Steek! Eek!

So, I've become bold and daring and deciding to try out the technique of steeks while knitting a jacket for my future niece or nephew. I made 3 stitch wide steeks for the arm holes and front of the sweater and knit an odd closed tube contraption. Yesterday, I finished knitting the body, so I used the crocheted method of securing them and, with much trepidation, carefully cut them open. I swear my hands were still shaking hours later! It just seems so very wrong to just cut up the middle of the fabric like that.

After regaining my composure, I picked up stitches for one sleeve, intending to continue the Fair Isle pattern I had used on the body, but I realized after a couple of inches that fabric that dense would probably prevent the poor baby from moving its arms. I frogged it back (rip it! rip it!) to try again, in the process dislodging far too many loose ends from the crochet chain that was supposed to secure them. (Note to self, make steek wider next time.) The connection at the shoulder looks a little bit wonky, but I think it'll hold. I might come back later and do a little stitching on the inside of the join to make sure it is really secure.

I knitted the sleeve in 1-1 ribbing (way more flexible than the Fair Isle of the body), possibly giving a bit of a vest over sweater sort of look. I've picked up the stitches for the second sleeve, much neater since I didn't rip it out this time, and am contemplating what I want to do with the front opening. I think I might see if I can find some cute buttons this weekend before deciding how wide the edging should be.