuf

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 (e.g., does not include patterns published by Kollage Yarns, BMFA). However, see below for some new patterns that are now IGK patterns as well!

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! - See more at: http://wedonothaveaknittingproblem.blogspot.com/#sthash.TM6JDBht.dpuf

I'm glad we did most of our celebrating this weekend because I did not feel well at all today :(  Really tired and lots of head pain. So I spent a lot of the day sleeping, but don't worry, I did enjoy the leftovers from last night's dinner again today! And I think a spot of tea and soda bread is just perfect. And these photos that my sister texted me....





Guess who rolled over this weekend?!



Tired from all the celebrating! And don't touch her giraffe....

And because I love you guys, I think I'll release Glacier Point  in time for the sale too! Sneak peek....



Happy St. Patrick's Day!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits