Fall Colours 3 Steeking

 A quick lesson on steeking is shown here. This is becoming a knitted baby girl sweater. Because I was working in the Fair Isle method, I did not want to have to work back and forth; preferring to work in the round. I should explain too that this sweater will have a boat neck. The scissors mark the spot where I will be eventually inserting a sleeve.

 Here is it from the inside.

There are other kinds of steeks, but this is called cut steeks.  The key to good steeking is to use a fine zig zag stitch on your sewing machine. Sew a narrow set of parallel lines, the same length as the depth of the sleeve at the top..

 I ran three lines of machine stitching, for added insurance that nothing will run.

 As seen from the good side.

 Here you can see the width of the sleeve at the top in comparison to the lines of stitching.

 And here we go. The squeamish may want to leave the room. Cut slowly and do not go over any of your stitch lines. If you are doing this for the first time, you may want a glass of whisky at your side.

 One armhole made, and now looking at the second one. The second is obviously exactly over the start of a new round, where I would have made all my colour changes. The ends don't need to be darned in. Those that can't be pulled out will be hidden inside a self facing. The top edge of the sleeve has a knitted in facing band.

 Raw. Don't panic.

And here is the sleeve, sewn in to the new opening. The pink facing strip covers all the ugliness. No more raw.

 And here is the finished item. I used two little buttons and loops for closures at the neck. Little baby's fat head can go through with it open, then a parent can fasten it down so it all stays put.

Awww, isn't that cute?