I am knitting my first pair of socks on double pointed needles. I have a question regarding my pattern. I am ready to divide for the heel. I need to put 24 stitches on needle #1 and 12 stitches on both needle #2 and #3. Which needle do I make needle #1? Also it states work back and frothe on the #1 needle as follows: Row 1: (right side) Sl1,K1rep between*across. Row 2: Sl1, P rem stitches across. Work 24 rows. It then says you will have half the # of slipped sts making it easy to count. End after last Sl1.K1, row. I really would appreciate any help that I can get on understanding this. Thanks :??
Knitting first pair socks
This whole needle business is kind of arbitrary but what you want to create is a situation where needle 1 is the base of a triangle and needle 2 and needle 3 are the ascending sides. Needle 1 will become your heel, thats why you will be going back and forth on it. With side 1 closest to you, your yarn should be at the bottom right of the triangle. You should then start your row by slipping the first stitch, knitting one etc. The stitch, unless they tell you otherwise, is slipped purlwise. The slipped stitches will eventually allow you to pick up stitches along the side of the heel to form the gusset of the sock. What you really ought to do is check out Silver’s very fine sock class which is for the beginer. There are many of us, me included who knit their first pair of socks with her help. Silver is a moderator so just look for her name at the top of the screen and click on it. Hope this has been helpful.
Socks are my favorite things to knit… the instructions you have are for making what is commonly called a flap-heel, also sometimes referred to as a Dutch-heel. It is a well wearing type of stitch, although not well understood. Basically, you knit 1 stitch and slip the next, then on the next row, (after turning) purl the slipped stitch and slip the knit one.
I myself prefer the short-row heel… it’s more like the factory type sock and I just think it feels better in my shoe.
In your case, needle 1 has 12 stitches, needle 2 has 24, and needle 3 has 12.
Needles 1 & 3 are typically the heel needles, while needle 2 is the top of the foot. You don’t do anything to those stitches at all when working the heel.
thanks to everyone for all the help. It is much clearer now.
You do realize you will now become addicted to sock knitting? Just thought you’d want to know. :shock:
[size=2]It’s true…[/size] :shock:
I just do my socks on 4 working needles and then all I need to do when working the heel is to work the first row of the heel onto just one needle. I divide it back up again once the heel is turned.
LOVE workin’ with 5 needles!!!