Finishing the neck

At last post, I had cut, tied and picked up the stitches from the neck steek. I was quite pleased with myself. I did a pick-up and knit for the first row (that becomes relevant later) and then a simple k1p1 rib all around. At this point, on the outside, it looks just as it would have had I used non-steek techniques to make the neckline.

On the inside, it looks different. The stitches from the steek are still there, although only on the sides. The neck front and back was just created from stitches held on spare needles -- I didn't have to do real picking up. You can see that for the neck, I was less practiced/more paranoid about the steek stitches so I tied off after unpicking only one stitch. This left me with very short ends to be tying with. I am happier with the sleeve tying-off where I unpicked two stitches.

This picture is actually taken after I'd finished all of the neck knitting. The cuff is small, as I like that look. It's barely more substantial than an i-cord, although of course, being ribbing, it's much much more elastic than an i-cord would be.

I mentioned earlier that I'm being pigheadded about sewing on this sweater and I'm vowing to have none. Not one stitch. To close off the cuff on the inside, (as a way to avoid sewing it shut) I knit a row into the stitches I had originally picked up and knit. Clear description? No? I would slip the stitch 9 rows earlier onto the needle and then k2tog. The next row, I cast off, except at the sides where there were still steek ends to be dealt with.

I simply knit a little envelope, sealing it at the sides and end as I described before (by slipping a float or the inside of a stitch onto the needle and then knitting 2 together). I quite like the way it looks on the inside now, like a collared shirt. On the outside, it doesn't show.