Basalt Tank Update

I have returned to the Basalt Tank after a hiatus. I wanted to make the shoulder straps wider and toyed with different ideas. I hadn't counted on running out of the purple color so soon. I could rip back and start the stockinette section earlier, like the inside portion, and then finish with another row of lace (yo, k2tog) before another band of garter stitch. Or, I could just use up the rest of the purple and join in some black yarn to make a second garter, lace, garter band. That would make it a Basalt Shell instead of a Basalt Tank. Don't be shy, leave a comment with your suggestions.

Here is the green side,

and here is the red side. It is reversible!
As usual, there is more, ad nauseum, on my blog.

basalt tank - the final post!

i present to you......... the basalt tank - off the blocking board and on the ole body!


while i still am unsure about how much i'll wear this, i'm pleased with how it turned out (and very displeased with the photograph, but i was anxious to go ahead and post it). i feel like everything time i finish a project, i get a little bit closer to knitting that elusive perfect garment. i consider this basalt tank to be one baby step closer to that goal.. i've posted more pics and details of the project at my blog. thanks for motivating me to get this thing finished!! i'll be back with progress on the ram's horn jacket once it cools down a little... in the meantime, i look forward to seeing all of your finished (and in progress) gems!

Starting the Basalt Tank.

Hi everyone...I've started a pattern, so I am joining your KAL!
Here is the beginning of the Basalt Tank.



I am wondering about knitting the sections in the round...I may leave my first section and do the second in the round.

I am not really liking the seam on the inside of the garment.

Tags: Basalt Tank_

Basalt Tank

As this is my first post here, I'd like to say thank you to the blog organizer. I first saw this book about a year ago when I was learning to knit, and I wanted to work my way up to being able to knit these beautiful patterns. Now I feel confident, and am very excited about making several of these (I think unique) patterns.

My Basalt Tank is happily blocking out. It was an easy knit, but it took me a long time - I think due to the yarn I used. Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy was a bit easy to snag, and bled a little in the blocking process. If it softens up a bit, I will not be disappointed by this yarn. I still don't think I would use it again. It took just under four balls to make the xs size with half hexagons at the sides. It is an airy knit with size four needles, but this does not distract from the pattern. I will post a picture of me in it when it is done drying.

One of my goals in this blog is to accurately describe the different kinds of yarn I use for each project. I love it when people critique yarn. I never buy yarn in person, so research is a must, and I don't see enough of it out there.

I am also thinking about making the Phyllo Yoked Pullover, but I am near certain that a size 36" xs will fall off of me. I am closest to a 32" but this knit looks like it could be a little loose...I have no idea how to size it down to a 33-34" top as of yet. I will be grateful for any input on this matter.

I look forward to seeing more projects by everyone, and in general, shooting the breeze about these knits.

Crystal

Hemp Basalt Tank

Knitting Nature was a Christmas gift from my mother. A note inside the book said "comes with yarn for one pattern." I set my mind in motion Only one pattern? How could I possibly choose? And on the college student budget, I realized that this gifted yarn might be the only "good" yarn that i would get to knit into a pattern in this book for a while. After long debate, I decided on the yarn first. Hemp yarn. AllHemp6 by Hemp for Knitting/Lanaknits. In a rather lovely sapphire (not a color I often wear or knit with, which made it even nicer.)
My original plans to knit the roundabout tank were foiled. The hemp curled all over the place and wouldn't lie flat. (Moral: don't use a round yarn in place of a ribbon/tape yarn.)
And then the more I looked at the Basalt Tank, the more I realized that the hemp yarn was speaking to me to be used. And so here it is.....my wonderful boyfriend took the pictures, so blame him for the bad lighting.

basalt tank is done!

my basalt tank is finished!! ends woven in, blocked and ready to go! i still haven't put it on for a photoshoot, but here you can see it blocking in all it's brown, hard-to-photgraph glory:



as you can tell, i modified it that there are 1/2 hexagons on the sides, but other than that, it was knit exactly to the pattern. the arm holes are a teeeeeeeeeeny bit small, but it fits pretty well. doesn't necessarily mean i'll wear it a lot. now that it's finished, i find myself wondering: "hmmm, a brown knitted hexagonal tank top... is that something i would really ever wear? is it worth wearing just because i made it? will people take one look at me wearing it and think 'there she goes, wearing her weird, knitted stuff'".. hmmm. hope to have modeled pics soon!

