What's on my needles?

Entries in karma tank (4)

Sunday
Sep112011

Long awaited FO

After quite some time, I finallly finished the Karma Tank, from the Custom Knits book, I had started back in 2009.  Like many other WIPs that I get myself into, I had this one done, all that was left was the finishing, but I just put it away safely and let it hibernate for a couple of years. 

I wore this yesterday, perfect weather for it too.

 

Karma Tank Karma Tank

 Karma TankKarma Tank

 Karma TankKarma Tank

Pattern: Karma Tank by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Sundara Sock yarn "Brown Sugar Over Buttermilk"
Needles: US 7 (Addi Lace)
Started: June 2009
Finished: September 10, 2011

Mods: I made this a little longer and made the straps shorter.  For increases, did on the 2nd stitch instead of the 1st stitch.

Before I leave, cause my Sunday is a wee bit busy, I also finished my contribution for the 1st scarf in rotation for the Traveling Scarves #201 Speedy group on Ravlery.  This is Karalmurner's scarf, I used Malabrigos Rios Worsted, one a lone stripe of grey yarn.

Enjoy your week ahead! 

Monday
Aug032009

3 bad things 3 good things

Which do you want know about first? The Good or the Bad?

I'll start with the Bad so you can leave the post with the Good 8-)

I've been offline for awhile because my first issue was that my camera stopped working. I kept messing with it trying to bring it back to life, but no luck. I still have some kind of hope that it will start working *fingers crossed*. I delayed posting because it's sad to post a crappy picture when you put your heart into your knitting.

My second issue, which actually turned out to be a bigger issue than my camera ,my damn wireless router died on me. It is over 4 years old, about the lifespan of your average router. I had to order a new one, and I had requested overnight shipping over the phone about 6 p.m. about a week ago. I opted to pay the extra fee for shipping. Well, Friday came along and guess what, no router still. I contacted the company and come to find that because I ordered after 6 p.m., overnight shipping isn't allowed and I get the standard shipping. I didn't get charged the extra fee, but it meant I would be without internet that much longer.

After I realized I would be without internet longer that I anticipated, I actually tried to use the backup dialup # I have! UGH! So I get the backup dial up phone numbers and connect my modem and setup my connection, I had the nostalgic sense of my early years in IT *sigh*. I was prompted for my username and password, and I input my info, and BAM! Rejected!.. Seems I forgot my passsword for my main account, so no luck. After messing around with different passwords, I just called it quits, and figured I'd have to stick it out. Today I finally received my router, YAY!, and now I'm back, online and happy to be posting.

Onto my 3rd bad issue, so yesterday my husband and I got up early and went to get some coffee, and them came back to make breakfast. I made my usual, over easy eggs for my hubby, scrambled eggs for me and the kids, turkey bacon, and homemade potatoes with fresh tortillas and juice. We about ready to go eat breakfast when I went to check on something in my bedroom, I walked by my bathroom, and glanced at the floor, to my horror, there was water and cruddy overflow of gunk everywhere! It was coming out of the shower drain, and the toilet was empty! I went to the 2 other bathrooms, and sure enough the same damn thing. Well, after the initial shock, we called an emergency plumber who gave us a 45 minute window to be on-site, so we ate breakfast and waited.

Plumber got here and he asked us where's our main line, and we looked everywhere, nothing. We got the landlord on the line, he doesn't know, so he calls the former tenant, who coincidentally lives down the street. She was kind enough to walk over and show us where the main line was. I can't thank her enough, because we would've never found it. It was literally hidden by overgrown grass on the front lawn, smack in the middle! The Plumber was like "That really should be in plain view, if we didn't find it, the work would be way more complicated". Phew! About 30 minutes later, everything was fixed. We finally got to use the bathroom! I had to run to Safeway to use the bathroom during all this, which was a pain. My work wasn't over though, I had to sterilize and clean all 3 bathrooms now. I spent the next 2 hours with bleach, comet, scrubbers, and plastic gloves cleaning the showers and toilets, mopping, you name it. So that's my 3rd!

Enough bad, now onto the good...

