How to Sew Steeks
Steeks are made by cutting a knitted fabric. This technique is most often used with Fair Isle knits in order to keep the pattern even. Steeks can be made without sewing the stitches to secure first, but it is recommended that you sew the stitches to prevent unraveling. Steeking can make a knitter nervous, so take your time to ensure that you do it properly to avoid ruining your knit piece.
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Instructions
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1
Lay the piece out flat. Place straight pins on either side of the area to be steeked. Line the pins up evenly on each side of the steek, at least one stitch in from the area to cut.
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2
Thread the needle. Using the pins as a guide, pull the needle through the stitches next to the area to cut on one side, catching the yarn in each stitch as you go. Do not pull tight. This is your guideline when sewing. Pull the thread back up the other side of the piece to secure those stitches.
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3
Secure each stitch with the thread, catching the yarn as you go to split the yarn. Use very tight, small stitches to ensure that you secure each stitch. Splitting the yarn with the thread and using tight stitches that require more than one sewn stitch per knitted stitch help secure the fabric and keep it from puckering. Use the thread from the previous step as a guide. Follow along the thread as you secure to keep the stitches even. Repeat for the other side.
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4
Cut between the sewn lines carefully. Take each stitch one at a time and take care not to cut the sewn stitches. Lightly pulling apart the fabric at the area to steek will reveal running lines of yarn between two stitches. Cut each of these running lines as you come to it instead of the knit stitches.
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5
Finish the piece based on your pattern directions.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also sew steeks with a sewing machine. Pin the piece as stated in step one and sew along the pinned area to secure, using the smallest stitch setting on your machine.