Basalt Tank

I love this book. This is the first book I've picked up recently that found several projects to get to quickly. Even had the perfect yarn for the Basalt Tank.

I am making the smallest adult size (cast on 188) and I'm doing fine up to Row 26. At the end of row 24 I had 17 stitches in each section. The pattern, page 18, first group - actually all of them - say to Repeat row 2, which is a decrease row, but to maintain 17 stitches per section.

Should the pattern say repeat row 7 or should it be a purl row. If I purl, it would create a garter stitch, which is what the pattern looks like.

I do hope you get this quickly! I'm eager to get moving. The top is really going quickly!

Jenny Tabrum

Basalt Tank

Hello natural knitters! I finished the Basalt Tank:


Please pardon the too-dark, unflattering photo. I knit this in Jo Sharp Soho Summer, a basic DK-weight cotton. My row gauge was pretty off from the pattern, so I ended up knitting a larger size which ended up fitting perfectly (after a run through my dryer).

I made a number of modifications. First, I knit half-hexagons on the sides, rather than whole ones, because I know I'd never wear the thing with whole hexagons. I doubled up the garter stitch border at the neckline for decency - if you look at the model in the book, that sweater is fairly low-cut on her. I also mirrored the garter border at the bottom for some additional length.

The major modification I did was to add waist shaping. I highly recommend waist shaping to anyone knitting this sweater - it is very, very easy to add, and makes the garment much more flattering. All I did was to cast on fewer stitches at the side hexagon pieces, and then I spaced the decreases evenly as I knit the hexagon. Simple and effective. I only wish that I had added more shaping!

More info (including my struggles with garter stitch) here.

Basalt Tank Update 2

Here is another picture just to show you that I have made some progress on the Basalt Tank.

I am very happy with the neckline.

I intend to put partial hexagons on the sides, about the same width as the shoulders. I will tighten up the waistline by decreasing across the top of the side hexagons.

When I am done, I will write up all my modifications to the pattern. However, I am not sure how much I can reveal without violating the pattern copyright. More on my blog.

Basalt Tank Progress

No one left a comment on how to proceed after the Basalt Tank Derailment. So I frogged back to the second eyelet row and continued in stockinette.

There are some more pictures and notes on sizing and construction on my regular blog. I used a different decrease formula than the one in the book in order to get my hexagons to come out flat.

Basalt Tank and Target Wave Mittens

I love this book, and have started two of the patterns!

First, the Basalt Tank. There is lots of good information from this knitalong on errors in this pattern, thanks! I'm using Jo Sharp Soho Summer in the Currant colorway. My gauge all around is off from the pattern, so I knit a gauge swatch:

So far so good. I'm planning on adding some waist shaping to the sweater. We'll see how that goes.

I also started the Target Wave mittens. I bought some Louet Topaz for the mittens, so again my gauge is different from the pattern. The pattern measurements seem a bit odd - the child's large is 9 1/4 inches long, and a pair of mittens that I own are the same length. I do believe that my hands are longer than a child's large (they certainly wider). I'll be double-checking that length once I finish the cuff.

Basalt Tank Derailed

I started the Basalt tank yesterday using stash yarns in Amish colors. I encountered several difficulties. These are the two hexagons I had intended to use for my center front and back.

I made the hexagons in the round. For the first hexagon, I used green yarn and the corrections posted by cmeknit but the hexagon puckered in the middle in an unattractive way. So I frogged it back to row 24 and made both garter stitch/eyelet sections the exact same way. I was happy with the result until I got to the inside stockinette section. The decreases were too frequent and caused puckering in the center.

I had previously made two other sweaters with equilateral triangles, but the decreases came at the rate of 6 stitches over 8 rows. Click here for a discussion about the correct decrease ratio for equilateral triangles. Click here for another discussion about the correct decrease ratio for right triangles.

Since I was knitting in the round, I placed paired decreases every 3rd row (6 decreases every 9 rows). The resultant green hexagon has a slight volcano which is barely noticeable. The hexagons in the photograph have not been blocked (just patted down a little bit for their photo op).

