Did you know?

Did you know that when I said I would catch up this weekend, I hadn't yet heard that I was able to move off the waitlist for Anne Hanson's Sweater Fitness class at A Verb for Keeping Warm on Saturday? More on that, but essentially, I didn't catch up. Oops.  I'm going to attempt to catch up a bit with this post.  Here goes...

Did you know that there were sheepies at Sock Summit?





And super-fast knitters? The wonderful Deb Barnhill won (she's on the right next to Stephanie).



And lots of friends that I wish I had had more time to hang out with. Note, these pictures were all taken after the market closed on Sunday. How we all survived I just don't know?











Did you know that inside this voodoo donut guy is raspberry jelly....hehehhe?



Did you know about these two, new-to-me, awesome indie dyers?


Little Red Bicycle Penny Farthing Sock, in colorway Ethereal.  Isn't it just gorgeous?  I had wanted to make sure to stop by this lovely booth because Didi, the super nice dyer behind Little Red Bicycle, lives just about 30 minutes away from me.  Uh-oh!


This is a gorgeous skein of Alpha B Yarn Luxe B.  It is one of the yarns that Debbi knit her gorgeous new pattern Lucy with.

Did you know that Anne Hanson and Cookie A. are pretty awesome?  I know, I know.  You knew.  I knew too, but it was so nice to hear them speak about their design process on Friday evening.  Plus I was able to catch up a bit more with Katharine, another fabulous teacher from Sock Summit.






Did you know that I have never knit an adult sweater that is not knit from the top-down in one piece?  But after Anne's fabulous class and looking through her gorgeous sample knits...





Well...



I think I'm ready to take the plunge!! Sprossling here I come! Now I just need to find some Plucky Primo for it! Yeah, so should have figured this out before Sock Summit as I don't have a sweaters worth of Primo in my stash! But I think I can change that!

I hope you all have had an awesome weekend! I know I have!!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Pretty Pretty!

Last week a surprise package arrived all the way from Dubai!  Jocelyn spoiled me to bits by sending me a gorgeous skein of her lovely hand-dyed yarn, Dubai Knits Chameleon.



The yarn has a lovely sheen, and just look at those gorgeous pinks, blues, and greens!



My favorite colors!  Jocelyn knows me so well :) 



She was so sweet to even name the colorway after me.....Color Me Irish!!  I just love it and can't wait to knit it up (hmmm...I'm going back and forth between socks or a shawl!)!  Jocelyn is quite talented, you really should check out some of the semi-solids she has in her shop right now!!

Thank you J!!  You are too sweet!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

New

Finally, something new that I can share here on the blog. 

A skein of Miss Babs Windsor Sock yarn has been wound.

  The swatching has commenced.

It even has an adorable project bag, courtesy of GMarie!  Her etsy shop is here.  Thanks G!

And a new notebook, with graph paper inside!! Seriously cute! I'm trying to resist buying more!

Four secret designs have been sent out in the past few weeks! Phew!  

Now bring on the new knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Random Tuesday Night Blogpost

1.  Funny that during the month of 30 lists, on my list is 'blogging.'  Specifically, 'catch-up' and 'lists.'  Goodness.  And I'm not going to torture you all with a week's worth of lists...but there were a few that I felt I you would enjoy.

List #10 Wishlist

Right now, just one wish.

More time.  More time for fun, for work, for sleeping, for knitting, for spending time with family and friends, for knit nite (seriously! because the texts from my friends of "where were you?!" make me miss knit nite more), for relaxing, for snuggling with the doggies, for exercising.

List #13  DIYs I want to try

Easy. 

Spinning.

Weaving.

Sewing.

Again, see list #10.


List #15  What's on your shopping list?

Okay, I'll spare you the specific list, but this week I really wanted to get back on track with my healthy eating habits, so my list was of all the good healthy stuff I like.  And this week I've felt so much better (all that extra energy almost feels like more time!). 

Question for you guys though....to keep the healthy eating interesting....any favorite low-carb healthy recipes or snacks??  Please share!!

2.  Stuff from Stitches I've wanted to share (plus you guys come here for the yarn pron right??).




I couldn't resist all of Sunshine Yarns gorgeous yarns!  Here's just a few.



Sunshine Yarns Luxury Sport, colorway Patronus



BMFA Socks that Rock, colorway Rawkin' Sockin' Knitters which was named for one of my favorite Ravelry groups!!  Speaking of which, our group is now voting for the next KAL.  There are some awesome patterns being nominated (most are already in my queue!), including my design, Sweet Home, so pop on over and join us!




