Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Today will be all about family, food, toe-tapping music, and everything Irish!  And of course, the annual IGK BOGO sale (details below!). But first up.....some of my faves...













I spent most of Saturday working on a new infinity scarf design. I made quite a bit of progress while watching a new series on amazon prime, Single Handed, a Law and Order meets the west coast of Ireland.  Love it!! Don't you like my new Knitifacts clover stitch marker?  I love these ones too.






A great week for Notre Dame women's basketball team, Big East Champs!! So proud of Skylar Diggins!









The doggies are ready :)

And of course, the 3rd Annual Irish Girlie Knits BOGO Sale through March 18! Because I love you guys and figure some of you may be partying too much today to see this...so you have through Monday :)

First, head over to my Ravelry shop and enter 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 (e.g., does not include patterns published by Kollage Yarns, BMFA).

Discount can be used more than once, but patterns must be purchased in multiples of 2 (e.g., 2, 4, 6...) at a time. 


I really wish my Sleepy Hollow Breakfast Blend sock pattern was ready for the sale, but I'm writing it up this weekend to get to my fabulous test knitter.



Isn't it pretty in the lovely oatmeal colorway?  I promise to have a special sale price for you guys when it is ready!  And name...should I just stick with Sleepy Hollow sock?  Still haven't come up with anything else.  Thoughts??

 We will definitley be watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People today.  How about you?  Any favorite things you will be doing today?





Thanks for tolerating all the videos!  My dad and sister love just going through the songs all in one place.  Trust me, I resisted a few others from last year and the year before :)

Have a fabulous day and Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Everyone is a bit Irish today :)
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

March Madness

March is going to be a great month!

Did any of you catch Notre Dame's triple overtime win against UConn last night?!  I'm a huge fan of Skylar Diggin's and I so hope we make it to the national championship and win this year! Great win to start off march madness!

But it won't be all about basketball here, I promise.  There's a Mitts KAL going on over in the Bare Naked Wool group on Ravelry.  You've all seen my sleepy hollow socks that I'm working on. Well, I'm pretty sure Bare Naked Wool Breakfast Blend would work perfectly for the Sleepy Hollow Fingerless Gloves or Cotty Fingerless Gloves.  And if you pop over to that group, you just might find a coupon code for those two patterns :)

I'm also kicking off March Madness with a book giveaway!!

I'm sure many of you have seen the new Sock-Yarn Shawls  book by Jen Lucas, right?  I met Jen at the first sock summit and have followed her blog ever since.  It has been exciting to see her success as a designer the past few years, but I was thrilled to see her first book published!! So stinking proud of her!!

 

Jen and I had a great time hanging out at TNNA in January and we plotted this little giveaway for you guys.  

Why yes, we may have purchased new Namaste purses.  But back to the book :)

The book covers a variety of shawl constructions and designs, from top down triangle shawls to crescent shaped shawls, from all over lace motifs to garter stitch with lace edging.

Timpani

Francolin

I'm pretty sure you guys may be able to figure out that one of the main reasons I love the designs in this collection is because a few of them look deceptively simple, but are perfectly gorgeous.  I'm a big fan of easy knitting that has just enough style and design to make it a fabulous handknit.  I think quite a few of these fit that bill.  Well, and a few to challenge you a bit too, if you are looking for that!  

Wedgewood

Briargate

I don't know how you decide which one to knit first :)

One more favorite thing about this book.  Sock yarn.  You know we all have plenty of that in our stashes, right?!

Congratulations Jen on a job well done!!  Oh, and check out the fabulous book party her husband threw for her!  That post was one of my recent favorites because Jen is such a sweet, fun, and creative designer, and I love that her blog shares a peek into her life.  

So if you'd like to win a copy and have it personally signed by Jen, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post (and an email or ravelry id to get in touch with you if you win) with which one of Jen's shawls you think you'd like to knit.  Whether from her book, or her awesome ravelry designer page (beware! lovely shawl shopping alert!).  Contest will be open through Sunday, March 11.

Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. March Madness will definitely continue this month!  I'm planning to still have my St. Patrick's Day BOGO free sale that I have every year on that day!  If you aren't already in my Irish Girlie Knits Designs ravelry group, you may want to join so you don't miss out on that!!

A good day.

• a quick stop at the farmer's market

• brunch with the girls and some knitting

•  went for a swim.  Still not back on a routine, but I figured it was sunny and 67 degrees out, and if Disco can go running when it is 25 degrees out, heck, I could go for a swim.  I have to remind myself that I always feel good afterwards.  Tired, but good.

• resisted an afternoon nap and instead knit on my bare naked wools sock design, while watching HBO's Parade's End.  It definitely isn't Downton Abbey, but Benedict Cumberbatch and a period piece is a bit hard to resist.

• after an afternoon of knitting, I'm even a bit further along.  I hope to finish this sock in the next day or two, and then get the pattern to test knitters.  I'm still in love with Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend fingering.....so so soft!  Oh, and they just added a new color to the line....check it out here.