So, if I used 2 colors of the same yarn, Cascade Key Largo, then why do I have a small amount of the green yarn left over after completing the hexagon but ran out of the red yarn with 7 stitches remaining on each side?! If you read the label, they both are supposed to be 110 yards.

So I am at a crossroads. What should I do?

1. Join a ball of dark berry colored yarn and pretend I planned a contrast section all along.


2. Bind off and leave a peekaboo section in my midsection.


3. Frog the whole thing and use it as a side 5/6 hexagon. (But this would put the red right next to the green and make a summer sweater look like Christmas.)


4. Frog back to just after the second eyelet row and continue in stockinette until I run out of yarn. Stockinette would take less yarn than garter stitch and I might have enough yarn to knit the center completely in stockinette (or leave a smaller peekaboo section).


5. Some other solution from the wisdom of the internet.
   

Addendum for knitting these hexagons in the round

The pattern was probably written for knitting back and forth to avoid the jog at the end of the rounds. See the mismatch at the change of rounds when switching from garter to stockinette?




Here is what happens when I remembered to knit the first stitch of the round together with the stitch immediately underneath it. The garter purl ridge is lifted up just enough to meet the ridge at the end of the prior row. No jog!




Pay no attention to the pink yarn. I was trying to avoid lumpy seams by using this nifty trick in Lucy Neatby's latest newsletter for crocheting a provisional cast on.

Basalt Tank

I've had this book since it first came out, but only now have something to show. I've completed two hexagons on the Basalt Tank. I spread them on the floor to photograph and you can see that there were some obstructions, so I took another close up. I'm sorry Carolyn had so much trouble (and anger!) with this pattern, but grateful she went first so I had some heads up about the mistakes.

I did the first two hexagons flat, but have done about 20 rows on the third in the round. I'm doing this on 24" circulars and will switch to magic loop I think when there are fewer stitches. I'm using Classic Elite Premiere (50% Pima Cotton 50% Tencel) in boring brown (because it will match everything else I own).

I've also swatched last night for the Shell Tank with some Debbie Bliss Soho Summer I got at the WEBs Tent Sale. Actually I did the skinny left front piece as my swatch. Then cast on and did the ribbing for the back piece.

I also have yarn already for the spiral scarf and I've been eyeing some Reynolds Rapture for the sweater that looks like it has a sand dollar on the front of it (can't recall the name at the moment). WEBs is discontinuing carrying Rapture and is selling off the last of their stock at 25% off.

Basalt tank mistakes.

I have discovered an obvious mistake in the pattern...please note:

If you are knitting this tank, make sure you count inbetween your markers after the eyelet rows. You will know what I am talking about because it doesn't work out evenly...atleast in this size....and you sometimes have to k2tog when the stitches are on either side of a marker. You will see.

Also...the mistake in the pattern is this

Inside Section.Rows 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 PURL.

I am progressing, slowly...



Tags: Basalt Tank_,

Errata_

Not-so-new member

I joined this knitalong last year, but have yet to actually make anything from the book! Well, that's going to change this summer. I've bought yarn to make the Basalt tank:



I'll be using Knit Picks Shine Sport in "grass," a wonderfully bright green. I know for sure I'll be modifying this sweater (a la Kelly's version from last year), so I'll be checkin' in more frequently to update on my progress.

Bamboo Basalt!

I think I learned a lot by turning this tank into a dress. And I will be able modify the pattern so much in the future, that it will be completely mine. This one however, due to the stitch pattern is very much so an homage to Nora Gaughan.

I would change the upper half hex into a triangle if I make this again, and the upper whole back hex into a pentagon.

This was fun!

The yarn is 100% bamboo yarn just under 4 balls at 250yards purchased from the yarn girls at discontinuedyarn.com. The Yarn Girls are great to buy yarn from and have excellent customer service. They are having a labor day sale and I recommend this for anyone who wants beautiful unusual yarn for less than retail.

basalt tank half way

Just a few more hexagons, some straps and some garter around the bottom and she's done! This project is coming along quickly and the hexagons are fun to knit. So far I haven't encountered any problems with the pattern and I anticipate finishing it up before too long. I'm a little nervous about the sizing / wearability of the finished garment, but with this odd construction it'll be hard to tell until it's completed... We'll see soon enough!

another new member!

Hi everyone!

