Help! I Am Afraid of Steeking!!!

Is there anyway you can knit this sweater without the steeking part??? Could you just knit it back and forth instead of all around???

Permalink Reply by pinkknitting on September 18, 2009 at 3:30pm: The best way to get over your fear is to just do it. We will all be here for you. And it is super easy and empowering once you conquer it. Come to the dark side. :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Deb Danis on September 18, 2009 at 3:42pm: What about if I start cutting and then the sweater starts coming unraveled and then all my hard work is ruined???!! I watched the video on the website but I am still worried...convince me!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by pinkknitting on September 18, 2009 at 3:45pm: Well did you hear about the person who sewed it twice and then picked up the stitches for the band knit the band then cut it and sewed the band over. There was no way she could have lost her stitches. That may be an option.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by momknits on September 18, 2009 at 5:31pm: I did see that entry & printed it. I will put it together with the pattern & when I get that far I have that info. Good stuff! I hope to be starting this sweater soon. I'm just about done with a sweater I'm knitting for my daughter. I told her she would get it by Oct. LOL; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cheryl L on September 18, 2009 at 3:59pm: You can knit back and forth, but then you have to work all those purl stitches. Why don't you try cutting your swatch as a test? You'll see that it won't unravel, even if you don't sew on either side of the cutting line first. Like pinkknitting said, it is empowering.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Deb Danis on September 18, 2009 at 4:05pm: Where does it show me how to knit a swatch? I just read the pattern instructions and I don't see it on there?? Do you use just some wool you have left from something else?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cheryl L on September 18, 2009 at 5:26pm: A swatch is knitted before you begin your project, out of the same yarn you are going to be using for your project. It is so that you will be knitting at the correct gauge. If your gauge is incorrect, your project could be too large or too small. So, you just knit a small square, approx 4", then count how many stitches you have per inch. Compare that to the gauge in the pattern (in the box on the lower right corner of the page). If it is not the same you'll have to change needle sizes. Check out this link for details about swatches: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/FEATswatchout.html. Hope it helps.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on September 18, 2009 at 7:00pm: Deb, I suggest knitting your swatch in the round. Then steek it. Then wash & block it. You might want to try Melissa's Mystery KAL within the Colorworks KAL. We will be steeking. It's lots of fun. We are only on week 2 and it will last 8 weeks. So there is plenty of time to catch up and learn to steek on a small project. Melissa has said because we are using Palette which is sticky we won't even have to sew it to steek. I'm doing this to get over my fear of steeking.

Cheryl; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by annlittle1 on September 18, 2009 at 4:12pm: I guess I've done so much sewing by hand and by machine that this doesn't even phase me. If you do a backstitch by hand or just sew it by machine it will secure those edges. Now if you just do a big loopy basting stitch I'd be afraid that it might come apart, but not with a backstitch by hand or a machine stitch. It just seems to me that knitters have been doing this for years, and if it worked for others it will work for us.

If you are really uncomfortable with steeking, why don't you do a swatch in the round and then follow the directions for steeking and cut it apart. If it will work on that then it will work on your sweater.

Phyllis
Oklahoma City; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by kmillion on September 18, 2009 at 6:13pm: Courage! I just did my first steeking project (lilac child's vest) as a trial before I start this cardigan and (gulp) the Oregon sweater by Alice Starmore. I didn't machine or handstitch before cutting and nothing fell apart. It did fray a little like a fringe but that will be covered up by hand stitching with a catch stitch. The cardigan uses facings, yes? I have yet to read how the sleeves are finished, but I guess the same as the vest. Where I had to pick up stitches at the center neckline, it started to ravel (down 2 stitches) where it came undone from the bind-off, but I was able to fix with a crochet hook. Those stitches were safely used when I picked up stitches for the front band. No problem, though I had to put it down when I noticed the ravelling, have a glass of wine, and pick it up again when I was fresher in the morning. So if I can do it, you can do it! P.S. I also had 12 stitches in my steek: 1 edge stitch, 10 steek, 1 edge stitch which I set off with a marker at each side. My pattern called for 9 steek stitches. I think the extra stitches increased my comfort level.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on September 18, 2009 at 8:19pm: Deb: I was afraid of the steek, too, but started a project that requires it. I did the CLC just to learn steeking, but not only did I learn steeking but I also love the cardi! I think it might help if you steek your swatch. Knit it in the round (as you should anyway), but instead of carrying the yarn loosely across the back, as I did, just include a few extra sts and cut it. You can do the sewing first, the way you'll do for the cardi, or you can just cut. After all, you're only going to measure it, not apply the edging. I thought I was going to need a glass of wine to give me courage, but I was ready to do it in the morning (too early for a glass of wine), so I just went for it. --P
P.S.: Maybe NoKnitSherlock will let you have one of these--

It's a steeking badge!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Hollis on September 21, 2009 at 3:41am: Hi Deb,

I haven't started my sweater yet, haven't even done a swatch - but I had the same niggling worry in my mind. I think I'll go ahead and swatch in the round because my guage is usually a little different and then cut my swatch as it's been suggested here just to get over the fear of taking scissors to the knitted fabric.

I feel really far behind because so many of you are finished or finishing now so wanted to ask if there is a thread that has just tips for each stage of the sweater or do I need to read everything that's here? :); ▶ Reply to This