Help with DROPS socks

#1

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GG and i are doing a mini KAL of DROPS 161-38 (Ocean View Socks), and i need help. ravelry link is at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/161-38-ocean-view , DROPS pattern link is at http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=6938 .

i’m making the largest size. when i get to the part with decreasing for the heel, it says to:

“Insert 1 marker in the 72nd st (counted from side with elevation (my note, the ‘elevation’ end is the leg)). Dec 1 st on each side of st with marker on every other row 11 times in total = 118 sts. Work in garter st until piece measures 13cm/5” from last dec.”

so how do i insert the marker? is this a case where i actually put it around the stitch, or do i put on on either side of it so i know where it is on right and wrong sides?

earlier, the directions say to do short row shaping on rows 3 & 4 of each section. is that only row 3 & 4, or is that somehow every 3rd/4th combination row (ie, 3&4, then again on 6&7, 9&10, etc)?

first time actually doing a DROPS pattern, and we’ve all heard the issues with them… now i’m experiencing them firsthand! :wink: thanks for any help!

#2

Looks like fun to knit, something a little unusual for sure.
For the marked stitch, you could either mark the stitch or put a marker in front of the stitch on the RS. It’s easier for me to have a marker in front of the stitch than to actually mark the stitch itself and you’re only dec or inc every other row so you only need it on the RS.
The directions call for short rows are on every 3rd and 4th rows. You’ll need to continue them all the way along as you knit the sock in order to shape the toe.

#3

GG had a hunch you’d be the first to answer! many thanks for the help.

#4

hmmm ok, but which rows are the 3rd and 4th? there are short row directions intermixed…

#5

I’ve not started yet and I already wussed out to doing a worsted weight version. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/142-34-nightfall I can’t just read the pattern to figure it out I have to actually do it. I will start them, I promise. But not tonight, tonight I want to finish the gusset increases on the socks I have OTN

#6

The short rows at the beginning of the pattern, following the cast on are for the leg. You don’t start knitting over all the sts until the directions:
“ALL SIZES: Work 6 rows over all sts (remember short rows towards the toe - i.e. in the opposite side of elevation.”

This is when you’ll start knitting over the whole sock including the toe and where you’ll insert the short rows every 3rd and 4th row. So the short rows for the leg are at the beginning of the RS row (and are completed by the time you get to the All Sizes directions) and the short rows for the toe are at the end of the RS row (start counting every 3rd and 4 row here).

You’ll do short rows again at the leg (elevation) on the other side of the sock but by then the toe short rows will be finished. It helps me to remember that the seam is along the sole of the foot and up the back of the leg.

#7

I’ve cast on and worked the “elevation” that is the leg end of the sock. I counted the next row as row 1 and AT THE SAME TIME began the toe short row instructions just as salmonmac said; at least I think what I’ve done is the same. My worsted weight version has me doing the decreases for the heel now. I put a marker before the stitch it says to work decreases on either side of so that I k2tog, sl m, k1, k2tog and continue with the row. Again, I think this is what salmonmac has said. Gee, I wonder where I learned and who taught me these things. :mrgreen: BTW I’m using pennies for my row counters, I just move one over to the ‘done’ area after working the row. Pennies are supposed to be lucky ya know. :wink: After a few repeats I should be able to tell by looking when to do the short rows, I’m just not confident about it right now.

#8

if i do it slowly, quietly, maybe nobody will notice me backing away from these socks, rather than get even more torqued off at them, like i was last night… instead the last of the cat bordhi books i was waiting for arrived today via interlibrary loan, so i can go be torqued off at it/her…

#9

Sometimes a timeout is in the best interest of both the knitter and the WIP. Mine are going pretty nicely. I realized after I had finished decreasing for the heel that I had put the marker in the wrong place and after frogging I got my decreases where they should be. When/if you are ready to look at this again, do consider working the worsted weight pattern. It goes much faster with less torque applied the intrepid adventurer. It frogs with less vocabulary building when you pick up the stitches again. It allows you to see how the thing works so that should you decide to use skinny yarn it’s less figuring out and more just doing. I think of the worsted weight version like fat crayons for preschoolers, good for practice and learning.

#10

i’m going to try to be extra patient with these socks… and if everybody can be extra patient with me, and give some more help, that would be great.

first things first… i totally understand garter stitch. i also understand the basic concepts of short rows. i finally got close to gauge with my yarn/needle combination.

i cast on. i completed all the way through “Size 9/10 (EU40/42): Work 60 sts, turn, slip 1 st, work 59 sts.” (i’m using a self-striping yarn, so no switching colors.)

then the pattern says “ALL SIZES: Work 6 rows over all sts (remember short rows towards the toe - i.e. in the opposite side of elevation). Read
ASSEMBLY TIP! And remember to switch color for every ridge the rest of piece.”

so i did that. now, since it’s only 6 rows, i could only do the short rowing thing once, on rows 3&4 - 1 regular row down, 1 regular row up, 1 short row down (knit to the marker i placed earlier, which leaves 16 unworked stitches), 1 short row up, and another regular row down and another regular row back up. done.

