Itchy, Twitchy, Knit-along Fingers

The gals in my local Ravelry group have decided on a January knit-along. A colorwork sweater pattern, the Plum Frost Pullover & Cardigan is the sweater we will knit. Well, about half-a-dozen of us will be knitting Plum Frost...we were sucked in by the lovely, fair-isle knitting in multiple colors, and also by the steeking. 

Pictured is a version of the Plum Frost knitted by
Joyrider1978 on Ravlery. Isn't is lovely?

For those of you who don't know what steeking is, here's the short explanation: For ease of knitting, so you don't have to work purl rows on the back-side of your cardigan pieces, you knit the entire piece in the round. Around, and around, and around you knit, using two (or more) colors, until the sweater is finished. When the knitting is done, you bind off and you have a lovely pullover. Of course, if you want your sweater to be a button-up cardigan, you still have one final step.

Hold on to your hats.

You get out your very-sharp scissors, and carefully snip all that detailed color work in half, then add button bands. Yes. That's right. You cut it apart. o_O

It can be a daunting task, but I've been told that if you have knit your sweater with a "grabby," wool yarn, it's really not that big a deal. That's what I've been told. But I've never done it myself. Still, I've signed myself up, and I've already bought the yarn...

...so, I am all in on this one. I am still struggling with one aspect of this knit-along, however. I'M NOT SURE I CAN WAIT UNTIL JANUARY!!! lol! 

I am also struggling (a bit) with the steeking. I love the look of a cardigan as much as the next knitter, and I am sure that I am up for the challenge of steeking, but I often end up sewing my cardis closed to solve "gaping" issues...and the more I think about it, I am not sure that I can cut this knitting, then knit button-bands and sew on buttons, if there is even a chance that I will think about sewing the thing closed later! =/ So, right now at least, it's looking like I'll be knitting a pullover.

Have you ever steeked? How did it turn out? Did you end up sewing your cardigan closed, and how did that make you feel? lol! I'll keep you posted as I change my mind, over and over again, and then as I Knit-Along with my group!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!