Fireside stocking

How-to Questions
1

Has anyone made the Fireside Stocking from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2007?

I started it last night. Man, I hate DPN when you’re starting out, but I finally got it going. You cast on 6 stitches and then you increase by knitting f&b into each stitch and then you end up with 12 stitches divided evenly onto 3 needles. I’m following a chart for the first time. If I’m reading my chart right, I keep increasing every other row (I don’t have the pattern right in front of me right now). The thing is, eventually I end up with the same number of stitches on 2 of the needles but more on the third needle. Every other row when I increase, I have exactly enough stitches that it seems I’m following my pattern perfectly (i.e. the pattern says K3, M1 and I follow that around on my needles and come out exactly right). However, on the rows where I don’t increase, my stitches seem off (i.e. I should knit all the way around - the chart has 4 boxes that tell me to knit the stitch) but on the last needle I end up with 1 stitch less than I should have (meaning I knit 4 all the way around, repeating that, but there are only 3 stitches at the end). I hope I’m making sense! Then when I go to my next round, it tells me to k4, M1 and I have exactly the number of stitches needed to do that all the way around.

So I’m wondering why I have more stitches on my third needle than needle 1 and needle 2, and why I’m seemingly off every other row?

(Also, I know it sounds strange, but I’m not using different colored yarns for this stocking. I’m making it in just 2 colors - one color for the toe and heel and another color for the foot/leg. I saw this in my LYS. The owner used this pattern but a different yarn and it was just GORGEOUS! Not that that matters as far as my question above…)

2

I don’t know the answer, but I moved your post here because I was afraid it was going to get lost in the General Forum since it moves so fast.

ETA: that’s a pretty stocking!

3

Well, when you do a K3, M1 around, each time you did that sequence should produce 4 stitches to be worked in the next round. If you come out 1 short at the end maybe you didn’t work the last M1. It will be the very last thing in the increase round, just before you work stitch 1 of the new round. It may seem a little odd to have a M1 there so maybe you are leaving it out. You would still have the right number at the beginning of the round, but just be off one when you come around to the end if you did that.

But you say when you come around to needing to use the 4 stitches at the end of the next inc row that you have enough stitches to K4, M1 all the way around. So this is a great mystery. :?? Stitches are disappearing and reappearing just when needed. :eyes: If you are not leaving out that last M1 in the inc round and things are all right later I guess I’d say “count your lucky stars” and don’t worry about it.

4

There are only 25 rows in the toe, and by then I should have 90 stitches. I’m going to keep going and see what happens. :slight_smile:

I don’t think I explained myself well up there. If all else fails, I will take it to the LYS where I saw it and bought the GORGEOUS yarn and ask for some help.

I’m hoping though that, like you said, I can count my lucky stars. :slight_smile: