For the Scrumptious Bum's birfday this year I wanted to whip him up a little knitted something, but in this case not something for keeping warm.. but something for keeping cool! 
Inspired by 's Beer Sweater I picked out some yarn from the stash that Skoot had dyed some time ago and got cracking with my own pattern, improvising it as I went along. I decided this was the perfect opportunity to try out steeking! I love trying out new knitting techniques, and little goodies like this are great to try a technique for the first time, they're small, quickly completed and not SUCH a disaster if the trial run goes wrong- you can always re do that part!
Since neither Skoot or I are employed full time at the moment, we've been able to spend a lot of glorious time together - including.. time that I'm knitting - so, no secret gift knitting! So I decided to pose him a gift riddle as part of his giftie (since no full time employment also = no excessive gift funds) - could he figure out what I was knitting for him before I finished it!
I started at the bottom and worked up in the round. Skoot's fabulous dye job on the yarn (some kind of 8ply pure wool?) knit up wonderfully into a great stripe effect! He made a few guesses, including that it was a stubby holder, but then when I got to the arm holes and put in a p1, k1, p1 for my steeking gap he was thrown off! Why would a stubby holder have two little ridges on it?? Hmm.... hehehe
I ran out of yarn part way though and ended up using some stash yarn leftovers in a PERFECT match of deep green for the sleeves, with a little of Skoot's yarn at the cuff :)
When it came to the steeking things got a bit messy. If I ever steek something in a larger scale I'll do a good bit of reading before hand, and have another listen to Kelley Petkin's podcast episode on the subject - I'm afraid I went in a bit blind this time around!
A beer jumper!
Since neither Skoot or I are employed full time at the moment, we've been able to spend a lot of glorious time together - including.. time that I'm knitting - so, no secret gift knitting! So I decided to pose him a gift riddle as part of his giftie (since no full time employment also = no excessive gift funds) - could he figure out what I was knitting for him before I finished it!
I started at the bottom and worked up in the round. Skoot's fabulous dye job on the yarn (some kind of 8ply pure wool?) knit up wonderfully into a great stripe effect! He made a few guesses, including that it was a stubby holder, but then when I got to the arm holes and put in a p1, k1, p1 for my steeking gap he was thrown off! Why would a stubby holder have two little ridges on it?? Hmm.... hehehe
I ran out of yarn part way though and ended up using some stash yarn leftovers in a PERFECT match of deep green for the sleeves, with a little of Skoot's yarn at the cuff :)
When it came to the steeking things got a bit messy. If I ever steek something in a larger scale I'll do a good bit of reading before hand, and have another listen to Kelley Petkin's podcast episode on the subject - I'm afraid I went in a bit blind this time around!
You can see my rather rushed-with-excitement and lacking-in-finesse stitches there in brown thread, desperately clining to the stitches destined for the snip!
I really could have made the ridge a little wider to accommodate for all the fluffy cut ends poking out everywhere - but managed to seam the sleeve in with the fluffy ends tucked inside well enough.
All up I'm very pleased with how the Beer jumper's turned out and think I'll have to make up a full wardrobe of them for Skoot to choose from! He was suitabley impressed and love love LOVES his new woolen goodie - an item for keeping cool!!
1 comment:
It's so cute - I love it. You are so creative to knit thus & also adventurous to try steeking. I won't dare to.
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