• just as I turned the heel and saw the end in sight of this project, my mind began wandering to the next design on the needles.  I'm being good by not casting on everything.  Trust me, all the new pretties from TNNA and Stitches West are taunting me to cast them on, but I'm trying to stay focused.  This lovely skein from Baah! Yarns is up next.

• crossed a few things off the to-do list in the evening...exciting things like paying bills, balancing the checkbook, a few emails, etc.  The list is still a bit longer than I'd like, but there's always tomorrow.

It was a good day all around.  How was your day? 

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Process

My design process that is.  I've been thinking a lot about how I want to continue expanding Irish Girlie Knits Designs in the next year.  One of those ways is to continue learning.  As many of you know, my first for-sale pattern was Cotty, a sock design that was born at sock camp. I think by that point I had knit 50 pairs of socks, none of them plain vanilla socks, either.  Once the design bug hit me, the sock designs just kept coming.  The sock provides a very comfortable canvas for me to design on.  For example, I knew as I was designing the Sleepy Hollow hat that this pattern would work well for a sock.





One sock finished in the lovely new Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend sock yarn from Knitspot. I just need to get this baby written up, get it to test knitters, and finish knitting the second sock.  I cast on that second sock immediately!



But just as comfortable as I am designing socks, it has been a steep learning curve for some other designs.  Infinity scarves, baby things, hats, those aren't so hard.  Before the sock obsession I knit a lot of those.  But shawls.  My first shawl that I ever knit was my Bellingrath Shawlette.  Silly me, lace with patterning on both sides!  But I did love that design.  And I think I enjoy designing shawls lately because there is the challenge of learning and trying something new. So one of my goals this year has been to knit other shawl patterns to.  Especially since last year I didn't really knit any project other than something I was designing or had designed.  Well, I did knit a pair of Toast (um....a tube!) and a wee pumpkin.  But that's it.  I blame those graduate school classes.

First up, Hazeline from the Fall in Full Color Club, by Anne Hanson (duh! if I want to learn more from other designers, why not go to the best, right?!).  I cast on this weekend in a vintage Plucky Knitter MCN sock yarn.



Ah!  Such a freeing feeling to knit someone else's pattern! To not have to worry about making notes all the time, or decisions about next steps.  So nice to just follow along and knit.  I'm not putting any deadlines on these projects and I'm using stash yarn that I love but probably won't design with.  And I'm hoping at the end of the year, I just may have a gift pile going for the holidays.

Which leads me to another process, and that is my process as a knitter.  I've gone from knit like crazy for everyone at the holidays to the last two holidays knitting very few things if any for anyone.  The only Christmas gift I knit last year was a pair of Toast for Lil' Snowboarder's teacher.  I rarely knit teacher gifts, but she is AMAZING!  She deserved cashmere.  And I really truly enjoyed knitting those for her and gifting them to her.  It made me remember why I loved knitting things for people who truly appreciate them.  Designing hasn't made it easy for me to frantically knit those gifts late into the night, but I am going to make a more conscious effort to knit for those I love this year.  I'm hoping that having someone else's pattern on the needles may help with that.  We'll see.

My knitting time last year was so limited that I was always working on something design related.  I didn't feel like I could afford the time to work on something else.  But I realized while knitting those Toasts at Christmas that I have some extra knitting time if it isn't something complicated.  I whipped those babies up in no time between car rides, waiting in line, and at the movies.  No, I can't knit on a new design on a car ride or at the movies unless I'm at a certain point, but I can knit on an easy sock.  The plain vanilla socks I've been avoiding (so boring to me!) may serve a good purpose now.  I'm giving it a try.  A very very very mindless knit will be on the needles at all times.  Again, something with no deadline, no rush to finish. First up is a sock for dad.  I grabbed the first STR heavyweight skein that was already wound.



I'm surprised how far along I am given how little I've knit on these.  Just this week I've knit on this sock, the shawl above, and knit one of my sleepy hollow socks. 

But here's the downside I discovered.  I'm really enjoying just knitting.  The easy sock. The shawl pattern that isn't mine.  It has been so refreshing. So much so that when Anne released the first pattern in her Bare Naked Knits Club (I joined the pattern only version which is still open) this weekend, I had to resist casting on the hat.  Seriously.  I quickly thought up three different yarns in my stash that I could use.  I contemplated if maybe I should see if there was still a spot open in the yarn version of the club because then I could definitely work on my goal of learning new things if the yarn just showed up too.And then I remembered my to-design list and those pretty new yarns from TNNA and resisted. For now. 

I think this is why I love our craft so much. There is still so much to learn from knitting and that continues to bring me so much joy.  It is why I know eventually I will start spinning too.

Does any of this resonate with you guys?  What is your process as a knitter or as a designer?  I'd love to hear. 

Oh, and before I go, can I ask you guys a favor?  It is my baby sister's birthday tomorrow and she isn't feeling well.  Can you help me wish her a very happy birthday in the comments?



Lots of organizing and cleaning happened this weekend and I finally put this picture in a frame.  It is one of my favorites from that day!   Happy birthday little sis!!!  I love you!!

Happy Knitting!
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

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