I've had an eye on this KAL and have loved watching all of your projects come to their exciting conclusions. Some of the things I've seen posted here have inspired me or prompted me to reconsider knitting certain garments out of knitting nature - my most favorite knitting book ever... Norah Gaughan is a genius.

Anway, I was so eager to make something - anything - out of the book that I started small and immediately set to making the sunflower tam.


The lite lopi's a little scratchy for me, but what a fun knit - I loved seeing the pattern emerge. After that, I dove into bigger projects, like the Ram's horn jacket. Here's one of the fronts, with a contrasting blue wool hem that barely peeks out:

I've since finished both of the fronts and one sleeve but I've temporarily shelved this because it's getting a little too warm to work on it here.

Lastly, I've just started the basalt tank. See - my yarn for it (wool cotton in a chocolate color) just arrived from WEBS!! I'm making mine with half hexagons on the sides and I'm hoping it will turn out as beautiful as this one by kelp! knits. Truly an inspiration.


Sorry for the long post - more info on these and other projects at my blog here.

Spring is here!

This is the finished Basalt Tank I've been working on. It looks very smooth and I can't wait to wear it around. The hemp has softened up a bit, and it will be a long lasting durable garment. Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy would be good to make bags and purses from. It is also the exact gauge Norah Gaughan's pattern calls for. I knit the front center hexagon in the round, as the back (my first attempt, has the dreaded seam everyone here has mentioned). I should have added waist shaping, because it is a wee bit boxy on me, but I am very happy with the result.

I am watching a tiny bird dive through the railing and past my feet in this photo. It was quite the pilot. So fast you can't see it in this picture.

Errata....

A note from your mod...

I was recently sent this errara to the book. In the next few days I'll add a link in the side bar so that people can acess it easily and comment and help keep it up to date.



Chapter 1 – Hexagons

Basalt Tank

Page 16

Row 7 should read as follows:

Row 7: P1, *p1, yo, p2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1. Redistribute markers, if necessary, so that you have 27 (29, 31, 33, 35) sts between markers.

Page 19

The following changes should be made to the Inside Section:

Rows 1, 3, and 5 (WS): P1, knit to last st, p1.

Row 7: P1, *p1, yo, p2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1. Redistribute markers, if necessary, so that you have 11 sts between markers.

Rows 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17: Purl.

The following change should be made to the 5/6 Hexagon 5:

CO 32 (34, 36, 38, 40) sts, pick up and knit 31 (33, 35, 37, 39) sts along side D of Hexagon 1, and 31 (33, 35, 37, 39) sts along side E of Hexagon 3 , CO 63 (87, 71, 75, 79) sts –157 (167, 177, 187, 197) sts. Work as for Hexagon 4.

The following change should be made to the Full Hexagon 6:

CO 32 (34, 36, 38, 40) sts, pick up and knit 31 (33, 35, 37, 39) sts along side B of Hexagon 2 , pick up and knit 31 (33, 35, 37, 39) sts along side B of Hexagon 4, CO 31 (33, 35, 37, 39) sts, pick up and knit 31 (33, 35, 37, 39) sts along side D of Hexagon 5, and 32 (34, 36, 38, 40) sts along side D of Hexagon 3 – 188 (200, 212, 224, 236) sts. Work as for Hexagon 1.

Page 20

Delete the following sentence:

Sew Hexagons 7 and 6 to 4 and 5 as indicated on diagram.

Row 7 should read as follows:

Row 7: P1, *p1, yo, p2tog; repeat from * to last st, p1. Redistribute markers, if necessary, so that you have 55 (57, 59, 61, 63) sts to the first marker, 27 (29, 31, 33, 35) sts to the second marker, and 55 (57, 59, 61, 63) sts to the end.


Snapping Turtle Skirt

Page 32

Under RIGHT ZIPPER EDGE TRIANGLE

Shape Triangle: (RS) Decrease 2 sts every other row 3 (4, 5, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7) times as follows: Knit to last 4 sts, k1, sssk....

Page 35

Under Shape Hexagon:

Work 2 (1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2) rnds even. Next rnd, *k2tog; repeat from * around–9 (6, 9, 6, 9, 6, 9, 6, 9) sts remain....

