Sunday 18 August 2013

Baby Norgi

May 2013

I made a new year's resolution to try out a couple of techniques I had yet to tackle this year, and just to show that I stuck with it, here's my first go at steeking. One of the first things I learned was that there are are two methods - crochet steeking and sewing machine steeking. Having read around on teh internets I concluded that I would prefer to use a crochet steek. It’s what Elizabeth Zimmerman would have done.



So despite not being a crocheter, I duly had a go, but in the end I concluded that it wouldn't work with this pattern, as there are lots of long white floats behind where the armhole would need to be cut, and the crochet method doesn’t seem to do anything to secure them.

I suspect it’s because the baby norgi pattern was written on the assumption that you would use a sewing machine steek, and it therefore doesn’t have a steek ‘panel’, which I think is essential to making a crochet steel work. Certainly the ‘how to steek’ article which comes with this pattern assumes you will use a sewing machine.


I could just be missing something, though, because this is my first go at this. Either way it’s good to have tried both ways and even though it meant a bit of faffing about, I can afford to be a bit relaxed - this is a Christmas jumper after all.

My sleeves came out much too wide and had to be frogged and re-knitted. I also modified the collar to a 1x1 rib with a button, just to be sure that it would fit over the recipient’s head.



In the process of making up I’ve realised that having to set in the sleeves AND sew down the facings AND add a hem at the waist and the wrists AND not being able to join the shoulder seams with a three needle bind off means a LOT of finishing for something knitted in the round. Even so, a great learning exercise and very very cute.



Pattern: Baby Norgi by Wendy D. Johnson from Knitty Spring 2003.
Size: 27" chest (for a 2 year old)
Yarn: King Cole Zig Zag / Patons Fairytale Dreamtime 4-ply / Regia Color 4-ply
Colour: Ruby / White / Denim Blue
Amount: 1.5 skeins of MC, less than 1 skein of CCs
On ravelry: here

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