New yarn for A Verb For Keeping Warm.  So lovely! This is going to turn into a baby hat I think.  My best friend's baby has outgrown his IGK hats already! Such a bad auntie...man, I need to crank some baby hats out for him!!



Fabulous buttons!!!



This is a very special gift!  Stacy, fabulous owner of The Fine Needle, made me this adorable pillowcase for my birthday!  I've helped in her booth at both Stitches East and Stitches West with Kollage Yarns and she really is awesome!! Stop by her shop if you are in Maryland!  And the fiber....yes, Stacy knew I was a beginning spinner!  Thank you Stacy!

3.  Criminal Minds.  Disco and I watched three episodes late one night during her visit and I've been hooked ever since.  I'm up to Season 4!!  It has been awesome marathon-knitting.

4.  Marathon knitting.  Warn me again to never commit to four secret deadline designs in a row.  Makes for boring blogging!  And really hard secret-keeping.  Soon.....one more design to finish, and then the next one I can at least blog about it!!

5.  14 more sleeps til Sock Camp!!!!

6.  Spring!!!  Raining out, but these gorgeous beauties are making me smile!


Fabulous bags from Piddleloop and gorgeous yarn from Plucky!



7.  I started an Irish Girlie Knits Ravelry Group!  And you guys have been so awesome showing your support!! THank you!!  I'll be hosting KALs, contests, coupon codes, etc.  And having lots of fun hopefully!  So many of you have joined, I'm beyond thrilled!  I'm planning to have a buy one, get one free pattern sale for one-day on St. Patrick's Day, BUT if we get 10 more group members (that would be 150!!), I'll start the sale early!!  Come join us!!

Oh, and if you have an Irishgirlieknits design on your needles right now, post a picture in the thread!  On Thursay I'll pick a winner for a fabulous yarnie and pattern prize!
8.  Sleepy time.

Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Got Plucky?

A few pretty souvenirs from this past weekend's fun!



A girl can't resist 4-ply cashmere.



Or two vibrant skeins of Primo.



Or a gorgeous pink hat knit from MCN Aran, right?

You can get your own Plucky this Sunday. I shall avoid the update, despite Primo Worsted being available. Must knit up the stash from last weekend first!



My new design is coming along nicely I think. It should be done by the end of the month I hop!



I heart Plucky Primo.

Happy Plucky Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Almost Friday!

Puddles, staring at something in her cute pink bandana

Phew! It has been quite a busy week, and it looks like the next week or two are going to be even busier. Let's see if I can make a list of just a few things that will be happening....

1) 7 more sleeps til Stitches Midwest!! Yay! This of course brings on a whole other list of to-do's such as what knitting to pack, clothes to pack, how much room do I leave for yarn?, laundry, etc.

2) Taking 3 days off of work for vacation always seems to equal 3 extra days of work packed into the week before. The first few days of work next week are going to be crazy long. Long. Long.

3) One little cutie princess is turning 7 on Sunday! Bounce House birthday party this weekend is going to be her first party-party with kids from her class, family, etc. Her question tonight at dinner, "Wait. When will I get the presents?" Oh goodness.

4) Cupcakes shall be made this weekend. Lots of cupcakes. Cupcakes for the party, cupcakes for school.... well, and a cupcake or two for the maker of the cupcakes to eat, right? I'm still wavering between yummy homemade ones for the grown-ups at the party, or the from the box kind. Definitely from the box for school. I think it all is going to depend on when I have time to fit in a mani-pedi.

5) Knitting. So much knitting, so little time :) The pressure of Bellingrath is done! The pattern should be released very very soon and online too (before Stitches hopefully!). It is so nice to be knitting on whatever I want right now. Of course, that means I'm knitting my own Bellingrath Shawlette as the one I designed will be a sample that I have to give to Kollage. I think that is the hardest part of designing....sending the finished knits off....



But my shawlette will be this gorgeous blue skein of Sock-a-licious, so I'm quite happy.

6) Stephanie is further along on her Cotty socks then I am. I still haven't decided which color to use, plus now I'm thinking of using this gorgeous handspun that Thayer spun for me.



After all, it is named Fightin' Irish, and with just a few weeks left until Notre Dame kicks off their season...well, maybe I need some good luck socks this year! Seriously can't wait for football season to start!

7) I'm very certain I'm forgetting things for my list. It is going to be that kind of week.

Hope you all have exciting plans for the weekend!!!

