what on earth is steeking??

No not streaking! mind out the gutter guys!
Most knitters when you mention the term steeking, they pull a face like a dogs bum, it rings the fear bells...but why?? well basically, steeking is cutting up your knitting, turning it from say a tube knitted in the round, into a blanket, or knitting a jumper and turning it into a cardigan....yeah now you see why they pull that face!
I am one of those knitters, i am far too scared to put a scissors near my knitting...i mean why would you?
Well the main reason being that purling whilst doing a cheeky bit of colour work can be a pain in the butt, your tension can change and it can look a bit sloppy, and we don't want that, so with steeking you can knit around and around and around (without seaming....HELLO!) and not have to do a single purl stitch, total winner in my book.

Kate Davies writes about steeking much more eloquently than me, go have a read and find out the more historic side of the steek.

want some patterns to see what you can do?

SLICE! by Felicity Ford

Baby Blanket Snowflakes / Vognteppet Snøfnugg

by Pinneguri

Clayoquot

by tincanknits

So if this lot has made you decide to concur your fear of the steek....guess what....Jules is here to teach a class!

STEEKING- MUG COSY

Date : Saturday the 20th June 2015
Time: 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Price: £35 which includes all materials


In this 3-hour class, we will explore how to safely cut your knitting so that you can turn a jumper into a cardigan, resize a garment up or down, add armholes and more. This traditional technique is intrinsic to Fair Isle, Scandinavian and other colour-work knitting traditions and is also useful when knitting cables or other patterns that are more easily worked in the round, for knitting with self-striping yarns and for those who prefer knit to purl…
We’ll look at the various types of steeks, as well as the yarn and stitch patterns commonly used when steeking. Participants will work and cut two different kinds of steeks on their swatches and will learn how to secure the steek once cut, add a knitted band and incorporate a steek into a garment. You will also receive a pattern that turns the swatches into a sweet mug cosy.
Level: Intermediate
Skills required: casting on and off, knit and purl, increasing and decreasing, reading a pattern: some experience knitting in colour-work or cables will be helpful but not essential
Materials: 2 completed swatches (instructions for these will be provided after you book your place)

book online at http://www.fluph.co.uk/#!product/prd1/3841149731/steeking

in the shop, or on the phone at 01382690190

A weekend with woollenflower

What a fab weekend, Julia (woollenflower) was here teaching her first class with us, and what an awesome one it was. Jules was teaching finishing techniques, I wasn't part of the class, but oh the tips i overheard! But you guys will have to sign up next time to find them out. We also took her out for chips...mmm chips

Jules is next back up in Dundee on the 20th June to teach both knitting tips and tricks, and how to steek ( i will defiantly be joining in on that one!) Book online at www.fluph.co.uk under the workshops tab, drop us a phone call or book in person! Info below.

KNITTING TIPS AND TRICKS

Date : Saturday the 20th June 2015

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Price: £35 which includes all materials

In this 3-hour class, learn a whole series of techniques to make your hand-knitted garments look beautiful, including accurate swatching, choosing/ substituting yarn, picking up dropped stitches and recognizing and fixing other mistakes, choosing the right increases and decreases, picking up stitches neatly for a button band, joining a new ball and weaving in ends.

Level: Advanced beginner

Skills required: Casting on and off, knit and purl, increasing and decreasing

Materials: a 10x10cm stocking stitch swatch (on needles) Materials can be collected once class is booked.

STEEKING- MUG COSY

Date : Saturday the 20th June 2015

Time: 2.00pm - 5.00pm

Price: £35 which includes all materials

In this 3-hour class, we will explore how to safely cut your knitting so that you can turn a jumper into a cardigan, resize a garment up or down, add armholes and more. This traditional technique is intrinsic to Fair Isle, Scandinavian and other colourwork knitting traditions and is also useful when knitting cables or other patterns that are more easily worked in the round, for knitting with self-striping yarns and for those who prefer knit to purl…

We’ll look at the various types of steeks, as well as the yarn and stitch patterns commonly used when steeking. Participants will work and cut two different kinds of steeks on their swatches and will learn how to secure the steek once cut, add a knitted band and incorporate a steek into a garment. You will also receive a pattern that turns the swatches into a sweet mug cosy.

Level: Intermediate

Skills required: casting on and off, knit and purl, increasing and decreasing, reading a pattern: some experience knitting in colourwork or cables will be helpful but not essential

Materials: 2 completed swatches (instructions for these will be provided after you book your place)