Friday 16 September 2016

Steek! Eeeeeek!


Steeking - taking the scissors to your knitting - is enough to make the uninitiated knitter shudder and shake in fear. It's not natural to cut knitting is it? Surely the whole thing will fall into lots of little scrappy ends and pieces? That's what I thought before I gave it a try. I actually did a tiny amount of steeking at the beginning of this year when I took a colourwork class at Loop. It wasn't the main focus of the class and our teacher, Juju, only showed us the basics on a small sample of colourwork knit in the round. When I came home, I did cut my knitting and lived to tell the tale! 


Loop Colourwork class (2)


This started life knit in the round. I'm not sure I can remember exactly how I did it now. I think a crochet hook was involved! I'd love to take another class on steeking. My friend Juliet Bernard is teaching a class at Black Sheep on October 1st. Juliet is an expert Continental and colourwork knitter so you'll be in very good hands! You get to spend the day knitting a rather lovely colourwork mug cosy and then perfecting the art of steeking. Juliet is great fun so you'll have a fabulous time if you go. Details of the class can be found here. If I lived closer, I'd definitely be there too! xxx

2 comments:

VeggieMummy said...

I'd never heard of steeking but it sounds terrifying. I have trouble enough with my knitting without actively attacking it with scissors! The workshop sounds fun but, sadly, it's too far for me too. xx

Una said...

I've read very detailed blogs from people who have steeked successfully. That's the problem though. It seems to involve lots of detail and omit any of the stages at your peril.