This weekend I taught a steeking class at Yarningham, a great new knitting show in Birmingham. As well as classes there was a wonderful little marketplace (21 stalls) with lots of yarns and knitting accessories, all beautifully presented in the lovely Stirchley Baths, a community hall cleverly converted from some Victorian swimming baths. Appropriately my workshop took place at the Deep End! One wall of the classroom was covered in the poolside tiles, and there was a glass viewing panel in the floor through which we could see the preserved edge of the swimming pool, including the poolside steps. For me this brought back wonderful memories of learning to swim at the Victorian baths in Huddersfield.
With great interest I learned that one of the students in my class was Maylin Scott, the lady who nominated Kate Davies for the ‘Listeners Chain’ on Woman’s Hour last week. It was somewhat surreal to have Maylin in my class so soon after the radio event which has been the talk of the knitting world for the last week. She also had with her some of the haps from Kate’s latest book, which she is feevently knitting at the moment, including one by Hazel Tindall which has an innovative construction for the shoulders that involves steeking!
My steeking classes are a great way to learn steeking in the company of other knitters to help calm nerves about the process, and this is why Maylin had chosen to join the class. However, it is also possible to learn steeking from me without attending one of my classes, as I have a free pattern available which involves steeking and includes a tutorial for slip-stitch steek reinforcement. The pattern is the Mary Rose cup cosy pattern, and it also includes tutorials for crochet provisional cast-on, spit-splicing in colourwork, and icord buttonholes.
Go on, you ARE brave enough; have a go!
It was lovely to meet you when you stopped by my stall – I’ll hope to see you at other events in the future!