“Now dec for heel as follows: Insert 1 marker in the 62nd-68th-72nd st (counted from side with elevation). Dec 1 st on each side of st with marker on every other row 11 times in total = 98-108-118 sts. Work in garter st until piece measures 9-11-13 cm / 3½”-4½"-5" from last dec."

i put a set of markers around the 72nd stitch… and this is where my trouble is, so bear with me. is this now a NEW set of rows, because it has new directions, so my row counting starts over here with 1? OR, is this a continuation of rows, so even though this is the first set of rows with heel decreases, it’s really the 3rd/4th row of the short row pattern because i previously did 6 rows, and only the 3rd/4th of that set were short rows?

see, i can’t figure out when to start counting row 1, row 2 (regular ridge), row 3, row 4 (short row ridge), and start over with row 1.

garn/drops offical online help wanted to explain to me what a short row is, not when it should actually start in the pattern.

the drops group on ravelry had multiple viewers, but only one replier, and while she was helpful (really!), it wasn’t enough help, i guess. – “OK. This is how I see it. You do the leg elevation first. (done) Then you start working over all stitches (and doing the every 3rd/4th row short rows at the same time). When doing the decreases at the heel, you are still working over all of the stitches (and doing the toe short rows). Then you work in garter stitch until piece measures 5” (still working over all stitches and doing toe short rows). Then you do increases for the heel (still working over all stitches and doing toe short rows). Then you do the leg elevation only on the leg section of stitches. So you actually have many rows of toe short rows! Hope this helps.”

isn’t everybody glad i decided AGAINST trying to do japanese or german short rows at the same time? where my stitch count also would have been different?

#11

Maybe different wording is what you need.

Now dec for heel as follows: Insert 1 marker in the 62nd-68th-72nd st (counted from side with elevation). Dec 1 st on each side of st with marker on every other row 11 times in total = 98-108-118 sts. Work in garter st until piece measures 9-11-13 cm / 3½"-4½"-5" from last dec."

[B]AND AT THE SAME TIME[/B] continue the toe short rows as established.

In other words, when you work your heel decreases don’t worry about what row number that is for them when you get to the the short row section and work whatever row you are on there. They have to be counted separately.

I quit counting rows. If I don’t pick up a turn stitch for a short row it’s time to turn. If I pick up the turn stitch then I work to the end of the row. That’s what works for me, something else will probably work for you, maybe counting the rows on the short row section. Once you figure out what works for you it won’t be hard.

Using A Running Yarn Marker One way to help keep count of rows.

ETA and now having made my feeble attempt I eagerly anticipate an understandable response from salmonmac. :slight_smile:

#12

No, you’ve said it all. The toe doesn’t talk to the heel so keep an independent count of the toe short rows (continue with row 3 at the toe).

#13

okie dokie. thanks to all who tried to help. i’m sure GG will make a lovely pair.

#14

My last attempt…I consider it my fault that I can’t really help otherwise…is to suggest sitting down and writing the pattern out row by row. I think the only real problem you have is that the pattern isn’t written out row by row and I’m not capable of doing it. I would if I could.

I admit defeat.

All XtopherCB, All The Time
#15

after much bellyaching and re-doing (me, grumble grumble) and help/trying/knitting/frogging (GG), i’m finally to the 1st heel decreases on the 1st of these socks. i’ve run into another snag. ran it by GG but running it by a few eyes here too just in case.

i’m doing the largest size, so i have 130 stitches.

“Now dec for heel as follows: Insert 1 marker in the 62nd-68th-72nd st (counted from side with elevation)” – done

"Dec 1 st on each side of st with marker on every other row 11 times in total = 98-108-118 sts. " – been doing. that’s 2 decreases per row. but it looks wrong, like if i only decrease to 118, there’s not enough decrease of stitches.

so does this mean 11 actual decreases total, or 11 total rows of decreases? decreasing 2 times per row only takes me 11 rows, but only 6 of those rows are RS decrease rows. and then i still have to work a 12th row to finish the WS and get back to the starting stitch on the RS.

the picture shows a much deeper V of decrease stitches at the heel/ankle. GG’s bright thought was to keep decreasing twice on a row, 11 decrease rows total (22 total rows), because you do end up increasing back to your original stitch count on the other side of the foot…

but i’m flummoxed.

RS starting with 130, decreasing once to 129, and another time to 128
WS just knit all stitches, every WS
RS decrease to 127, and again to 126
WS
RS decrease to 125, and again to 124
WS
RS decrease to 123, and again to 122
WS
RS decrease to 121, and again to 120.
WS
RS decrease to 119, (that’s the 11th decrease)…

so do i keep going on that row again to get to 118? it’s 11 rows of various work. and i’d still have to work a WS to get to starting position again.

#16

If you can zoom in, it looks like about 11 ridges of decs. I’d say, keep decreasing 2 sts per RS row. Do 11 dec rows, 22 rows total.

#17

that was my thought, and GG’s thought, that it looked like more rows of decreases and their stitch count was off. and now it’s your thought, so i’m doing it. but i’ve left myself a note to put in a lifeline on this current row, just in case. :wink: thanks for the help!

#18

Yes, the lifeline is a very good idea. Mark the RS in case that’s a problem and keep up the decs every RS row and you’ll be fine.