We will have so much fun knitting this cardigan/ sweater.
Everybody is welcome to join us! Just send us a mail and we'll send you an invitation.

http://www.astridsdutchobsessions.com/

Click on this to find the pattern and a BIGGER picture:
http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=27&d_id=2&lang=en

Administrator: Jeanie Townsend
Moderator: Astrid

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Nervous about cutting

I've just been reading the pattern more closely and the thought of
cutting into my knitting makes me shiver! I'm just not very handy
with a sewing machine either so, although I know people use cut and
sew successfully, I don't think I shall knit the cardy in the round
but backwards and forwards. Is anyone else planning knitting it this
way? Can any of you see any pit falls I might encounter?

Jx

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

HI Julie,

Of course you can knit the cardigan without having to make the steeks. You will have to forget about the 5 increase stitches on the front for the steeks and you will make knit and purl rows (so no knitting in the round). Once you reached the arm holes, proceed with a back part and 2 front parts.

That's in short how it goes.... of course, if you decide you really want to do it this way, you will get better instructions.

Hope this helps?

love from a hot and sunny Netherlands,
Astrid.
xoxoxo
http://www.astridsdutchobsessions.com

Shelley said...

Julie, Knitting in the round is one of the real pleasures in life. You can always pre-sew the seams before you cut. But I have trouble with this and am not a good enough seamstress. The other thing you might do is check Meg Swanson's Schoolhouse Press where she gives detailed instructions on crocheting the seams before cutting.

Catnit said...

Hi Shelley,

I've tried to find the book you mention but the only Meg Swanson book I can find on Amazon UK is "Playwrights of Color", I can't tell from the description or photograph if it's a book that would be of any use to me.

I love knitting in the round and intend knitting the sleeves that way it's just I'm terrified of cutting into my knitting. I may try it yet if I can find some more comprehensive instructions, even better if they are with pictures.

Annie said...

Hi Julie,
The best instructions I've found for steeks, including photos and illustrations of creating and cutting, appear in the book Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting. There are 4 1/2 pages of detailed instructions. It's published by Taunton Books, 1988. It got me through what I was sure would be carnage as I cut my first steek...after that I was a believer! Hope this is helpful, Annie

Annie said...

One last comment, Julie. Starmore, in her book The Celtic Tradition, p.138, states: "It is advisable to sew backstitch along the first and last steek stitches before cutting the steek. Do not use a sewing machine as it has a tendency to distort the knitting and forms too rigid a seam. Instead, use very sharp scissors to cut up the centre of each steek...." So, you needn't use a machine (I don't!). Annie

Catnit said...

Thanks Annie, for your suggestions, I've just been on the Amazon UK site again, the price of Alice Starmore's book is an alarming £146. Lincolnshire libraries have two copies but they are not for loan. I've been doing a bit of research on the web and have found a couple of sites which may give me the confidence to do this.

Shelley said...

Julie, try this link.


http://www.exit109.com/~lsyoung/knitting/Crochet_Steeks/crochet_steeks.html

Shelley said...

It cut off the end. Steeks/crochet_steeks.html Or just google meg swanson, crochet steeks

Catnit said...

Thanks for your help, I've decided, I'm going to give the steeks (never heard that work until I joined this KAL) a bash. Can't wait for the yarn to arrive now.