Too many!!

Remember this post and the little contest I had on guess how many WIPs are in that big bag?!

Renee-Anne guessed right with 12! Congratulations!! (email me at irishgirlieknits AT gmail DOT come for details) Well, here they are, all 12 of them!



A bit ridiculous!! I blame the designing...lots of single socks in the project bags (and yes, I know I have a project bag problem too). Buried at the bottom of the pile is one now completely frogged beginnings of a February Lady Sweater. That should be exciting because that would mean only 11 WIPs, right? Nope. I forgot about the big Tickled Pink Blanket that Rocks. Still 12.


Plus...um....


I seem to have added to the WIP total. This one wasn't my fault. I blame Cockeyed and Knittinggolfer. The BMFA BFL in True Blood Red showed up in the mail and I was informed to cast on my Pont Neuf immediately. I caved to peer pressure (and, well, gorgeous yarn).

And....this...



My new design, based on my Queen Alice sock pattern. I love the yarn (Malabrigo Rios) and am hoping to crank out this pattern before Christmas (another cowl/infinity scarf combo of cabley goodness).

And one would think that now 14 WIPs, and a new spinning habit would stop me, right? I mean, it has never been this bad. Ever.

But I still keep looking at this and wanting to cast on.....


new Rockin' Sock Club shipment and gorgeous pattern by KnitQuest (great job Sam!)

HELP!!!!

Happy Knitting through my crazy WIPs!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

10 things.

Ever have one of those sort of good, sort of blah, not-so-good days? Well, that was my day today. However, I'm going to try to focus on the better part tonight.

I bring you 10 things I love, today.

1. Pumpkin bread with cranberries and pecans added. Why didn't I think of this sooner? And why did I forget to take a picture of the four loaves I made today? Maybe tomorrow.

2. Knitting by the fire.



I was debating how I wanted to complete the decreases on Wee Baby Francis hat and so I took this photo insead. Must have worked, as the hat is now done :) Pattern should be finished in the next day or two and then off to test knitters.

3. Puddles. How could you not love her?



4. Tomorrow is Sunday. I LOVE that.

5. Realizing that I really have no clue about how to update, revise, make-pretty, my blog. Yes, I love that I've finally realized it. So not only am I hoping that Santa brings me Knitterella for my logo this Christmas, I'm hoping her graphic design skills will make my blog a bit, um, prettier :)


But, at least I figured out how to add text to photos in Picnik!

6. While I'm making a list for Santa, anything from this etsy shop by Little Brown Pen would be lovely. I saw the 5 x 5 Paris in (specific color...mine would be blue) Collection on French Press Knits blog awhile ago and just love love love this shop.

7. Casting on a new project! Yay!! In the lovely Malabrigo Rios I purchased at A Verb for keeping Warm a few weeks back. And yes, in casting on a new project I realized that I owe everyone a contest winner on the WIP guess. That post coming soon! Promise.

8. My new lumpy handspun. Mine is in the middle, surrounded by other newbie spinners, Cheekyattitude and Pbftlizy.



9. Watching this. Shhhh!! No judgement.

10. I found time to blog. I love you guys :)

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Never say Never

I succumbed.

Happy Spinning???

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Fun Stuff

I've had a list of fun stuff running through my head that I've wanted to share in the past few weeks. Finally, a few free moments to share them. Time to blog. Another reason why I love long four-day weekends!

So, here's some fun stuff.

1. Have you checked out the new Twist Collective? My very good friend Thayer, aka ilikecake, has a new sweater design in it! Blair is just gorgeous!



Why, yes, that is my gorgeous model friend too! Seriously talented girl she is! Check out more pictures of Blair on her blog.

2. I finally finished something.



Pont Neuf cowl using my leftovers from the sample knit in Kollage Yarns Solace. I've actually finished one other project (wee baby Uncle Frank socks!!), but haven't had a chance to take pictures yet. My knitting mojo was a bit on hold the past week or two as a major reorganization/cleaning has taken place at my home.

3. The major home cleaning led to closet cleaning, which led to discovering way too many WIPS, but they are now all tucked in here.



