Speaking of Steeking
I am living proof that even at the age of 52, one can learn new things, even potentially scary things like how to cut your knitting. Last weekend I took a workshop on steeking at WEBS, taught by Annie Foley. As it turns out, steeking isn't scary at all. In fact it's kind of fun.
We had to knit up a 72-stitch tube in advance of the class. Here's mine, made with Vermont O-Wool:
We made a little steeked neckline on one side of the tube by placing some stitches on scrap yarn, knitting around and casting new stitches on over them, then working neckline shaping for about 6 rows. We secured stitches on either side of the center with contrasting lighter weight yarn and a crochet hook. And then - we cut! It really was not that big a deal.
After picking up stitches, we worked a couple rows of garter stitch, bound off, and then on the wrong side whipstitched down the folded-over steek. Here's how mine looked on the right and wrong sides:
After that we went around to the other side of our tube and secured stitches from top to bottom, as if for the front of a cardigan. And then once again - we cut. I was surprised at how neat and tidy the steek looked:
Is there more steeking in my future? Time will tell - maybe a Fair Isle cardigan?
I have two itsy bitsy FOs to show. The first is knit with some Valley Yarns Goshen that my sister Betsey gave me last winter (left over from an awesome shawl she crocheted). For her recent birthday I gifted some of that Goshen right back to her with Eunny Jang's Lacy Sachet, a free pattern available at Knitting Daily:
The second FO is a swatch of Quilted Lattice from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. I made it for the Walker Treasury Project using Valley Yarns Colrain, a worsted-weight 50/50 merino/Tencel blend:
Walker comments that this stitch pattern is fun to knit, and I have to agree. And it goes lickety-split thanks to the large number of slipped stitches.
The best news of the day is that we had sunshine all day long and no rain! After work, I picked strawberries at the Brookfield Farm and took my sweet time, lingering as long as possible in the marvelous sunshine. I picked some snow peas too, and had a delish simple supper of steamed snow peas mixed with brown rice and a little butter. Mmmm.
Last but not least, I must give a shout out to Kristin, who recently finished her second Emily's Firmaments Shawl. I love the beautiful summery green she chose. As you can see from her Ravelry project page, the woman is a lace knitting powerhouse.
And now, time for more strawberry snacking . . .
We had to knit up a 72-stitch tube in advance of the class. Here's mine, made with Vermont O-Wool:
We made a little steeked neckline on one side of the tube by placing some stitches on scrap yarn, knitting around and casting new stitches on over them, then working neckline shaping for about 6 rows. We secured stitches on either side of the center with contrasting lighter weight yarn and a crochet hook. And then - we cut! It really was not that big a deal.
After picking up stitches, we worked a couple rows of garter stitch, bound off, and then on the wrong side whipstitched down the folded-over steek. Here's how mine looked on the right and wrong sides:
After that we went around to the other side of our tube and secured stitches from top to bottom, as if for the front of a cardigan. And then once again - we cut. I was surprised at how neat and tidy the steek looked:
Is there more steeking in my future? Time will tell - maybe a Fair Isle cardigan?
I have two itsy bitsy FOs to show. The first is knit with some Valley Yarns Goshen that my sister Betsey gave me last winter (left over from an awesome shawl she crocheted). For her recent birthday I gifted some of that Goshen right back to her with Eunny Jang's Lacy Sachet, a free pattern available at Knitting Daily:
The second FO is a swatch of Quilted Lattice from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. I made it for the Walker Treasury Project using Valley Yarns Colrain, a worsted-weight 50/50 merino/Tencel blend:
Walker comments that this stitch pattern is fun to knit, and I have to agree. And it goes lickety-split thanks to the large number of slipped stitches.
The best news of the day is that we had sunshine all day long and no rain! After work, I picked strawberries at the Brookfield Farm and took my sweet time, lingering as long as possible in the marvelous sunshine. I picked some snow peas too, and had a delish simple supper of steamed snow peas mixed with brown rice and a little butter. Mmmm.
Last but not least, I must give a shout out to Kristin, who recently finished her second Emily's Firmaments Shawl. I love the beautiful summery green she chose. As you can see from her Ravelry project page, the woman is a lace knitting powerhouse.
And now, time for more strawberry snacking . . .
posted by Bonnie at 6/25/2009
3 Comments:
I love steeking! The first class I taught was on steeks, and it was also probably the most fun I've ever had teaching.
Thanks for the lovely shout out!
That's some incredibly neat-looking steeking action there. Very clean, not at all unravely, perfect.
I am so jealous you can just pop on over to WEBs and take a class! :) Good for you. That sounds just like a class I could have used.
One of these days I'll have to make your shawl. It is SO gorgeous.
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