Under Bottom Trim:

With Rev St st side facing and using circ needle, pick up and knit 17 (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) sts along each side of each Row 4 Hexagon, plus one st at each Hexagon point – 210 (222, 234, 246, 258, 270, 282, 294, 306) sts. BO all sts knitwise.


Chapter 2 – Pentagons

Swirled Pentagon Pullover

Page 48

In Schematic for Back and Front, left-hand measurement from cast-on row to final bind off, not including Yoke, should read 16 1/4 (16 3/4, 17, 17 1/4, 17 1/2)".

Page 49

Under Back Neck, after DO NOT JOIN:

Work in 1x1 Rib to last st, end k1. Row 1 (RS): Continuing in 1x1 Rib....


Chapter 3 – Spirals

Nautilus Poncho

Page 72

In the Schematic, total length (on left-hand side of the schematic), should be 128 1/2 ((143 1/2)". Lengths on right-hand side should be 22" and 106 1/2 (121 1/2)".


Shell Tank

Page 86

Under LEFT FRONT:

Using smaller needles, CO 21 (25, 33, 37) sts....

Work even as established for 1”, ending with a WS row. (RS) Change to larger needles and St st, knit 1 row, decrease 1 (0, 3, 2) sts across row - 20 (25, 30, 35) sts remain. Work even for 1", ending with a WS row.

Page 89

Sew right shoulder seam. Neckband: Using smaller needles, beginning at Right Front, pick up and knit 98 (102, 102, 104) sts around neck shaping on Right Front and Back. Knit 1 row. Purl 1 row. Knit 1 row. BO all sts purlwise. Sew Center Front Cable Panel to Right and Left Fronts [see assembly diagram]. Sew left shoulder seam. [Note: The number of sts on the left Front and Back shoulders will differ from each other; however, due to the ribbing at the end of the Center Front Cable Panel, the width will be the same.] Armhole Edging: Using smaller needles, pick up and knit 88 (94, 100, 106) sts around armhole edge. Work as for Neckband. Sew side seams.

Page 90

Row 25, st #15 should be a purl.

The following cable crosses should be as follows: Slip 2 sts to cn, hold to back, k2, p2 from cn: Row 59, st #'s 26-29; Row 61, st #'s 24-27; Row 63, st #'s 22-25; Row 65, st #'s 20-23; Row 67, st #'s 18-21; Row 69, st #'s 16-19; Row 71, st #'s 14-17.

Page 91

Row 141, st# 18 should be a knit.


Ram's Horn Jacket

Page 94

Under LEFT FRONT, Shape Neck:

BO 5 sts at beginning of row every other row once, 4 sts once, 3 sts once, 2 sts 3 times, then 1 st 0 (1, 2, 3, 4) times–20 (22, 23, 25, 26) sts remain,....

Page 95

Under COLLAR:

Row 11: K1, [yo, p2tog] 3 times, k1.

Row 19: K1, [yo, p2tog] 5 times, k1.

Rows 22 and 24: P2, [yo, p2tog] 5 times, p2.


Chapter 4 – Phyllotaxis

Roundabout Leaf Tank

Page 108

Row 1 (RS): K2, yo, ssk, k16, yo, ssk, k2.

Page 110

After Shape Top of Body: (RS) Discontinue working leaves. Decrease 1 st every 14 rows 17 times....

Page 111

Under Establish Pattern:

Row 1 (RS): K3, yo, ssk, k2 (2, 3, 3, 2), [p2, k2] 5 (6, 6, 7, 8) times, k1 (1, 2, 2, 1), yo, ssk, k2.


Chapter 5 – Fractals

Ogee Tunic

Page 128

Under FRONT – Shape Neck:

BO 10 sts at each neck edge once, 3 sts once, 2 sts once, then decrease 1 st at each neck edge every other row 5 times – 19 (22, 25, 28, 31) sts remain for each shoulder....

Page 130

Chart, Row 29, sts 66-69 should be worked as a front cross cable, not a back cross cable.


Chapter 6 – Waves

Turbulence U-Neck Pullover

Page 164

Chart should have Row 36, which is worked as for Row 34.


Moiré Skirt

Page 170

Under GORES, insert the following text:

Note: Refer to chart for decreases only. Skirt is worked entirely in St st.

Delete the note from under FINISHING ON PAGE 171.