Well, except for the Blanket that Rocks project. But everything else is in here! Can you guess how many WIPS are in there? Let's have a little contest. Guess how many are in there and first one correct (or random winner if no one guesses correctly) will win a pattern from my Ravelry store.

4. I've loved seeing my designs knit up and recently I've seen a few that I wanted to share. Check out Nartian's Pont Neufs! And Dawn finished a beautiful Le Petit Pont! Both are perfect holiday knits (and look, Kollage Yarns thinks so too!).

5. Knitpicks featured one of my designs, Burst, in their November catalog!





I love this pattern and LOVE how they reknit the socks and did the photoshoot!! So fun!! And I want that cute couch/chair.

6. Cute picture of Puddles. Always fun to share.



7. I bought The Shetland Trader's new book. Lots of gorgeous lovely projects! Inspiration!!

8. Fiber? What is that doing here on my blog? Ummmmm.....I think I have some explaining to do. A little something happened over on twitter. Must run to holiday brunch, but I promise to tell you soon.



9. For teasing you with fiber pictures, I better make it up to you by telling you all of my individually sold patterns through Ravelry are on sale (you can also purchase by clicking on the pattern links over on my sidebar, just not all the patterns have the discount but Cotty, Sweet Baby Kate, Uncle Frank and more are on sale)!! 25% off until Monday, Nov. 29 (discount automatic at checkout).

Hope all of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful one! I did! Lots of celebrating still going on this weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!!






Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be grateful for this year!

As a thank you for all of your support this past year, I'm having a little holiday pattern sale. Most of my individual patterns are 25% off through Sunday, Nov.28 (discount applied at checkout).

Gobble Gobble!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

I'm ready for winter

Are you?

Amazing how many socks were hiding under my bed and in my closets! 25 clean socks.

12 pairs from Socks that Rock (not surprised!)

7 pairs from yarns purchased from Woolgirl (another not surprised!)

6 pairs from The Plucky Knitter (again, not surprised)

1 lonely Mama Blue pair

Bring on the cold!!

Happy Monday!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Planes, Trains, and Lil' Guy

First, the Hiller Aviation Museum with Grandma and Auntie.

Then trains at Pa's.

"Can I touch the trains?"

No. But you can sit and watch them.

"Can I watch them there (pointing to the middle)?"

Sure.

"Hmmm....where can I put this tree?"

"Right here?"

"Yes, here."

When the trees ran out, we resorted to Cabbage Patch Miniatures, all lined up, waiting for the train.

One seriously easy to please Lil' Guy!

Happy Sunday!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

a noun for perfection

Last Thursday, Cupcakefaerie and I ventured to A Verb for Keeping Warm's new store. The store is perfection, exactly what one would envision your local yarn store to be.



I fell in love immediately.

It may have been the gorgeous, vibrant sock yarns.

It may have been that I was inspired by so many of the yarns. I loved the range of yarns that they are offering, from their own line to the Fibre Co., Sanguine Gryphon, Pigeonroof Studios, Madeline Tosh. The list goes on. I feared for my wallet.

It may have been the light and the openness that I fell in love with as well.


And Kristine! So welcoming. She really has created an awesome space (congratulations Kristine!). I just wish it was a bit closer. But then again, maybe it is for the best.

See those drop spindles? And see that smiling person behind them? She is grinning because I think she realizes she may have finally sucked me in. No, I didn't walk away with a drop spindle or fiber, but I'm pretty sure that will be in my future soon. If time wasn't an issue, I probably would have signed up for the intro to drop spindle class that was offered at Verb last weekend, just so that I could have taken more classes with Cupcakefaerie (or should I say Spinningenablingfaerie) this coming weekend.

I didn't even take pictures of the gorgeous fabric. I was trying so hard to resist all the pretty.

Can you believe only these two lovelies came home with me?

Malabrigo Rios in Azul Profundo

I think I resisted buying more because I wanted a reason to go back. Again. And again.

Plus, I didn't even meet up with my east bay girls....Tapmouse, Nartian, Purlsjustwannahavefun. Oh, I see more visits in my future!

Happy Shopping!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits