Successful Adventures in Steeking
I wasn't going to let a steeking failure get me down-- especially on a test swatch! I suspected that the crochet-reinforced steek wouldn't work with superwash wool, but I wanted to be certain. I had intended to try hand sewing (with needle and thread) a steek, but in a fit of laziness I decided to try the method I was sure would work.
This was done with the zigzag stitch on my sewing machine, set to a pretty skinny width, and also to a really fine gauge. I wanted there to be lots of zigs and zags for each knitted stitch. I also slightly stretched the fabric when I was sewing it so the edges would have a little more give.
As I suspected, the stitches in this steek ain't goin' nowhere. I even tried tugging on an individual stitch to pull it loose, and I couldn't free it. This was definitely a success.
It's a good thing I know what steeking method to use, because soon I will need to use it. I'm just about to the V for the neck.
Congrats on figuring that out! The vest is going to be a knockout!!
Posted by: Tanya | June 16, 2008 at 06:04 AM
:) glad it worked!!!!! I can't wait to see more!
Posted by: stacey | June 16, 2008 at 07:48 AM
Oy! The steeking makes me cringe. I don't have a working sewing machine, so I was hoping you were going to go with the hand sewing. Congrats on being the boss of your knitting, as the yarn harlot says!
Posted by: Linda | June 16, 2008 at 07:52 AM
I've never heard of steeking?!! Looks a little complex for me.
Posted by: Denise | June 16, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Glad it worked out. Hand sewing sounded a bit tedious.
Posted by: Jessica | June 16, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Thank you for sharing this. I knit a Lopi sweater, a whole sweater. And thought, oh, who needs to do a swatch? And "steeked" it, and things just didn't work out. I am going to try again and use your steeking method (I will just need to knit the sweater again.sigh)...tight zig-zags, I like it.
Posted by: nova | June 16, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Hooray! That vest is going to be gorgeous. The colors were amazing to see in person.
Posted by: Kim | June 16, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Very glad it worked! I tend to use my sewing machine with teeny tiny stitches for steeks. I made a baby dale sweater for my little niece last year in superwash and had a small issue with one or two stitches pulling out.
Posted by: Risa | June 16, 2008 at 01:00 PM
Yay, I'm glad it worked! I can't wait to see your finished vest!
Posted by: whitney | June 16, 2008 at 02:05 PM
Go on with your bad self!
Posted by: tiennie | June 16, 2008 at 03:46 PM
So glad it worked, because I looove the colors in that vest and am super-excited to see how it turns out!
Posted by: Ariel | June 18, 2008 at 12:48 PM