Come hither, thou crochet steekers and sewers of zippers
The Fishtrap Aran knitting is complete (huzzah!), and the garment is reclining damply on the living room floor. No pictures, alas, as we Portlanders are wallowing in our February rain puddles under our lowery skies and the light is useless for photography. Now for the front steek and the zipper insertion. I’m using the crochet steek method, which worked handily on the arm holes, but it leaves a small roll of fabric at the cut edge. Has anyone attempted to sew a zipper to an edge like this? I’m in a muddle as to whether to sew into the roll itself, or sort of behind it. And can I get away with using a thinner yarn for the crochet lines, in the hope that it will make the roll less bulky? I’ll be sewing the zipper in by hand, if that affects your advice. Thanks!
Meanwhile, I’m giving myself the afternoon off. It’s been hard labor around here, finishing up the job for my father-in-law and studying for my mid-term exam. This professor gives tough and thorough tests, of which I completely approve, but he skewered me on a couple of essay questions last term, so I always have to study diligently. This time, I feel pretty confident that I hit all the right marks. I celebrated by going out to lunch with Michelle, and afterwards I may have bought a new pair of shoes. Okay, I may have bought two pairs, but one was on sale and the others were bright green. Leaf green. Treefrog green. And they can replace my everyday runabouts that I’ve nearly worn through.
Anyway, the rest of the afternoon is to be spent exactly as I choose, with knitting. Those Who Procreate are keeping me hopping these days; I’ve got a welter of booties and little sweaters that need knitting and/or finishing. I’ve made a good start on the Rorschach sweater (pictures when it gets to the point where it doesn’t look like a shirt ruffle for the Yeti’s tuxedo) and my first Drunken Bear sock is complete at last. I’ve got two new designs to doodle in my sketchbook, and swatches to knit for one that’s already gestating. (A design, people. That’s a metaphor. No babies around here. I’m bucking the trend. By the time I have babies they probably won’t be cool anymore. All my friends will have moved on to … I don’t know, what do you get after you already have a baby? A summer cottage?)
I’m off to join my handsome hubby at our favorite coffee shop. We missed Valentine’s Day with studyings and workings, so we’re celebrating tomorrow for, um, St. Onesimus’s Day. It’s more fun to say than Valentine’s, anyway. Ta ta! Don’t forget to leave me your steek-and-zipper advice!
Posted: February 15th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I haven’t done what you’re about to do, but I think using lighter weight yarn is probably a good plan, and the sewing up will be fine. Not sure, but I think sometimes a facing is knit on after steeking, creating a place to sew your zipper. I’d probably do the sorta lazy thing and whipstitch down the edge of the zipper from the wrong side, then curl under the edging and at that point sew down the sweater nearer the zipper teeth with a running stitch that goes clear through the sweater & zipper fabrics. Hope that makes sense.
Now to go back to the drunken bear socks: How do you feel about bike grease on your knee-highs? And also, I’ve got to do that. Make biking knee-highs, that is.
Posted: February 15th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Can’t wait to see it. Have fun with hubby!
Posted: February 15th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
you are the second one to talk about steeking in my list of blogs (and you’re way up high on the list!)
i may just swoon
Posted: February 16th, 2007 at 5:59 am
I don’t know anything about steeks or zippers. But… Happy St. Onesimus’ Day!
Posted: February 16th, 2007 at 6:11 am
i’ve never done a zipper, but i just did a crochet steek. easy peasy! has eunny or anyone written about this?
Posted: February 16th, 2007 at 6:33 am
I gots no advice for you, sorry. I have sewed a zipper, but never steeked.
And I’m hoping that the next phase is indeed the summer cottage–this could be much less knitting and more potential vacations for we, the friends. 😉
Posted: February 16th, 2007 at 7:27 am
I’ve never done steeks or zippers (shiver) but I can’t wait until you have light so I can see pictures! Happy St. Onesimus Day!
Posted: February 16th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Photos, we need photos, missus!