Planning for Portis.

Next up in my queue is this piece - a poncho with some very cool knitterly details. I've made two Easy Folded Ponchos (and plan to knit a third one this winter). That pattern is a big stockinette rectangle that gets seamed along one long edge to make the neck opening. Portis is a stockinette tube (perfect for knitting stranded colorwork since there's no purling) that gets steeked to turn it into a big stockinette rectangle. The ribbing (that you see along the bottom edge of the photo above) is picked up and knitted from the steeked edge. The only "seam" is a 3-needle bindoff and the neck edge is finished with an applied i-cord.

I've been a fan of the pattern since it came out in 2014, but our LYS just started carrying the called for Brooklyn Tweed Loft a few months back. I've convinced a few of my students to knit along with me. They're anxious to get started, so I figured I'd better start, too. I spent much of yesterday's nap time knitting a swatch.

I went down a needle size from what the pattern suggested and I'm still a little loose (1/4 stitch and 1/2 row per inch). I think another size smaller and I'll be too tight. So - since I think the fabric in my swatch is ok, I'm going to adjust the pattern.

A big stockinette tube with 12 fewer stitches and 12 fewer rows doesn't sound quite so daunting! I'm looking forward to getting started (but ugh, not so much casting on 300+ stitches ;-)  I'm also looking forward to the steek. I've coached a few students through the process, but this will be the first time that I've held the scissors.

Have you ever cut a steek? do you think it's scary or exciting?