Tin Can Knits’ Clayoquot has been in my Ravelry queue for years. Years. It’s the steeking. That’s the reason it landed in my queue in the first place and also the reason it’s been there for so long. I’ve been working my way up to it in my mind.
Of all the knitting mountains one can climb, Mount Steek has always seemed the most daunting to me. Stranded knitting, double knitting, lace, cables, socks . . . it’s all seemed fairly doable with proper instruction. Steeking feels different.
Strange as this may sound, when I think about steeking, I always think about my Uncle Bo. From my earliest childhood, I remember his saying he was going to die from a snake bite. He just knew it. That’s how he’d go. He thought maybe it was genetically imprinted from some long ago ancestor who’d been set upon by a bad snake. This is kind of how I feel about steeking. It’s produced a combination of dread and fascination in me for almost as long as I’ve been knitting.
Well, I’m feeling bold. As hard stuff goes, there’s no way steeking could approach the last year of my life. So, fortified with gorgeous yarn, prepared and dyed by Junebug Farms, my favorite fiber farm ever (more about this in a later post), and Tin Can Knits’ famously clear and detailed instructions, I am going for it. Wish me luck!
That steek will be a piece of cake, you just wait and see. Double knitting, now that is a sneaky piece of snake on the grass trouble!! I’m slowly working my way towards trying double knitting. I can’t wait to see your progress. š
OH, how I hope you’re right about steeking! Haha! YOU would have no trouble with double knitting whatsoever. I’m sure of it!
Fingers crossed! Really looking forward to read your updates š
Thank you! I’ll be sure to post about the process even if it’s a disaster. Lol
My next sweater I’m trying steeking too. It is so scary!
Isn’t it? I’m thinking, though, that even if the whole thing fails miserably, surely I will learn something from it and that will make a next attempt more doable. Do you know know what pattern you are going to knit?
I also found that Ysolda’s crochet steek tutorial was extremely helpful! (https://ysolda.com/blogs/journal/crochet-steeks-on-cruden) YOU CAN DO IT! It sounds much scarier than it is! Good luck!
Ooooh, thank you!! I will definitely check this out!
That sure is some gorgeous yarn but Iām biased.
I’m not biased at all, and I completely agree!!
I can’t tell you how thrilled and honored I am that you’re using “my” yarn. I’m beyond stoked that I got the colors right, and more than a little bit proud that you picked JBF yarn to take with you on this momentous occasion. I love you to tiny little pieces!
Oh, goodness! The thrill and honor are all mine! Everything about it is exactly right, and on top of that, I get to think of you every time I pick it up, which makes me happy over and over and over again. ā¤ļø
Steeking scares me too! But so many people do it, it can’t really be that scary, right?
Haha! I’m hoping you’re right!