I have not started this project put I am thinking about it. First I want to knit a sweater that will be 6 sts to an inch. The purpose of this sweater will be to wear skiing as a layer instead of a pile or a wind stopper jacket. I want a wool sweater that has a nice tight sts. and I think it will be warmer up here in the far north as one of the layers under gortex than some type of pile.

I am thinking it will be a cardigan and I am liking the hem on my other sweater and may do another hem.

Question if it is a steeked sweater how do you do the knitted on hem?? I am thinking I would do it last after the sweater has been steeked?

Any thoughts would be great!

Nancy,
I would think it wouldn't make any difference to making the hem if your sweater is steeked or not. Unless you mean cutting down the front for the cardigan. *smacks forehead* Oh, in that case, by all means add the hem afterwards, but I'll bet that you could start with a hem and cut the steek afterwards. After all, you have to finish the front edges somehow. It would just be a bit bulkier I think. Just my opinion, and from someone who has never steeked or made a knitted hem!

I was wondering about the bulk as well. The point of using a hem is to have the sweater fit flattly against the body. It will be worn under other clothing as an extra layer of warmth. I live in a very cold place and ski all the time. I spend Dec-Feb often skiing when it is -15 to -30 degrees F. This is a bit of an experiment with winter clothing. I am trying to get rid of a layer or two and add more warmth----I figure a nice layer of wool in the clothing mix is the secret.

An important factor is what type of button bands you intend to put on your cardigan. If you want to pick up stitches along the cut edges and knit "horizontal" bands, you will have to pick up a single row of stitches from a double layer of fabric along the open edge of your hem. A bit awkward, maybe, but certainly doable. If you'd like to make narrow bands, to be sown onto the cut edge, you might end up with a triple layer - the knitted facing which will cover the cut edge adds bulk.

As for "fitting flatly against the body" - as a long-time skier, born and raised in Norway, my friends and I greatly preferred pullovers and cardigans with tight ribbings. They cut down on the draft which inevitably would get under your outer coat on lively runs, and held the garment in place to move with your body under nearly any condition. And when you - inevitably - took a fall, the ribbing helped keep the snow from getting under your clothes ... .eeeeek!

IMHO, you are absolutely right- a nice layer of wool clothing is the best! I wore a steady progression of Fanakofter made from Peer Gynt wool. Ah, those were the days....

Strikker, who skied to school

You can do the hem as an after, knitting flat or you can do it before, again knitting flat. you just cast on the extra stitches that you need whan you join the circle for the body. i did it with Dh's Vest and it looked just fine.

Hi Nancy,

Strikker's answer says it all, as usual.

Jude, who wanted to ski to school, drat those plows

Thanks---I do have kids who ski to school here. It is still winter here and I really don't see spring on any front at all. The piles of snow are well over 15 feet high, it is snowing now, the temperatures are now in the teens and that is above zero (yahoooo)! Winter tends to go on and on here.

I am thinking about all this information. I think my ribbing problem is I never knit enough of it. John says at least 4 inches of ribbing, and then I don't think I use small enough needles . . . or decrease the sts. enough.

I always feel like my ribbing gets stretched out and doesn't hold the sweater in enough.

any ideas???

Strikker,

I didn't know about Peer Gynt yarn--it looks wonderful and I might just have to order some! I love the more traditional side of knitting thanks for the information.