Yes, a whole month since the last post. I’m regret leaving you guys hanging, I really do. But you know how you take pictures and say you’re going to post about it and then you end up doing that other thing that’s really cool and you want to blog about that too? That’s been my summer so far.

So, I’ll start with the knitting fo’s…

First off, we have the Trellis Scarf!

Pattern: Trellis Scarf from IK Spring 2006
Yarn: Twisted Sisters Alpaca purchased Rhinebeck 2006, 3 skeins
Needles: No. 4 straight (metal)
Time: 6/9/08 - 7/18/08
Mods: Added one pattern repeat to the width, and knit on, knit on till the yarn ran out.
For: Birthday gift for my bff, Pony.

I really love how this knit up. I was sad to give it away at the end of the project, but Pony is a great friend and I wanted to give her something really nice for her birthday. She’s also a knitter, but would never make something like this, at least not yet.

Check out the detail! The knit 7tog was not as much of a pain as one would expect. I would prep the 7 sts by purling looser on the previous WS row. If you are contemplating making this scarf, do not be intimidated. It was easier than it appeared, really.

Next there was a baby shower for our very own Schrödinger! I took a quick weeklong break from the trellis to work up a baby sweater.

A closeup on the ducky buttons.

Pattern: Knitting on the Net. (Found it on Ravelry here)

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 2 skeins
Needles: No. 4 circs
Time: 1 week
Mods: None
For: Schrödinger’s baby bean

This pattern was really simple. The instructions were a little vague, particularly on the sleeve length, but that’s just me. I prefer to have a diagram, so I can be certain I’m proportionally correct. In all, this came out nicely and I would knit it again if I needed another quick sweater.

While we’re on the topic, I’d love to share some of the photo with you from the shower…

Schrodinger with her crochet toy from Nancy

Schrödinger’s loving her spider baby blanket that we knit as a group.

The party was in a lovely backyard from one of Schrödinger’s muggle friends. A garden like that is unheard of! It was absolutely lovely.

That’s not all I’ve done this summer so far, oh no! The heat index has not stopped the summer canning!

Pictured from R-L: Dilly Beans, Sliced Dill Pickles, Whole Dill Pickles, Raspberry Jam, Blueberry-Lime Jam. (Not pictured Blueberry Jam, Rhubarb-Orange Jam, and Strawberry Jam. That was from another canning session a few weeks ago.)

Things I’ve learned:
One head of dill is not the same thing as one bunch of dill. Please send you favorite dill recipes over; I’ve got a LOT left.

I’ve had a great time canning this year, and it’s not over yet. This was my first attempt at making pickles and I hope to do some other varieties before the season is over. Tomato season is still to come. I hope to get in one more fruit session and make a butter of some sort. I recently got this book and the wheels are turning in my head. What are your favorite pickles?

Ok, ok. I know I’m a week (or two) late posting the renegade pics, but what can I say?! It was a hot hot hot freaking day for a craft fair and the WWKIP Brooklyn site was outside. I didn’t even knit a stitch. You want photos though, right? here ya go:

Me, Maya, Courtney, Marie, and Connie braved the heat! It didn’t hinder the buying

Me, Maya, and Connie on the Etsy board…

I don’t know who this vendor is but I now regret not purchasing a stuffed moose head. Aren’t the mini ones adorable!

I picked up this lettuce from My Paper Crane at the fair. I didn’t get much else, only a t-shirt for Big A. I was on a mission for a specific item, and I tried not to brake the bank. This lettuce is going to be a gift for a special little boy I know

After the fair it was onto WWKIP at The Brooklyn Museum steps! Colleen, Maya and I braved the heat, but I didn’t even knit a stitch. All I had was wool on the needles and it was not going to happen on such a hot day. Such great knitters there were, and spinners, and quilters also!

These knitters were smart to take shade against the stairs.

So I promised an FO…and I share with you- Biancia’s jacket!

Here’s a closeup of the lace yoke…

Stats!

Pattern: Bianca’s jacket from IK Summer 2006

Yarn: Berroco Denim Silk in Acid Washed and Chocolate

Needles: Size 7 circular and DPN

Time: about 3 months, between other projects.

Mods:It was quite a feat to finish this sweater. I ripped back twice, ran out of yarn, but I didn’t give up. I extended the sleeves and the body and gave the collar more of a finer edge than the pattern called for. It does fit a little big (I haven’t blocked it for fear of it blowing up) but it’s not huge. I’ve actually lost some weight since I started it. It’ll still work as a jacket more than a cardi, and I’m really happy with how it came out

Since I ran out of yarn at the very end, I ended up finding a few single skeins for trade or sell on ravelry. I think the chocolate made a good compliment to the blue. Thank you Heidi for helping me finish my sweater!!

I will say one discontentment I had with the design, and I’m sure the designer had her reasons for doing this, but after all the body is said and done, the instructions have you pickup and knit some 300+ stitches for the border around the body. I guess this worked out for the best in the chocolate, but lordy, I much would’ve rather put a few garter rows on at the getgo rather than picking up the sunofaguns at the very end. What a finishing!

Part of my job is to order specialty cartons for high-profile titles. Last week my company sent me up to Buffalo for a tour of the box plant that manufactures our cartons. It was pretty interesting! I got to see how cardboard is put together, and how the sheets are scored and folded. For instance, cardboard sheets are held together by a cornstarch-base glue. High heat and pressure seal them together. Geek alert!

The best part about the trip though, was that the plant was only 20 minutes from Niagara Falls.

I had never been to the Falls before, and it was pretty cool. I went on both the American and Canadian side. On the American side, you can see some maniac’s get really close:

And on the knitting front, things have come to a standstill with the Bianca’s jacket. Apparently the Berroco denim silk is discontinued, so not too many stores are stocking it. Ravelry to the rescue! I was able to search other people’s stashes and see if anyone was willing to trade or sell, and sure enough, there were a few to choose from. I contacted Knittygirl and she was willing to trade her chocolate skein for another bit of cotton yarn that I had in the stash, horray! Thank you so much for helping me!