Community

On the eve of Thanksgiving, I wanted to say I am just so grateful for this wonderful knitting community that we have.  I'm thankful for my friends, both old and new that I've met through knitting.  I'm thankful for this incredible and creative opportunity I have for designing that is because of so many of you.  From cheering on my designs, to test knitting them, to purchasing one of my patterns, or just clicking a heart on it on Ravelry, I am so grateful.

Speaking of community, I haven't had a chance to share the local designers' night that Nine Rubies hosted a few weeks ago.  Nine Rubies is one of my local yarn stores and I was so glad that they invited me back again this year.  The other local designers included Hillary Smith Callis and Romi Hill.

 




 Photos courtesy of Tricia at CheekyAttitude



It was so nice to meet and chat with knitters who enjoy my designs.



Look, a Winter Wonder! Isn't it lovely on her!



My mom stopped by since the store is not too far from home.  Thanks mom!



And thank you Saloni and Sudha and your amazing staff for hosting such a lovely event!  Oh, and just to enable any of you locals a bit...they are having an awesome Black Friday sale (e.g., earlier you get there, more % off you get....I may just get up early and go, we'll see!!) and special sales for Small Business Saturday!  In addition to yarn, you may want to check these travel mugs out....love mine!



I'm also grateful for the lovely indie dyers that I've been fortunate enough to work with.  Some of those hush-hush knits I can finally share with you guys.  I love Woolgirl's kits and I always jump at the chance to design for one of them.  I recently designed for her Classic Writers Knitting Club and was paired with one of my fave indie dyers, The Plucky Knitter!  You all know I love love love Sarah's yarns.





Seriously love all the goodies Jen puts in her kits!  Here is my Sleepy Hollow design.







This one will be released to the general public in the spring.

I do have a design for another club that will be released next week..... Granlibakken!  I'll tell you lots more next week, but here are a few teaser pictures...





Members of Studio June's Shawl Club are receiving the pattern and yarn, Springy Sport, this week, but you can purchase the pattern next week.  Actually, you can take advantage of Studio June's Black Friday sale that is on now through the end of Nov. 23 and receive 25% off when you enter code GIVETHANKS at checkout- through Midnight EST on Friday.  You'll need 2 skeins of Spring Sport for the design...order now and you can be ready to cast on when the pattern is released next Wednesday!

And tomorrow, I'm thankful that I will finally have a new pattern to release.  The last few months have been tough on my designing schedule, but it is nice to know I'm going to have quite a number of patterns to release over the next few months :)  Remember this hat?





You've waited long enough....tomorrow it'll be released (check back here for details)!  And with a sale too!  I've started my after-Thanksgiving sale early....receive 25% off all of my Irish Girlie Knits Designs (excludes ones designed for BMFA or Kollage) from now until November 26.  All of my individual patterns AND collections are 25% off!  Just a small way for me to say THANK YOU to all of  you!!



Now time for bed.  Tomorrow there is cooking and eating and knitting to be done! Wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Good Things

1. It is late Friday night and it is the weekend!!

2. Tomorrow night is the local designers night at Nine Rubies, my Local Yarn Store.  It was a lovely event last year, and this year in addition to myself and Hillary Smith Callis, Romi Hill will be joining us too. It is going to be a great evening!   Please stop by if you are in the neighborhood!

3.  Seeing Lil' Snowboarder perform in her first show choir performance tonight!!



Not the greatest picture because we were in the back and it was dark, but she looked so cute in her Italian costume! 

4.  This time next week I will be in Michigan with Disco and Erica!!!  A bit decadent after a week of vacation in Tahoe, but it'll be a quick weekend trip and I've been dying to meet baby Padraig.  And really, I need another girls weekend already....it was a long week this week!

5. A new David's Tea is opening up close to use soon.  Have any of you tried it?  I haven't, but have heard such good things that I can't wait!!

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Fun at Nine Rubies

I had such a great time last Friday night at Nine Rubies' Local Designers Night.



It was so nice to meet fellow designer Hilary Smith Callis.  You may be familiar with her very successful Citron pattern, but her sweaters are absolutely gorgeous!  Cloudy Sunday and the Asteria Cardigan were very popular Friday night!



Lots of my local knitting friends stopped by and I really appreciated everyone's support.  Betsy even came wearing her Summer Wind!



It was also nice to meet other knitters who came to the event, such as Audry.  She even modeled her adorable giraffe hat pattern.



