I am knitting this nice cute Dale sweater for my sister's baby due in Dec. Today I had a friend sew up the parts that need to be steeked and cut. What a blast! She did a wonderful job sewing up the areas to be cut. (I can not sew a straight line to save my life.) It was the sewing part that made me nervous not the cutting part.

Once I get the sleeves done I will cut the sweater and complete the button band and all the finishing work.

Steeking is certainly the way to go!

okay call me simple..but what is steeking... E

This is a knitting technique that is used when you knit in the round.

I am making a cardigan and I knit it all in the round. Hardly no purling at all. Then I have 4 stiches that are not part of the pattern but in the sweater. These sts. run up the sweater and when the body is done----I sew 2 lines down these sts. on each side of the center st. This center st. will open up---I will cut done this st.-----once this is open I will put in a button band. I will do the same for the arm openings.

If you do a search on goggle I am sure you can find some pictures on some ones blog which will make this understandable!

I am flying back to NJ to my mohter's 75 birthday!!! She taught me to knit first and she will be getting a nice pair of cotton socks!

quote:

Originally posted by Encyclopedia:
okay call me simple..but what is steeking... E

E--
And a whole new world opens up!
Here's a good tutorial.
http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/01/steeking_chronicles_the_should.html
I can tell you that once you've cut open a sweater that you've sweated over for months, you will never know fear again.

My friend Pat (High country knit wear cowboy hat lady) made the suggestion that picking up the stitches for the arms and neck and fronts and knitting a bit before you cut is a really good idea not put forth any place that she has seen. I tried it on a sample and I agree the picked up stitches stablise the project and make the cutting much less nerve wracking. Steeking is still upsetting no matter how you think about it for the first project or two. (You mean I am going to pick up scissors and CUT my knitting? AAAAAAAAAAAgh)

I tellya...whooda thunk it...This is why i am truly enjoying these posts...so many things to try, and only 24 hours in a day...i currently create 26 somehow with the multi-tasking...walking and knitting...etc... thanks guys...

E---

I have to say on this online community I have learned an enormous amount about knitting.

I have not cut the sweater yet as I need to get those sleeves done.

It is such a treat to knit in the round and then steek as it saves so much time. This project has worked up very fast-----it could be that it is a child's size 2! But still it has been fun to knit.

Not only is it good to read about the ways that work but to me it is equally important to hear about the things not to do.
Some of the posts have been fair warning not to trot down a particular avenue or reports on unexpected disasters.
Any one have a particularly weird one? I am still off shawls after having my lovely fingering weight merino shawl felt itself while still on the needles. My cat is now the ecstatic owner of the prettiest lace cat blankie ever made and I am still mad.

I'm a big fan of using Mary Ann Stephens covered steek technique for raw cut edges. I use machine-sewn reinforcement on all my steeking. Her tutorial is posted here:
http://kidsknits.com/finish_raw_cut_edges_of_my_steek.html

Celeste,

Great site!

Thanks for posting it as I am sure it will help others as well!

This is my first time steeking and for me the sewing part is what makes my skin crawl. I love how she knits the steek so you have guides to sew by--brilliant!

Thanks again!

What a useful site!
Thanks, Celeste.

If you don't have a sewing machine or don't care for the rigidity of a machine-stitched steek, there is another nice method by Anna Zilboorg in "Knitting for Anarchists." You knit a steek of exactly 3 stitches. Whip-stitch or crochet the right leg of the center stitch to the left leg of the adjacent stitch. Do the same on the other side of the steek. Then cut down the middle, between the rows of whip-stitching. It's not quite as polished as the Mary Ann Stephens technique, but it is easy, secure and provides a nicely finished edge.

Sorry to have to disagree in public, but I'm going to stand up for the anti-steekers.

I have seen grown women in tears over steeking projects, and why? to achieve something that can be achieved simply and easily in other ways. However much you are told you don't have to, the only really secure way is to sew in the cut end of every row if you want the piece to remain robust and durable for any length of time.

All the great knitting traditions developed separately, many in isolated communities with vey little, if any contact with knitters elswhere in the world. All came up with the same solution, namely, Fully Fashioned Knitting.

You know, I even read an author justifying a steek by saying, "because the purl stitch is diferent. . . "

"Hold on a minute, baby," I wanted to say, "MY purl stitch is not different!"


Don't waste your time. I steeked once, over 30 years ago. My mum and I thought we'd each give it a try. She ended up machine sewing hers and she agreed it looked a mess. I sewed in over 300 ends. Since then I have adapted patterns to knit them [what I would call] properly.

A lady came up to me in the street once. "I tried that pattern, but my steeks aren't as neat as yours!"

"That, dear lady, is because I adapted the pattern, and made it fully fashioned."

Best wishes, John

Oh John----I always love your responses! They put a smile on my face! I am pretty happy with the steeking job, but I don't mind purling at all---as long as I can knit I will.

Once I have this sweater done I will see what I think of steeking. I will admit I do try some "new things" and return to the old more times than not. Like top down sweaters---done that and won't do any more of those again!

As always I enjoy your insight.

I made my first and only steeked cardi last year. It turned out really well and cutting the steek wasn't nearly as scary as I had thought. I don't do sewing machine though and stitching down all those facings was a nuisance. I won't do a steek again, purling back with stranded color work is not that big a deal.

John, I have to agree with you and say I have never seen a reason to have to make a steek.

I like "Fully Fashioned Knitting" (I just didn't know exactly what I was doing until you put it into words ). Knitting stretches so wonderfully and that is what makes it so delightfully comfortable to wear and any kind of sewing or tightening of the fabric lessens this beautiful drape and flexibility.

But it does take all kinds to make this old world keep spinning -- so if you really feel the need to steek I say go for it!!!