Anyone still checking this blog?

I have come to learn that the pattern is now available for FREE on the IK Knitting Daily website.

Can you all access this? You might have to register.

Lotus Blossom Tank.

Also, the Stash & Burn podcast talks about the LBT in their latest episode - Episode 20.

Cardigan Update

I'm so excited! I just tried on my dad's cardigan after sewing on one sleeve, and it looks good! The yarn feels nice, too. All this hard work is finally going to pay off. Whew, what a relief! Since it took me two hours to do one sleeve, I'm saving the other sleeve to do for tomorrow. Then, it's on to the collar and button band. I don't know exactly what I'm doing for either... I can't decide whether or not I want a foldover collar. If I make it a shawl collar, which my husband advises against but I like, it wouldn't have to fold over. Decisions, decisions : ) I will definitely post pictures when I'm done!

Once again, my Interweave Knits has not arrived yet. It seems that everyone else in blogland gets theirs early, while I get my on or after the newstand date. Argh! The first time it happened, I contacted IK and was told that the first issue sometimes arrives late depending on the date I first subscribed. Well, the two issues I've received since then have come late compared to my fellow subcribers. Good thing I like this magazine! My grumbling is now done ; )

It is finally done!

I finally finished up my LBT last week - I had all but abandoned it in the boring stockinette part, but picked it up right after Christmas and cranked it out. The recipient (my OtherMom) loved it - I hope it fits!

LBT Done

I've finally finished this tank and guess what? It doesn't fit. My bust is too big to fit in there properly even after I added an extra inch of stockinette, and my bra shows - no way to adjust it either. For now I will fold it up and tuck it away until I decide what to do with it.

Here are some pics of it. I guess it needs another round of blocking. I somehow don't get good results with blocking especially with stockinette stitch. It just rolls back up like I didn't do anything to it. It still has all of its ends on it needing to be weaved in, but since its not fitting right, I'm not going to waste anymore time on it.

Thanks for the help I've gotten on it.

Shaping the shoulders

Hi guys,

This may have a simple solution, but I want to make sure I understand it. I'm at the shape the shoulders section and it says for row 2: (WS) Place a safety pin or removeable marker on (not through) working yarn and sl next st. Its this NOT THROUGH part that has me a little confused. How would I put the safety pin ON the working yarn??

Thanks in advance!

Lisa

LBT Done

I joined this knitalong not too long ago (my first) and I'm proud to say I'm done! I cast on for this on Sept 20 and finished Oct 3. I had some doubts about how the top was turning out as I was knitting. I kept trying it on with the thought "I can fix this later if I have to". Blocking helped enormously.

Yarn: Knitpicks Merino Style in “Frost” on size 7 and 8 needles.

Modifications: I didn’t switch needle sizes until the decreases and I added a row of YO, K2Tog for the ribbon to go through. Otherwise, I followed the pattern to the letter. I also tried steam blocking this time instead of my usual wet blocking odyssey.

just starting!

I'm just starting, Lisa. In fact, I just ordered my yarn today -- Rowan cotton glace in color Splendour. I thought the little cotton lace would be a nice break from all the thick woolen fall and holiday knitting I'm starting up.

Anyone else presently working on their LBT?

I'm wondering if I am the only one basically just beginning? I see alot of tanks that are done but can't remember seeing any WIPs. Here is mine from a few days ago. I am now on row 11 of my second repeat of lace.

Anyone else still working on theirs? I'd love to see pics!

Question about row 12

Hi there! I'm new to the KAL and relatively new to working lace. So I need a little help : )

In the lace pattern section in row 11, some yarn overs are created just before the purl stitch... and I'm wondering how to work them in row 12... its like a yarn over and then another wrap around the needle (I'm now not sure if I worked that yarn over before the purl correctly in row 11) ... do I work one yarn over and then let the wrap around fall off the needle? I'm not sure if I'm working this right! I hope I explained it effectively.

Thanks!

New to the KAL and I say hello to everyone!! I am hoping to swatch tonight and maybe knit a little bit of it tonight. I am using some Rowan Calmer that I had in my stash. Has anyone used it for this tank?

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

I went to see the Yarn Harlot last night in Salt Lake City and someone in the crowd was wearing a Lotus Blossom Tank in a heathery pink colour. Were you someone in this knitalong?

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee was wonderful BTW. There are pictures on my blog.

Finished mine too!

My Lotus Blossom Tank is done TOO! I'm VERY excited as this is my first knitted item that's suitable for wearing in public. I knit it out of Wendy Supreme DK Luxury Cotton and size 4 needles. (And yes, I'm wearing a hot pink skirt with a lavender colored top. It's hot and my summer wardrobe is LIMITED.) I knit the smallest size with only 4 repeats as the pattern calls for. I'm only 4'11", so I figured that would be okay. As you can see, I pretty much messed up all over the first repeat, but I knew that if I frogged, I wouldn't want to start over, so I kept at it! :-)

You can view more information about it (and my next project on the needles, yikes!) on my new and improved blog, here. I hope everyone had a GREAT Labor Day Weekend.

