I feel a little better

And it's all about me this week. This bug has been absolutely the worst thing that has ever happened to my chest. I've written before about my undiagnosed childhood asthma - I can't find the post now, weirdly, - but most of the time I'm barely aware I have the condition - I use a preventer morning and night and sometimes, in certain flowering seasons, I have to increase it to stay 'normal'. This week I have been crippled by lack of breath at times - gasping and wheezing - and have had to take steroids and eventually antibiotics. My late partner had chronic asthma and an attack like this brings back her struggles, even though of course my condition is temporary and will be forgotten in a month. Sandra had it last week (without the secondary infection), and is still only recovering slowly, so I'm not feeling very ambitious for this week. Return to work, perforce, and knitting. Smewhere there's a PhD mouldering away in the back of my brain, but it will have to wait.

Yesterday Sandra and I had committed to teaching steeking at the Inner CIty branch of the Knitters Guild, and we were well-prepared - luckily! Unfortunately there was technology fail, but our handout mirrored the presentation, and so the 40 or so people were able to follow along. I managed to stay upright, and between us we taught about 20 people who had a little tube they'd knitted in preparation how to crochet to secure the steek, using our original method which can't be found by googling, and then to boldy cut it. If you don't know what a steek is, you non-knitters, it's a scottish technique in which you knit a garment in one piece, shaping it like a bag, with no openings for front, neck or sleeves, and then slash the openings. I wrote about doing it with pictures here. There are several technical advantages to doing this, including making it easier to follow a complex two-colour stranded pattern - like fair isle - and having a lot less ends to run in. But it is scarey to cut your knitting, so we were pleased that so many people were prepared to give it a try. It felt well worth the effort it cost. Thanks everyone, for your enthuiasm that made it easier to stay the course.

Comments

[Missyfee.blogspot.com]

Thank you so much - the workshop yesterday was FANTASTIC - and the notes and explanation really great

[Jan]

That sounds like a really nasty bug and infection. Take it easy, if possible.

[Emily Dibdin]

I would love to have been at this particular workshop. I've done a trial steek once, but not a proper one, and I'm in the process of a tanktop for Clare out of silk garden sock with a line-drawn robot design, and think I should steek the armholes and the v-neck. Don't you?

So I'm intrigued by your original system - and am unconfident about the crocheting of steeks. I've looked at the 2008 post - great (and I remember it!) but would love more info. Any chance at all?

So pleased you're feeling better. Asthma is a weird condition, isn't it? (When you're like you or me and usually v well-controlled). Mine was awful at time sin Australia, and now is mainly fine except when unpacking clothes that haven't seen the light of day for two years!

Take it gently and do the bare minimum at work so you cna fully recover (why am I saying this? I know you are sensible and Sandra is wise and neither of you need to be taught how to suck eggs!)

[Susan Frost]

The workshop was fabulous! The instructions were clear, your teaching was awesome and I successfully steeked! Hoorah for the WestWard steeking method! Thanks to both of you.