I have been getting some knitting done, and I've got these 3 wonderful FO's here:

FO x3

From left to right, clockwise

1) Swallowtail Shawl in Madeline Tosh Merino "Arabian Nights"
FO x3

2) Elm Row Scarf in Scout's Swag "Peach Pit"
FO x3

3) Karma Tank in Sundara Yarn " Brown Sugar Over Buttermilk"
FO x3

All three are complete, and need blocking, but a blocking kit is one highly needed tool this knitter doesn't have 8-( I'll be investing on one in the next few weeks, until then, these 3 precious garments bring me happy FO eye candy and I can't wait to show off the how they'll transform. I've already tried on the Karma tank so many times, and it fits perfect. I can't wait!

For the pictures I'm using my backup video camera, which doesn't take the best picture but will just have to do until I can get a new camera.

Even though I have these 3 FO's waiting in the wings, I went and started a new project, with more Sundara Yarn. I'm happy to be back online and hope I'm past the "3's", at least the bad ones!

Happy August everyone!
Sunday
Jun072009

A Little Karma

Got some pics of my latest project on the needles, which is both of the following:

--Stashbusting! Going thru my Sundara Yarn "Brown Sugar Over Buttermilk"
--Summer Knit! Gotta show off my knitting skills this summer

So far the pattern has been real easy, and am I'm able to knit this while completely engrossed in the NBA Finals with the Lakers vs. Magic. Go Lakers!!! Their up 2 on the series!

Pics in this post are from last week, which was in the real beginning stages.


Karma Tank knit with Sundara Brown Sugar Over Buttermilk

Karma Tank knit with Sundara Brown Sugar Over Buttermilk

See my "Edward Apple" stitch marker? I love that stitch marker, a gift from one my fave spoilers 8)

Oh, and look what happened with my Sundara yarn cake for Karma...

Karma Tank knit with Sundara Brown Sugar Over Buttermilk

Do you see how it's "coning" out? That's from my daughter's cat, the little rascal Gracie, who found my Karma tank on my bed and decided to attack the yarn cake. My daughter caught her in time to stop further damage. I was a bit upset because I had to detangle alot of yarn and save it so that it wouldn't have to be cut.

I'm starting on the 10th round repeat now of the German Herringbone Rib portion of the pattern; I've officially put the needles down for tonight, need my rest for another round of work for the next week. Too bad work is never a true FO! There's always another round around the corner.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

~Rocky
Sunday
May312009

The Aztec

The Aztec is a beanie I designed for my husband, and finally finished. I had actually been formulating a design I had in my head for a long time, but the first prototype ended up being frogged for several reasons.

The first thing I didn't like when I initially started working the design was the yarn choice. It was originally Black Malabrigo, worsted weight, while I love Malabrigo, it just didn't have the feel I was going for or the texture I wanted to really capture the pattern. Here's the first one, the pattern was in the beginning stages, nothing original, nothing fancy, but it just didn't work.

Che's Beanie

I frogged it and the project hibernated, until about a week ago. My husband had been asking me when I was going to knit his beanie, and I finally got back in the groove with the design. I was a bit discouraged from the first go around, but enough time had past that I could really get into it. I had this vision of cables, but cables that had a look like columns. Columns like that of Greek architecture:



The original pattern was just straight cables, your basic knits & purls. I switched up the stitch count and then let my husband pick a yarn from a few skeins I decided would be good for the pattern. He choose the Cascade Yarns Venezia Worsted yarn in Gray, which is Merino Silk, a blend of 70% Merino Wool and 30% Silk. It is very soft and warm, yet airy at the same time.

Here's the final piece completed; I'll be putting together the pattern and publishing it for free on Ravelry if anyone is interested in it. There are so many beanies out there that have cables, but this is a pattern I felt gave me the exact look I was going for.

Aztec beanie for Che

I went for a "rope" looking brim, and it came out pretty neat. It's one of the details I was quite happy with as the beanie took shape.

DSC03341

DSC03322

DSC03337

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and I'm going to knit another one, this time for my son, who fell in love with it, but prefers black.

I'll post probably Tuesday with the new pattern and have another new project on the needles that I'm loving!

It's the "Karma" tank from the Custom Knits book (fabolous book!)....



Oooh, and one last awesome tidbit, Twilight swept the MTV Awards! And the New Moon trailer is great, and a huge tease! I've added the trailer to my site, in the "Interesting" section!