Knitterly stuff

[redhedlvr2]

I don't knit things for myself very often.  Other than socks.  But I'm trying to take a wee break from a steady diet of socks for me and baby sweaters for the grandbabies.  They're both rather like potato chips.  Once I start on them, I can't stop.  And they go fast.

Anyway, my Knitpicks catalog came in last week and I'm intrigued by this sweater.  Yes it's just basic knitting for the most part but it has steeks.  Getting scissors anywhere near my yarn makes me very nervous.  So, have any of you worked with steeks and what kind of results did you have?  I foresee a terrible, yarny mess in my near future.  Ugh!

Comments

[perclexed.livejournal.com]

I haven't yet done steeks but have a couple of projects in my queue which will require them. I know that sticky yarns = awesome, which is why shetland or even the Kauni yarns work really really well for steeking. Finnish yarns too (like for mittens). There's a bunch of threads on ravelry re: steeking, I think. Have you taken a looksee there?

For me, I think I'd do a reinforcing basting-thing (this is where my lack of sewing knowledge bites my ass) before cutting. But I know a ton of people have, successfully!

Good luck!

[redhedlvr.livejournal.com]

I've heard that about "sticky" yarns before. I think the more wool they have the better it works. And yeah, I'm going for the reinforcing stitching thing. I know it's gonna be a real pain in the butt though, but I want to give it a try.

[henrycat.livejournal.com]

I did steeks on a sweater for the first time last fall. It went quite well although making that first cut into the knitting is pretty scary. I used Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride (wool/mohair blend) and it holds together well. I used the reinforcing stitching, but did it by hand with sewing thread instead of using my sewing machine so it'd be more stretchy. There's a nice series of posts by Eunny Jang about steeking here:

http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/01/steeking_chronicles_the_should.html
http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/01/the_steeking_chronicles.html
http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/01/the_steeking_chronicles_part_ii.html

[redhedlvr.livejournal.com]

These are great! Thanks bunches.

I have already decided I'll do the hand stich reinforcement. Me, maching sewing and my knitting do not belong in the same universe. Found this out the hard way when I put a zipper in my grandson's sweater using the machine.