I got some encouragement and tips from the helpful folks at my LYS to do the neck steek kangaroo-style. So here's the body with the steek begun! And a close-up of the steek. I didn't mark where the steek stitches began so I accidentally shifted them after a few rows, but I'm not going back. And I think I should have done the edge stitches right before and after the steek stitches in the background color instead of doing the pattern there, but I'm not going back. I think that once I pick up stitches and do the neckband, it will look fine. That is, after I CUT it!!

It's so freaky looking that I just can't wait to cut it open to see how the neck comes out. It's a brilliant solution. Apparently I can sew and cut right down the middle of the steek stitches and don't have to worry about any of my machine sewing lines showing or messing up the nice neck shaping. And there's no way I could leave it like this, so no chickening out of the cutting part! Of course, I also have to cut the sleeve openings on the sides and that does seem more like I messing up a finished garment. Better read over Flor's tips again before doing that!

As for the knitting, I think I have finally totally gotten the hang of the two-color knitting. The little dudes and the first four rows of bugs are kinda lumpy, but this last row of bugs is coming out perfectly flat. For unknown reasons, the tension with my left hand has suddenly made a dramatic improvement. (Blush. Curtsey.)