At long last both Zebra Striper sweater sleeves are complete. For most projects, this would feel like getting close to the finish line, but with this project, there are still three steeks, two shoulders to sew, two sleeves to set in and sew down facings for, the facing around the bottom to sew down, creating the neck band and sewing down it's facing, creating the button bands and, finally, buttons to sew on.
Clearly, if a sweater project is a journey over a mountain, I feel like I've reached the summit after a long climb, but I still have to turn around and head back to the bottom over complicated terrain. Seeing these pieces is a bit like looking out over the landscape, imagining all the possibility, being amazed by how far I've come. This project has definitely gotten me excited about two-color knitting.
I thought I would be nervous about the thought of impending steeks, but actually I'm kind of excited to try my hand at this time-honored kitting technique. I've been looking over Wendy Johnson's tutorial on Norwegian Steeking -- and I can't wait to get my sewing machine ready and get going!
Clearly, if a sweater project is a journey over a mountain, I feel like I've reached the summit after a long climb, but I still have to turn around and head back to the bottom over complicated terrain. Seeing these pieces is a bit like looking out over the landscape, imagining all the possibility, being amazed by how far I've come. This project has definitely gotten me excited about two-color knitting.
I thought I would be nervous about the thought of impending steeks, but actually I'm kind of excited to try my hand at this time-honored kitting technique. I've been looking over Wendy Johnson's tutorial on Norwegian Steeking -- and I can't wait to get my sewing machine ready and get going!
Yay! You are so close, and steeks are fun.
Good luck! I'll be watching you to see how it goes before I try to take the scissors to my Ivy League Vest. I don't know if I can bring myself to do it.
Wow. Seeing all the pieces out like that reminds me of my own peculiar problems with knitting (I like the motions of knitting, so finishing work take forever to get done... maybe even two forevers).
Your colorwork looks pretty good. Did you find your technique changing as you did this project?
I love the dramatic colors together. This sweater is going to look amazing on Z!
I knit an entire Dale sweater last year, and decided instead of making my steeks with the sewing machine I'd use the crochet method so many have raved about. I now have a Dale blob of unravelling yarn. But at least I have a working theory right now on how to fix it and make it better.
One thing I've noticed working on this sweater is that the superwash yarn is a lot more slippery than standard wool -- and a lot of Dale sweaters call for superwash wools (all of the baby sweaters are Baby Ull). I started the steeking process and The machine stitching holds everything in place real well, but where I still have some free ends, they really want to unravel and be free!
Steeks are fun, and after you have done them on about 20 sweaters, you get over being nervous about it. I would definitely sew it first if you are not using shetland wool which is very sitcky. Here is the link to a really good tutorial and a novel and very nice finishing technique.
PS The sweater is going to be fabulous.
http://www.kidsknits.com/steeks_introduction.html
That link has a lot of excellent advice. Thanks for sharing it!
I know it's been quite a lot of work, but both parts of the ensemble (and the little owner of these new threads) look perfectly adorable!