To Steek or Not to Steek – that is the question!

Early on in my self-publishing career, I steeked sweaters, whether they were cardigans or v-neck pullovers (my preferred neck style).  Wherever I could continue in the round, I added steek sts.  I no longer do so.  Why, you may ask?

There are several reasons:

1) The yarn weight I like to use – usually heavy worsted – adds too much bulk to each area where the steeks are used, compounded by the knit facings, even if the facings were knit with  thinner yarn. 

If I still had some of my early sweaters, I could show the steeks and facings and their thickness, but, unfortunately, I don’t have them – I don’t even remember where they all went, except for one sweater, my Tree of Life Pullover, which I gave to my daughter the last time she visited.  (LOL, she laughed when I gave it to her, as she was the model for it, almost 30 yrs ago!). The photo isn’t that large, but you can still see the thickness of the fabric where the body meets the sleeve.

2) With steeks, one cannot try the garment on, as one knits.  You’ll need to know for sure, that it will fit as you want it to.

3) Any time saved by not having to purl every other row, is spent sewing or crocheting the steeks, cutting them, tacking them down, then knitting facings and tacking them down!  As well as the down time from downing enough wine to calm the nerves before cutting the steeks!  (Just joking!  I tend to be fearless, so, wine wasn’t needed.). 

For the wary, I always suggest steeking a swatch or swatches first.  It doesn't need to be a circular swatch, it can be knit flat, with steek sts at the center.  Each side of the cut fabric can be finished differently – one side of the steek can be machine sewn, the other side could be crocheted, then cut the steek and tack down the edges, to see which finishing you prefer.

And

4) Steeked sweaters negates ever being able to deconstruct the sweater, when one tires of it, or it no longer fits.  The only salvageable yarn would come from the sleeves.  This may not apply to you, but I’m a waste not want not kind of person, and so, I re-use the yarns from no longer loved sweaters to (generally) knit house socks.

Yes, steeks are common in traditional sweaters, like Shetland wool Fair Isles and Norwegian Fanas and Setesdals.  I think what makes steeks work well in those sweaters are the thinner yarns used – fingering wt. in the Fair Isles, like J&S’s 2 ply jumper weight and sport wt. in the Norwegian sweaters, like Dalegarn’s Heilo, Falk, and Tiur.  Purling back in color pattern at the smaller gauges can make knitting these types of sweaters interminable, and would certainly turn me off from knitting it!

The deep drop shoulders in Norwegian sweaters also mean the steeks and facings aren’t crowding the wearer’s upper arms.

Which leads to a recommendation (even though I try to never make recommendations!) – when considering adding steek sts to a cardigan, first check the armhole depth in the pattern.

For instance, although 50% of C (the sweater circumference) is the norm for the armhole depth in many types of traditional sweaters, I don’t like the extra bulk at the underarms, so I prefer to use 45%. 

It doesn’t sound like a lot of difference, but in a 40” sweater, 50% is 20” or a 10” deep armhole, where 45% is 18” or a 9” deep armhole - a whole inch difference.  As sizes increase, this 5% will yield increasingly more than a 1" difference – 1.25" for a 50" sweater and 1.5" for a 60" sweater.

So, if one wishes to add steeks and especially if also planning on covering them with facings, it may be a good idea to make the armholes that inch deeper.

Happy Knitting!
Dawn