We're Here!!

Do you hear that relaxation? Do you feel it? I'm at sock camp. And I'm in heaven.

We arrived a day early to Port Ludlow. This is the view that welcomed us.

Thursday, before camp began, we drove to Port Townsend. Just a perfectly wonderful town on the water. We started out at the Hudson Point Cafe.



And with the bacon cheddar waffle, well we really didn't want to leave.



Let's not forget the crab cakes. Yummy.



But we left the food for the yarn shops.





And then the cupcake shop.



And then, the fun really begins!!!



Happy Sock Camping!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. Small victory. Four yarn stores. Zero yarn purchases. But um... one sock camp store...well.. come back to see the purchases!

Procrastination

I need to be up in 3 hours for sock camp. I know. I shouldn't complain.

But I thought I should share the state of my camp homework. Crazy sock camp.... we need to knit this. That's right. Boobies.



Here are my boobies at the moment. Thank goodness I have a flight tomorrow and lots of knitting time. Camp starts Thursday. I can do it, right?

I won't give excuses. This is the most last minute my homework has been. But, here is just one distraction.



Lil' Guy's 3rd birthday party!



Yes. His mom is beyond crafty cool. Best cake ever I think. Well, if you LOVE Cars as Lil' Guy does.



He was a happy camper!

Now I'm off to be a happy camper!!!

Happy Camping!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The Journey of a Sock Design

The secret is out. I was one of the designers for the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club in March!

I can almost certainly say, this would never have happened without this here blog and you, my dear blog friends! Especially those of you Knittyheads who have been around to remember things like this, and this, and this (this one is still my favorite)! Well, and my dear best friend Christy, who schlepped me to those fiber events where I made some very dear friends.

And so, I had to try to document every fabulous moment of this experience.

First, the phone call from Tina where she just asked if she could read me something. It was this. Happiest phone call ever (and then the dead panic started in as soon as I hung up the phone).

She said something about maybe March and with Christmas knitting, then another design I was already committed to, well, I just went into denial.

Then another phone call where my two questions were: a) Variegated or shaded solid (she said variegated...phew! Just what I was hoping for); and b) lightweight or mediumweight (she said mediumweight...again, just what I was hoping for). Oh, and she said greens and she was thinking of naming the yarn My Wild Irishgirlie (dude. second happiest moment). And then this arrived.




Oh, and beware, this post is filled with not-so-spectacular photography skills. Deadline knitting, plus winter, means late night, flash-exposed, yarn pics. I did my best. If you really want some beauty, check this out.



Back to the yarn. Greens with, oh my goodness, my two favorite colors, blue and pink. I was so so so excited. I wound that baby up and packed it with me and brought it to New Orleans.



That business trip involved lots of hotel room knitting, king cake, and the Saints winning their Playoff Championship! Wait, the obligatory king cake shot. Because now I want some.




But I didn't knit that gorgeous skein right away. I wanted to try my pattern out, work out the kinks, etc., with a different skein of Socks that Rock.



I chose Dutch Canyon. I figured if the pattern popped in this highly variegated yarn, I was on the right path. Plus, the pattern required three different sizes, so this was the medium size.



I am a bit smitten with that heel.

I sent those pictures off to Tina, both for my reassurance and hers. I was good to go! I knit knit knit knit. And finished my sock and pattern.





A couple of quick photos for proof one sock existed. And then the wait began.

I am not good at keeping secrets. This one killed me. And then the teasers began. Torture again.

Finally, my pattern and yarn arrived, and I did my own little dance!!!





I now present to you, Slip Jig.

From the introduction of the pattern notes....

I'm an Irish girl at heart. Envision a young girl, who grew up listening to tales from her grandparents about the old country, leprechauns and banshees. And took Irish dancing lessons for 10 years. It is no wonder that this colorway, paired with these slip stitches, inspired me to name this pattern Slip Jig.

Pattern: Slip Jig

Yarn: BMFA Socks that Rock, mediumweight, colorway My Wild Irishgirlie

Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)

Size: medium size

Notes: I designed these socks, and yes, there are probably 2 noticeable errors when I knit them up for myself (not pattern errors, knitter errors). Both occurred at knit night :)

Pattern and color will be available to the general public in March 2011 at Blue Moon Fiber Arts.

Big thank you to Tina. And to all of you for your support on this journey!

Happy Dancing!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

All in a Friday Afternoon

First this...



Then, very unexpectedly, with a bit of encouragement from Cupcakefaerie, this...





Yes sweetie, I want one of those too! Maybe not so big.





I did stock up on a few of these. Love them.

And now sleep. I'm exhausted, but what a fabulous few hours this afternoon!

Nighty night!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happy Easter!!

The holiday weekend was fun-filled and flew by, just like Lil' Guy on a scooter!

Happy Easter!!
xoxo IrishgirlieKnits

P.S. Why, yes, the Easter Bunny brought me that lovely skein of Plucky Knitter yarn (my Easter Bunny is also known as Plucky Classics sock club!).

Burst

Spring is here and the flowers are blooming (well, today it is raining, but before that!)! This sock is blooming as well! Both the color and pattern just BURST!

Burst: to break open, apart, or into pieces usually from impact or pressure from within; to give way from an excess of emotion; to emerge or spring suddenly

Pattern: Burst

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Tonal, colorway Queen Anne

Needles: US 1.0 (2.25mm) or size to obtain gauge, DPNs or circulars

Gauge: 36 sts = 4 " over stockinette stitch

Size: adult women's average/medium, although size can be easily modified by adding or subtracting an equal number of purl stitches to the pattern in the purl background

Measurements: 7 1/2" foot circumference, 5" approximate leg length

You may go directly to the Knit Picks site to purchase Burst here. The pattern is only $1.99, the price of all of the Independent Design Program Patterns.

You may also purchase it through my ravelry pattern page here .

Happy Spring!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Merrily Cowl

When I designed my Merrily socks, I loved the simplicity and repetition of the pattern and thought it would be perfect for a cowl.

Introducing.... the Merrily Cowl.







Knit with 2 skeins of Knit Picks Andean Silk, this cowl is just so drapey! I love it! Perfect accessory for spring! This is another design I did for the Knit Picks Independent Designer's Progam (and really, if you haven't, go check out the great designs over there!).



This cowl takes just under 200 yards, so I had to try it out with my new lone skein of Madelinetosh Vintage yarn that I purchased at Stitches. Not quite as drapey as the Andean Silk, but I think the pattern holds up nicely in this yarn too!



Pattern: Merrily
Yarn: ~ 190 yards of worsted weight yarn; shown in 2 skeins of Knit Picks Andean Silk, colorway Hollyberry; also shown in 1 skein of Madelinetosh Vintage, colorway Thyme
Needles: US size 6 (4.0 mm) or size to obtain gauge, DPNs or circular needles

Gauge: 20 sts = 4" over st st
Measurements: 12 1/2" width, 8 1/2" height

You may go directly to the Knit Picks site to purchase the Merrily Cowl pattern. The pattern is only $1.99, the price of all the Independent Designer's Patterns.

You can also purchase the pattern on my ravelry pattern page here .

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits