{this moment}

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 

 Kollage Yarns Sock-a-licious

Happy Friday!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Right Now

My head is full.  I'm tired. I'm so unbelievably excited that tomorrow is Friday, which means the weekend is almost here, and I feel good!  And then next week is a very short week at work, followed by lots of family time for Thanksgiving weekend.

I'm really enjoying blogging every day.  Partly because so many of us are blogging every day together.  I love reading everyone's posts! In December, I hope to continue blogging more, but I'm also hoping that my Physical Therapist will give me and my knee the okay to perhaps do some type of exercise every day.  I figure if I was able to set aside sometimes 10 minutes or 30 minutes or more for blogging, I can make time for exercise in December too.  Nothing overly ambitious, but now that I am starting to feel a bit better, just adding a little more.

I'm hopeful that I will actually have a finished birthday gift for mom this year.  Look, one down!  And her birthday isn't until Dec. 16.



Comfort Food in BMFA Gaea

I just read Turtlegirl's post with her pretty Honey Badger socks and it made me smile :)  Go look, they'll make you smile too.  And they feature an awesome gusset modification.

I still haven't finished my Honey Badger socks.

But, I'm hoping to finish one of my new picot socks this weekend.  I love that at least 10 of you admitted your love for picots too!  Allison loves picots, but she also loves twisted stitches.  I'll admit that gave me pause.  Hmmm...I've always kind of not liked twisted stitches and sort of avoided them, but to be honest I'm not sure why.  Should I give them another chance?  Maybe...  Actually, Allison has an awesome new design in current issue of Twist Collective that features just enough twisted stitches :)  Pretty pretty!

I love that, just as my knitting friends expressed, some of you guys can't stand picots!  That is going to please them to no end!

I finished reading Rachael Herron's new book, A Life in Stitches.  I loved it.  I want to give the book to my mom for her birthday too.  Rachael's stories resonated with me and really captured why I love that I knit.  Why I am a knitter.  Why I can't imagine ever not knitting. 

I'm reading (well, I'm on page 4?) the Hunger Games now.  Disco just started the series, and it reminded me that it has been on my must-read list for awhile. 

Speaking of books.....admit it...who already has their Breaking Dawn tickets???  I'm proud to say I'm not seeing it opening weekend, but my friends and I have plans to go see it Tuesday night after knit nite!! Yay!  Cheesy vampire romance....I'll definitely bring my knitting to the movie I think :)

And now I'm going to go watch Bones, knit on my picot sock, and then go to bed. 

What's going on with you guys right now?

Happy almost Friday!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Wordless Wednesday

Man, I know how they feel! Almost Friday?
Xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I heart picots.

There.  I said it.  I absolutely, 100% love picot edges.  Particularly on socks, but put them on a baby something and I think you've tripled the cuteness factor.

I'm sure many of you already know of my fondness for the picot. It started back with the mini-Monkey socks, inspired by Cara. Being friends with Gail, I actually thought everyone loved picots.

And then there was that moment a few months ago where I realized something profound. Not everyone loves the picot edge.

I know, shocking.

Afterall, everyone seemed to love their Cotty socks, picots and all.

But I still remember the moment when I made this discovery.  It was a relaxing weekend at the coast with my bestest knitting friends and I was designing a new sock and I mumbled something about how I really wanted to put a picot on it, but wasn't sure. And then, almost immediately before they realized what they had done, there seemed to be a collective groan. Not one groan, but if I recall, a few.  It may have been the sangria, but then their true confession came out.

"Not a picot!"
"Can't you just do a plain rib?  Not everyone wants to do a picot!" 
"I hate picots."

The groans continued.  I think I was shocked how much they seemed to dislike picots.  Not my beloved picots.  Probably the absolute favorite thing about some of my socks.  My dear friends who had knit those Cotty socks, despite the picots, really, truly did not like picots.

I have to say, I'm glad they told me. Some of you may be very glad they told me.  I know they are very, very glad they told me. Or else Capitola would have had a picot.  And definitely the Honey Badgers would have had a picot.  I mean seriously, go look at these pictures.  Of course, honey badger needed a picot edge!

If your friends can't tell you like it is, who can, right? We still joke about the picots and my crazy love for them.

But they aren't going to knit this next pattern.



And I don't care.  Because the second I cast on this picot, I was in love all over again :)

I'm curious....do you have a favorite knitting technique?  One you despise?  Are Gail and I the only ones crazy for picots?

Happy Picots!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. Gail has the best picot cuff tutorial here.  Enjoy!

Congrats!!

I just have to send a huge congratulations out to my fabulous friend Thayer, whose new sweater design is not only featured in Twist Collective, but it is on the cover!!!! 

Photo courtesy of Twist Collective, pattern Jaina by Thayer Preece, photo credit: Jane Heller

Pattern purchased...one step closer to that dream of looking like that on a beach someday, with my new handknit sweater.  Seriously, I must knit this in the new year.  I just love it!!

Congratulations Thayer!! I'm so fortunate to have friends like you who continue to inspire me to keep designing!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Gratitude List #7

61. Waking up to Bailey Boo sitting on my tummy.

62. Bailey Boo not wanting to go downstairs in the morning because she is sitting on my tummy.  Even when offered a treat, she doesn't want to leave.  It kind of breaks my heart having to nudge her off.  But then, I don't really want to get up to do that early walk, so I nudge her.  Truth comes out.

63.  These big, big eyes looking at me.



64. Doggie snuggles.

65.  The way both Bailey and Puddles get so, so happy every time I open the door and come home.  It is as if they haven't seen me in yearsssssss.  Love love love.

Here's to a fabulous week ahead.  What are you grateful for this week?

Happy happy!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Gratitude List #6

Time to bring back my gratitude journal.  I'm really trying to focus on the positive things in my life right now, which means letting go of some of that negative energy.  And that isn't always the easiest thing to do, if you know what I mean.

Things I am grateful for today:

56. Feeling better today, and that includes NOT needing a nap or pain medication for the first time in over a week!

57. Yummy treats at the farmer's market. I bought healthy food too, but these were prettier :)



58. Fresh-baked pumpkin bread.

59. Watching Notre Dame football with my family!  A victory made it even sweeter.

60. Time to actually knit, and to knit in my favorite knitting spot.



What are you grateful for this week?

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

{this moment}

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

She found one!  Happy Weekend!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits