Steeking a Cardigan: Step by Step
A walkthrough of the full steeking process for a stranded-colourwork cardigan: knit the body in the round as a pullover, mark the steek column, reinforce, cut, and finish with a button band.
Recommended A printable technique cheat-sheet for your knitting bag.
Knitting the body
Knit the cardigan as a pullover with extra stitches (usually 6–10) in a vertical column at the centre front. These extra stitches are the "steek" — the column that will be cut. Mark the steek column with a stitch marker on either side.
Reinforcing
After the body is complete, reinforce the steek with one of three methods: machine-sew two parallel lines of straight stitch down either side of the cut line; crochet a single-crochet column down each side; or hand-sew a backstitch line down each side. Sticky wools (Shetland) need less reinforcement; slippery wools (superwash) need more.
In partnership Tools and supplies that make this technique easier.
Cutting
With sharp scissors, cut down the centre of the steek column. Cut slowly and deliberately — there is no undo. The cut edge will fray slightly but the reinforcement holds it in place.
Finishing
Pick up stitches along the cut edge with the project yarn. Knit the button band outward from the picked-up stitches, hiding the cut edge inside the band. Add buttonholes to one side; buttons to the other.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BO | bind off |
| MC | main colour |
| CC | contrast colour |
Tips
- Use sticky wool (Shetland, BFL non-superwash) for the easiest steeking experience.
- Reinforce twice for slippery yarns or superwash wool.
- Cut slowly and deliberately — there is no undo.
In depth
A steeked cardigan is one of the most satisfying intermediate-to-advanced projects in hand-knitting. The combination of stranded colourwork (knit much faster in the round than flat), the high-stakes cut, and the polished button-band finish produces a garment that feels professionally made.