Happy almost Friday!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Dreaming of...

Most of you know that I'm not really a one-project-at-a-time kinda girl. But, except for the 29 hour baby vest, that's what I've been doing the past few weeks. Working on one project (promise...details about it coming in the next post). And now that I'm just about done with that (about 10 rows on the toe left!!), well, I've been dreaming of all the other projects I want to knit.




Something, anything, don't know what yet, with the new Plucky Knitter Primo yarn! Her new base is 75% merino wool, 20% cashmere, and 5% nylon. It is so squishy soft!



I know what this skein of Sock-a-licious will be, but I still need to wind it.




I'm still trying to decide which color of STR I should use for the Q3 Blackberry Brambles KAL over on Raverly. I had it narrowed down to KMBFLA or Vancouver Violet until Tina just posted new colors to the BMFA website. Now I'm dreaming of Rasperry Mousse Brambles......



But, my stash overfloweth, so I'm trying to resist dreaming about new STR colors. I mean, I just got Pretty in Blue last month (along with a few others). I'm thinking of using this to cast on for a pair of Cotty socks! More Cotty socks? Well, did you see who is knitting this pattern? The Yarn Harlot blogged about it here. Pretty fun, huh?! I was quite excited yesterday when I saw her post. Of course, if I'm being realistic, I'll probably cast on with the Boobie 1 skein (it was already wound! although that Rare Gem was calling my name when I pulled Pretty in Blue out).

And because the above projects aren't enough, I've also been thinking about IrishDad's Uncle Frank socks.



Yeap. Still not done. Sorry Dad. I know they were your father's day gift and all. I promise...soon...

I better go finish those last few rows of the secret project so that I can stop dreaming about these knits and actually cast something new on tomorrow! But I thought to welcome all my new readers from the last few days, we should have a little contest. Just leave a comment on this post about any knits you're dreaming of knitting (or books you wanting to read, or recipes you're wanting to make, I like those too!)! I'll pick five lucky winners on Friday and email them a copy of my Uncle Frank Socks pattern.

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Socks, Socks, and More Socks!!

Call me crazy but I signed up for this last week. That's right, 52 pairs of socks in a year! Its not like I don't have the stash for it.



WIPs count. I have a few of those. And baby socks count and I know way too many little ones being born this year. I'm also way behind on Christmas knitting, and everyone in my family loves socks.

I think my biggest challenge will be not getting distracted by other gorgeous items to knit. We'll see how I do.

I prepped by winding yarn today!



And by buying a new book yesterday at Purlescence, Think Outside the Sox. Such inspiration in these socks!!



I also gathered all my sock WIPs. I had forgotten about this one. Burst in The Plucky Knitter Superwash Merino Wool, colorway Father Goose.

Plus there is also Summer of Socks, so bring on the socks!!

But I know you all are really here to find out who won the Sock-a-licous contest! First, our fabulous winners who rewrote Fergalicous for us! You guys did an awesome job :) Loved them all!

Karen
Mya
JelliDonut
Crzyknittengran
KnittySue

I'll be sending a copy of Blackberry Brambles to your email shortly. Let me know if you don't receive it.

And our lucky winner of this gorgeous skein of Sock-a-licous and the Blackberry Brambles pattern is....



Kathleen (aka Katbetty on ravelry)!!! Congratulations!!! I can't wait to see what you knit with this. And a big thank you to Kollage Yarns for the extra skein to giveaway!!

Happy Sock Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Awwwww....

I apologize in advance for all the yarn enabling going on around here. But this was too special to not blog about.

Last weekend, Snowboarder had a business trip in New York City and he brought me back a little something special.



He knew I was happy as soon as I saw the package!! Totally surprised too! Yes, Snowboarder has always been good in the yarn-gifting department (the first present he ever, ever gave me was yarn...I knew then that he'd be a keeper!), but this was absolutely perfect!



Gorgeous sock yarn from Purl Soho (an absolutely charming yarn store!)!!! With cashmere no less! He said he told the ladies in the store that I loved to knit socks and that my favorite yarn was Socks that Rock...again, love that man.

The yarn is Anzula Squishy (80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon, and very, very squishy!) in the colorways Boysenberry and Candied Apple. I've never tried this yarn, but can't wait! Thanks Snowboarder :)



So yes, the yarn overfloweth this week. And if you haven't entered the contest for free yarn, here's the post. Definitely read some of the fabulous song comments too! Love you guys!! Knew you could be bribed with free patterns :)