I love that my sister dragged brought her fiance to the event too.  Aren't they cute?!



And that pretty basket of Plucky Knitter Primo, well there were only 3 or 4 skeins left after the evening!  I came home with that gorgeous purple one in the back.



Thank you to everyone who came to the event, and especially to Saloni and Sudha from Nine Rubies for hosting us!

Fortunately, the horrible swelling of my mouth and cheek didn't happen til yesterday.  Update on that, to spare you all the fabulous dentist details is that the dentist did a minor procedure today to get the swelling to go down.  The fun part will be next week when there will be dental surgery once the swelling goes down.  Still feeling awful, but she said it will take a few days for the antibiotics to help the swelling go down.  Thank you guys for all the positive thoughts!

And look at that...an entire week of blogging! Woohoo!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

5 good things.

1. Supportive local yarn stores, such as Nine Rubies, who throw parties for local designers AND stock Plucky Knitter's gorgeous yarns.  Well, stock it for as long as it can stay in the store, which isn't too long!



I'll share more pictures from last night's event, but that's for another post.

2. College football Saturdays, especially when the Irish win!

3. Reading blog posts from friends who are also trying to blog more in November.  I love it!  If you haven't already, go read....

Discoknits I am so proud of her karate chop!
Goddess Knitters Fellow college football fan!
Hizknits Missing Stephen this weekend as he is at the fabulous Knot Hysteria Retreat in Port Ludlow
Knittinggolfer's Blog Check out her pretty new sweater! Love!
Rainy Day Goods  It was Mary Heather's tweets that reminded me it was NaBloPoMo!
One Stitch Short Sarah's tweets also reminded me that it was NaBloPoMo!
WildpeculiarJoy I so want to escape to that lovely fantasy house right about now!
A Day in the Life Manda is one of my fabulous test knitters! Can't wait til she shows us what she's knitting (hint, hint Manda!)!

4. Discovering new, inspiring blogs, such as Posie Gets Cozy!  Thanks for recommending it Lorajean! Now I want to make these for Christmas!

5.  An extra hour!!  So excited that tomorrow we have an extra hour due to daylight savings!  I'll admit, I desperately need that hour as the ongoing head/face pain I've been dealing with since September came back with a vengence last night.  I've been taking pain meds and icing my head/face all day :(  Hoping a good night's sleep and an extra hour will help me feel better tomorrow!

Want to share your good things?  I'd love to hear them.

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

10 good things.

1. Tomorrow is Wednesday, which means we are two days closer to the weekend.  I could use a weekend right about now :)

2. I swam today after a long day of work.  Good for so many reasons, but especially because I made time for me.

3.  New pretty yarn.  I couldn't resist stopping at A Verb for Keeping Warm last Friday on my way up to visit little guy (see, any reason to justify a yarn store visit).  They have such lovely yarns, hard to resist.


A pretty skein of AVFKW Toasted, for a Comfort Food Cowl I think.


Madelinetosh Chunky.  Pretttttttyy!  I can't wait to try this yarn!

4.  Inspiration.  I go in to Verb to buy yarn, and leave with the material to sew the gorgeous navy scarf below.



I blame Cupcakefaerie for talking about her sewing machine the night before, and Kristine for offering an awesome class to take to learn how to make this.  I'm hoping it works with my schedule!

5.  Interweave Knitting Lab is coming to San Mateo, literally right next to my office, in about two weeks!!!  Yarn, right next store to work.  Can't wait to see! Plus Knitted Wit will be there, along with Miss Babs, carrying my patterns.  So fun.  I think we may even do an IGK meet-and-greet at Knitted Wit's Booth! I'll keep you posted.

6.  One of my LYS, Nine Rubies, is a sponsor for Knitting Lab and they are having a special Local Designers' Night on the Friday night of Knitting Lab.  And guess who they asked to participate?!  Me!  I'm so honored to be featured with Hilary Smith Callis.  Save the date if you are a local...I'd love to see you!!



7.  Pumpkin bread.  I'm craving some.  Might need to make some tomorrow night.

8.  Twisted.  I love that store :)

9.  Having healthy food in the fridge for the week....dinner, lunch, already made :)

10.  Doggies fresh from the groomers!  It was too late to take a picture when I got home tonight, but I can't wait to show you their new Halloween bandanas.

What good things are happening in your life?

Happy knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits