Blogiversary Special #3 & #4

Happy Friday!  Busy busy week, but now it is countdown to holiday vacation time!!  And another weekend filled with holiday fun....work party tonight, shopping downtown tomorrow with the family, and maybe getting some holiday baking done :)  Must not forget the knitting too....



Today's treat :)  Yummy!

To continue with the blogiversary fun, here's specials #3 and #4.

Tonight until the end of Saturday (11:59pm PST), Dancette is on sale for 50% off!  $3.00 for a gorgeous shawl that you still have time to knit before Christmas if you want.  No coupon needed! 



Blogiversary special #4.... a yarny contest!!!  One special winner will be receiving a few skeins of gorgeous yarn and an IGK tote bag!  Just leave a comment sharing one of your favorite holiday traditions...whether it be an activity, recipe, favorite song to decorate the tree to....  Please leave a way to contact you if you win (e.g., ravelry name, email).  Plus a few others will win an IGK pattern too!

Off to get ready for the holiday party!!  Happy Friday!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Blogiversary Special #2

What a whirlwind of a weekend.  I forgot how quickly December weekends seem to fly by.  This one was no exception.  Just a few highlights....




Holiday decorating has begun.



Two patterns with looming deadlines were sent off.

One Mystery Sock KAL design has made some serious progress!  So excited, but alas, can't show you any pictures since it is..a mystery.  But I am using a gorgeous skein of Plucky Knitter Primo!  So dreamy.  I just love this yarn!  Now to write up the pattern and get it to my test knitters (sorry guys! It is coming!).

Did I tell you guys I'm taking more graduate-level courses for a specific certification for work?  It has been on the to-do list for quite awhile and it started in October.  I'm taking an accelerated course that started in October and I've been managing ok until Thanksgiving weekend.  Fortunately I can at least knit during my 5 hours a week of video lectures and my 1 hour a week class (I love this online class thing!).  But this past week, it has definitely been cramping my style.  Just another year of this....woo-hoo...  Anyways, this week's test has been taken (yes, there is a test every week), so check that off the list.

Lots of college football was watched and the 49ers are the NFC West Champs!

My list of all the things I had planned to accomplish though is just as long. Oh well.

So let's start our week off right with Blogiversary Special #2...

Comfort Food, another quick knit project for those holiday gifts, is 50% off (just $3.00) on Monday only (well, starting now until Monday Dec. 5 at 11:59pm PST)! 





Knit in aran weight yarn, this will knit up quickly!

Did your weekend fly by?  What do you have planned for the week ahead?  And dare I ask about that holiday knitting?  I won't, if you won't.

Happy Knitting!
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.

Happy Friday!!

Just a few more hours left for the Snowboarder Deal of the Day!

Check back sometime this weekend for a contest and the next deal (hint hint...the pattern is a comforting knit!  And quick holiday gift too!).

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

5 years!

Kind of crazy that I've been blogging now for 5 years!  Who could have thought that it would have led to an amazing group of friends and a budding designing career!  I know I couldn't have.

So for the next week or so, we're going to do 5 fun things.  I haven't thought of all of them yet, but I'm pretty sure you guys will enjoy them.

First up, the newly reformatted Freestyle Snowboarder Hat. 



My first pattern that I offered for sale is now shiny and pretty, and definitely written a bit clearer!  Just in time for winter!



It was perfect timing that Jill was able to reformat this.  Thank you Jill!  Speaking of Jill, aka Knitterella, did you guys see that the Yarn Harlot gave a huge shout out today about Jill's knitting gift tags?  They were featured as one of the gifts for knitters.

Okay.  Back to the pattern.  I love the striped version of this. Look how little Lil' guy looks!



I still love how the decreases work too.



When I was reformatting the pattern, I knit another one for Lil' Guy in Kollage Yarns Fantastic (seriously, that yarn is fantastic!).







I think I may knit a few of these for gifts. Well, that is once I start my holiday knitting.  It is only Dec. 1, right? I love the striped version and have quite a few leftovers around here that will work!

Back to the blogiversary fun....


From now until the end of Friday, Dec. 2 (11:59pm PST), The Freestyle Snowboarder Hat will be offered for $3.00!  One day to score a deal on an easy holiday gift knit.   


I'll probably offer another pattern or two for a special, one-day 50% off price....any you'd like to see featured, let me know.  Plus, we'll do some contests!

A blogiversary week of fun!  Thank you guys! I wouldn't be here without you.

30 Days!

Woohooo!  30 days of blogging for the month of November!  I'm pretty proud of myself and all of you who participated too.  What did you think?  Too many doggy pictures?  I definitely couldn't blog on a daily basis, but it did help me think a bit more creatively about posting.  November was a month with obstacles that would normally prevent me from blogging (e.g., I was sick a lot, had secret knitting projects, busy holiday weekends), so it was interesting to see that I actually was able to come up with things to blog about.

In knitting news....

Tonight I finished one of the secret knitting projects and sent that off.  Yay!  That always feels good.  It had a picot on it, if you recall (sidenote for my bestest friend in the whole wide world...the picot is the bumpy little things on the top of the sock).

I'm finishing up a new sock design for Kollage Yarns, using that pretty skein of Sock-a-licious.  No matter what patterns or designs call to me (e.g., I'm dying to cast on a new shawlette design), when I'm knitting socks, everything seems right.  I shall forever be a sock knitter. 

I need to bust a move on my mystery sock design for the Sock Knitters Anonymous Mystery Sock KAL in January.  My test knitters are ready.  I am not.  But I shall conquer that this weekend.

Did you see this?  I'm so excited to be a part of Twisted's Shawlette Club (that's me designing in Jan. 2013)!!  Look at that list of indie dyers and designers.  I've gone back and forth about stopping all clubs for next year because I just can't keep up, but this club seriously makes me want to sign-up. For March's shipment alone with Tina's yarns and Debbi's awesome designs!

I'm going to TNNA in January!  I will finally, finally get to hang out with Zonda!!! 

I still haven't started Christmas knitting and Mom's birthday gift is still just one glove.  How about you?

My blogiversary is this week too!!  I'm thinking of doing something fun....check back!

Until then...dogggies!



Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

The View from my Lap

Long day, but a good night....




Doggy, sock knitting, hot tea, and a warm fire. Oh, and rewatching Game of Thrones.

Winter is coming.

Stay warm!
Xoxo irishgirlieknits

IGK Cyber Monday

Back to work.  Back to eating healthy after all that stuffing.  But, to take the edge off just a bit, we're celebrating Cyber Monday the IGK way!

Today is the last day to receive 25% off any of my IGK individual patterns from my ravelry shop.  No coupon necessary!

My recommendations for perfect last minute holiday gifts are...

Summer Wind



It has been such a popular pattern (look #68 in popular Cowls on Ravelry!) and I think almost anyone on your holiday gift list would enjoy one.  Plus, you probably already have a gorgeous skein of sock yarn in your stash that you've been wanting to knit and it'll be perfect for this.  I love the way Sheri shows the many ways to wear this too.

Fine Fella



Perfect for the guy or gal on your list and will knit up quickly too!  I'm still hoping to have time to knit another one of these.


And to sweeten the deal today, I have overstock of my Irishgirlieknits tote bags and thought I'd share a deal with you guys.  For just $10, plus $2 for US shipping, you can have one!  They make great project bags!  These 100% cotton tote bags feature the Irish Girlie Knits Designs logo on them and measure 14 x 14 x 3.



If you are interested, email me at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT com with your paypal info and I'll send you an invoice.

Any other cyber monday specials that you are taking advantage of today?  Favorite etsy shops to share?  I have just a few gifts left to purchase!

Happy Monday!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. I still can't believe I've blogged every day so far in November! Crazy! Thanks for bearing with a few quick picture posts this past week with the busy holiday week :)  It has been awesome catching up with those of you blogging every day too!  And if you didn't participate in NaBloPoMo, go ahead and blog just once this week.  Baby steps!

Tradition

Every other year for the past few years, Notre Dame has played Stanford here in the bay area, just a few miles from my house, on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.  And each year, our tradition of tailgating before the game and going to the game has become a bigger event.  My brother goes all out in the hosting/setting up/coordinating department!


Here he is playing with the new ND bean bag toss.


Lil' Guy can already catch and throw a football pretty well for a four-year old.



Ah! Sticks, dirt and rocks!  Perfect entertainment for Lil' Guy!



There was tons of food, but my favorite by far were these cupcakes my sister-in-law made!  Too cute!


We had great seats and it is always awesome to watch and cheer for the Irish in person!



Yeah, it was a tough loss.  And lil' guy was worn out from the torture of the Irish not playing too great.



This year we had another fabulous time, despite the sad loss.  But I can't wait for 2013!  Go Irish!!  Hey, at least we made it to a bowl game!  One more football game to look forward to!

Go Irish!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits