Let the Holiday Cheer Begin!

Where did last week go?! My goodness... I had just a thumb to finish last Tuesday on a pair of Toasty and it took me until last night to finish it (we're talking about 8 rows...maybe 15 stitches a row). I had a surprisingly draining week of work (typically things slow down just a wee bit), but last night it was official....

The Holidays have begun!!




I met Nartian at Purlescence for some holiday singing and knitting! It was exactly what I needed after a long week!




The holiday spirit was definitely in the air!



Look at that little cutie!!



There was also a special reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas...



...with a visit from the Grinch and Cindy Lou Lou (I think!).


The rest of the weekend will be spent trying to finish the many Christmas gifts I still have to knit. I'm down to the list of very close family that, well, understand if they don't quite get a finished gift at Christmas. But still...who wants to spend January still knitting Christmas gifts! So I've trimmed the list and am knitting away!

Thanks for everyone who has generously donated this past week! You have until Christmas Eve morning to continue donating! Details...here...

Happy Holidays!!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Giving Back

Back around Thanksgiving I had an idea for my Blogiversary contest. I thought, wouldn't it be nice to give back a little this year. I've been very blessed this year and I'm always reminded of that around the holidays. One way I could give back could involve donating some of my most favorite skeins of sock yarn as prizes. People could buy an entry into the contest by donating $5 through Knitters without Borders to Doctors Without Borders. And then I thought...nah. With my luck, only a few people would enter.

Mama Blue Simple Merino, color Siren

Fast forward to a week or so later when I did a different blogiversary contest. 98 comments! A first for my blog! And then the Yarn Harlot mentioned re-updating the Knitters without Borders donations on her blog. That did it. Let's give it a go, and heck, even if only 1/3 of those who commented during the first contest donated $5, that would be $150 more donated.

Wollmeise 100% Merino, color Versuchskaninchen 1

Stephanie's original post about Knitters without Borders is here. Donation instructions are detailed there. So here's where the prizes come in. For every $5 you donate, I will give you an entry in the contest (e.g., $5 = one entry, $10 = two entries, $15 = three entries....). After you donate, email me (irishgirlieknitsATgmailDOTcom) with the total amount you donated so that I can enter you (don't forget to email Stephanie too so that she can add the total to Knitters without Borders). You have until 9am PST on December 24, 2008 to donate and then I'll pick the winners that day! I'm counting donations made from the day of this post until 9am PST time on Dec. 24 (sorry, previous donations do not count).

Socks that Rock lightweight, color Rare Gems (swoon!)

Each skein of yarn is a prize (so right now, there are three prizes donated and if we get lots of entries/donations, well, you all know I have a pretty stash to search for more prizes). Feel free to tell your friends.

Happy Donating! Happy Prizes!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Ho Ho Ho!

Dad, Rowan, the doggies, and I spent the day up in Folsom today with my brother, SIL, and lil' guy! I was able to give him his Santa Hat that I knit for him while I was in New Orleans last week.

I bribed him with a swing ride if he wore the hat. As soon as I said all done swing, he reached for the hat to take it off! hehehe

Lil' Guy and Boondock Saint (aka my brother)

Mommy kisses

Pa and the happiest lil' guy!

And while my sister drove us home, I just about finished another pair of Toasties. Seriously, everyone is getting fingerless gloves for Christmas. Well, everyone but me. But I'll have a pair by New Year's!

Contest news tomorrow!

Happy Ho Ho Ho!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Confessions of a Selfish Knitter.

Dear Family and Friends,

I know I am very blessed to have wonderful friends and family who appreciate my handknit gifts. Some knitters are not so lucky. My sister and Dad would be happy if all I ever gave them were handknit socks. I have the cutest nephew whose Mommy always has him wear the vests and sweaters and hats that Auntie Irishgirlie has made for him. Even my mom was caught wearing the socks I made her last year at this year's Thanksgiving dinner. Snowboarder. Well we all know he loves his hats.

And here lies the problem. Each year it has gotten harder and harder to put aside my socks and projects for me and start the holiday knitting. I think it has been three weeks since I last knit on a pair of socks intended for me. sigh. But, I look forward to Christmas, when I can cast on for me. However, what makes it especially hard, is when I knit something for someone else that I just can't bear to give away. I know I must (well, I guess I don't have to, but seeing as the holiday knitting deadline looms, well, you know, I probably should). But it is so very hard. I have come to realize that I may, just may, be a selfish knitter. And that makes me a bit sad.



Don't believe that smile in the picture. That gorgeous cowl and toasty mitts, knit out of the most heavenly Woobu, are not for me. I tried not to think about that as Snowboarder took my picture.



I tried not to think about my own fingerless gloves that are getting a bit worn.



So yes. I have admitted it now. I am a selfish knitter. But I will gift all the lovelies and my family and friends will enjoy them. However, I will be crying just a little bit on the inside.

Sincerely,
The Selfish Knitter

P.S. Because I hope to not really become a selfish knitter (though actually, there is nothing wrong with it), come back this weekend to see how you can win these pretty lovelies below. That is correct. Your eyes do not deceive you. That is Mama Blue Simple Merino, Socks that Rock Rare Gems, and Wollmeise (in a name I just can't spell without the label in front of me). It will be for a good cause (I tell myself that so that I'm not sad that they will be leaving my stash).

More Kool....

I finished up Snowboarder's Koolhaas while I was in New Orleans. The conversation went a bit like this...

I said, "I finished your hat babe." He said, "Cool. You know how long I've been waiting for that!" Seriously.

But he does love it! So its hard to resist not knitting him more!

This pictures is my favorite.

Pattern: Koolhaas

Yarn: 1 skein Madelinetosh Worsted, colorway Graphite, from Woolgirl

Needles: US 6 & US 7

Notes: Knit the larger size. It fits perfectly.

Now back to the Christmas knitting.

Happy Knitting!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

And now, the yarn runneth over...

...but you all knew that already. So after being gone for a few days, I arrived home today to 3 packages of yarny goodness!!!




Love love love My Woolgirl Peppermint Patty Kit!! Miss Babs Yummy fingering, with a coordinating color for heels and toes!!



My Plucky Knitter score from earlier this week!! I just love her Merino-Cashmere-Nylon sock blend....and the colors, well, that goes without saying!!



And some of my order from the Woolgirl Thanksgiving sale. I say some, because dad wanted me to pick out some yarn to go under the tree (gotta love dad!!). And Woolgirl packages things so nicely, my sister said, "Perfect. We don't even need to wrap it!" The above two are Miss Babs Yummy fingering, in Spice and Coventry!



And these pretties?! Well, one of them is for one of my lucky readers! There were 98 blogiversary comments!! Wowee!! Thank you all so much for your kind words!! This blog wouldn't be the same without you!!! The lucky winner is......

Nat Red Knits!

Nat and I started reading each other's blogs back in January during the Stash Down Knit-a-Mile from stash challenge! I think I better start thinking about that again.....knitting from the stash!!!

Congratulations Nat!! I couldn't decide on which STR you would like, so let me know if you'd like Jingle Bell Rocks in mediumweight or Hollyday in lightweight! I love them both!! I'll be sending a few other goodies along with your yarn! Email me you address so I can get this to you right away!

And for those who didn't win this time.....check the blog later this week.... I have another idea for a pretty yarn giveaway!

Happy Knitting!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Just thinking...

1. 20 days left until Christmas. 6 gifts knit. 9 or 10 left to go. Yeah...let's not go there.

2. I love sweet tea and shrimp po'boys!

3. Working in New Orleans instead of going to the barn sale...well that kinda stinks. Thank goodness there's an online sale, but still, not the same.

4. I finished a gift before I left for my trip. Pictures here. Fingerless gloves? Socks? Potholders?

5. Thank you all for all your happy blogiversary wishes! I really do appreciate all your thoughtful comments! I'll pick a winner on Sunday and I think I have another idea for some holiday fun too!


Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

My Cup Runneth Over....

Today I am celebrating my 2 year Blogiversary!! And all I can think of is how many blessings this blog has brought me. Particularly, you. My friends. This past year I had the chance to meet so many of you, to get to know some of you better, and some who will always have a very special place in my heart. Thank you.

To celebrate, let's have a contest!! I'll pick one winner to give lots of yarny goodness to! All you need to do is leave a comment. Any comment. You can tell me about one of your favorite blogging memories, about a favorite blog, or why you knit. You can tell me what you'd like to see more of on my blog. Or things you like about the blogs you read. Or you can tell me why you love socks that rock (hehehehehe....doesn't everyone?!). Tell me what you are knitting or what you so want to knit once the holiday knitting is complete.

I'm off to New Orleans on Wednesday for work. This will be a quick and busy trip, so I'll pick the winner Sunday when I come back. Feel free to leave a comment until Sunday, Dec. 7, at noon PST.

Thank you all for reading and sharing and being part of the fabulous knitting community that I so cherish!

Happy Blogiversary!!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. Those of you who remember Rowan's, aka Irishdaisy's, pink and white scarf from last year's Blogiversary. Yeah. Not done. Maybe I'll just finish it for her.