Me too!

I've made several mistakes, and the finishing isn't perfect, but I still love how it looks and feels! I may knit another one next year. Yarn is called "Bamboo" (bamboo 70% cotton 30%), unknown brand, and I've used about 225 grams. More info and a photo of the mysterious ball band are posted on our joint blog.

The rolling front was better once I misted and pressed it.

Finally finished

I love this tank. I knit mine 4 inches longer, like many of you did, and I just love how it turned out. I decided against using short rows in the bust area and it fits just fine.

More info is at my blog: The Giving Flower Thanks for a great KAL and some gorgeous tanks.

Soon to Blossom....

I wish I found this KAL earlier! I'm almost done, but I've had so many questions to get here.... I could have used your help. But now here I am, done with the shoulder parts, ready to sew them on -- Well, if I can figure out what the best way is. Could anyone post the close-up of the part where the shoulder meets the front? Please?

My front rolls too. I hope it will be better when it's blocked, but I would like to hear from the other knitters how you fixed this.

From the pace I knit, it won't be finished before the weekend -- I can only knit two hours a day, at most.
I will come back with a finished photo!

Tamami (one of the Designated Knitters)

I'm new, a little late and need help

Hi everyone!
I'm new to this KAL and I'm knitting my tank a bit late, as it's starting to get a bit too cool to wear it, but nonetheless, I'm forging ahead.
I'm so impressed with everyone's work, and after starting my tank in the second size and ripping it all out after the second pattern repeat because it was a tent, I'm glad to have found others with similar problems.

I'm now ready to start the armholes and I've read a lot of people have put short row in to give a bit of room in the front. I'm knitting the smallest size and I'm a size 36", so I think I should be knitting some short rows too.
Can anyone tell me how they knit the short rows??? I'm new to short rows so I don't really know what to do.
Thanks so much.
Kimberly- The Giving Flower

Me too, me too!

Just got mine hot off the ironing board, and I am very pleased with it! Mind you I haven't tried washing it yet, just given in a bit of a steam with the iron.

The details: 2 and a bit balls of SWTC Bamboo in sahara - love the way you get the "moire" effect with the colours. (You are supposed to only need 2 for my size so I am lucky that I was originally going to make it bigger and bought the 3rd one)
Size: small.
Needles: US size 6 and 5 Denise interchangeables.
Modifications: None really, except a half inch extra of st st before the armhole shaping.

I am glad I took notice of advice here about negative ease. It would have been huge on me if I had gone for the size that I thought should have fit.

Thank you everyone on the knitalong for all the helpful hints and encouragement. I will keep popping back to see how everyone is doing.

i finished it~~~

hey guys,
i finished my LBT this weekend! i'm really excited with how it came out. :3



yarn: rowan cotton glace in pier
needles: size 5 & 6 plymouth bamboo circulars
size: XS(?!) it's an imaginary size, i cast on 170 st instead of the 200 for the smallest size

like many of you have done, i added an inch of stockinette to the torso before the decreases. on the last pattern repeat, i only did half the pattern for just a little less length than a full one would offer, so there are 3.5 repeats here. i had never worked with cotton glace before, but i looooooove it now. for a mercerized cotton, it's really not as shiny as you think a mercerized cotton would be. i liked what ocdeviant did with her armholes, so i also used crochet (1 row HDC and SC) around the armholes and neckband. i was really worried about the neckband rolling and flopping around everywhere pre-blocking, but i steamblocked the crap out of it and it seems to be holding up rather well. i have to say, this is one of my favorite knits i've done so far!

more photos can be found on my flickr account (these two are from flickr anyway):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/honeypoo

thank you all for your help in my previous posts to this blog! *bow*

Lace part done

I have some progress to report at last! Here is a close up to show the colours - it's SWTC Bamboo Sahara. it could do with a good blocking to show the stitches better.

I have now completed up to the armhole shaping. I kept with the four repeats as I am quite short-torsoed, and I did 3.5 inches of stocking stitch before dividing.

Here is the whole thing after about an inch and a half of st st.

Not far to go - should have it done in a couple of days, if I don't have too many interruptions.

Done

Well, it's done. The seam on the left is a bit crooked, but the top isn't actually uneven -- I was tugging on it without a mirror before my husband took the picture. I like the way the colors pooled. My only complaint is that the neck won't stop rolling because my shoulders are too narrow. But there's nothing I can do about that.

Details: SWTC Bamboo in Serendipity, a little over 2 skeins. 5 lace repeats, armholes and neckline worked by picking up 1 stitch every 2 stitches, not every 1 stitch. The effect is kind of nice.

Not my usual color choice, but I'll wear it -- with another shirt under it. There's way too much midsection peeking through the lace!