Knitting socks for the first time-have questions!

#1

Hello,
I’m knitting my first pair of socks and I have gotten to the part where I start to make the heel. Here is my pattern for this part:

3.Working on the inside of the sock, slip the first stitch of the next round and purl across a total of 40 (42) stitches, working all onto one needle. The heel flap is worked back and forth on just these stitches.
4.On the next row, *slip 1, knit 1. Repeat from * across.
5.Repeat these rows for a total of 39 (43) rows, ending on the knit side.
6.Begin to turn the heel. Slip 1, purl 20 (22), purl 2 together, purl 1. Turn the work.
7.Slip 1, knit 3, slip, slip, knit, knit 1, turn.
8.Slip 1, purl 4, purl 2 together, purl 1, turn.
9.Slip 1, knit 5, slip, slip, knit, knit 1, turn.
10.Continue in this manner, working one more stitch each row, until all stitches have been worked and 22 (24) stitches remain.

Now, my questions:

  1. for step 3, does “working on the inside of sock” mean I have to do anything different?
  2. I purled 42 stitches and now I just work with this one needle for the next little while?
  3. for step 5, do I really do 43 rows of slip 1, knit 1? This seems like it would make a giant sock!
  4. And to make these 43 rows, does it look like I kept turning the needle back and forth?

Maybe I’m making this harder than it is, it’s just that it’s my first time.

Thanks for your help!!
Kristyn

#2

Socks! I’m learning to love knitting socks but I’ve got a ways to go before I consider I’m good at it. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth? This link was posted for me, I think it might help you too. It just happened that the Lifestyle Socks are what I started with, no gauge to worry about! That I gotta love.

I’m about 7 or 8 rounds from the heel still. I look forward to seeing your success.

#3

(1)You’ve been knitting in the round and now you’re going to be knitting back and forth on the heel flap on one needle. (2)These sts are the 42 that you just purled onto one needle. (3)For step 5 you want to repeat the two rows given in steps 3 and 4, so you do one row of slip the first st, purl across and then one row of *slip 1, knit 1. Repeat from * across (that’s just a repeat of slip one, knit one, slip one , knit one etc. (4) And yes you just keep turning the needle when you get to the end of the 42sts on that needle. The slip sts tighten up the rows so it won’t be as long a heel flap as you think. Don’t worry about the other sts on the other needles. They just hang out until you get to the next directions.

#4

Thanks for your help. I finished that part and completed step 6. On step 7 do I really just slip two stiches in a row? I don’t pull one over the other or anything?

6.Begin to turn the heel. Slip 1, purl 20 (22), purl 2 together, purl 1. Turn the work.
7.Slip 1, knit 3, slip, slip, knit, knit 1, turn.
8.Slip 1, purl 4, purl 2 together, purl 1, turn.
9.Slip 1, knit 5, slip, slip, knit, knit 1, turn.
10.Continue in this manner, working one more stitch each row, until all stitches have been worked and 22 (24) stitches remain.

#5

Would love to help but all I do is the short row heel…haven’t tried the heel flap yet…good luck!

#6

7.Slip 1, knit 3, slip, slip, knit, knit 1, turn.

They don’t usually write a SSK out, but it means slip, slip, knit. I think that is what they want here. Look it up in the free videos section. It will be in the decrease section. It is not just slip two in a row, and you don’t just lift one over either. It is not hard but not very intuitive. I remember when I showed SSK to one of my daughters she said, “I would never have thought of doing that.” So look at the video. :slight_smile:

#7

Yes, usually you see it written ssk and it means slip, slip, knit the two slipped sts together. Your intuition that this is a decrease is correct. There’s also a video under the Glossary tab for ssk (and improved ssk).

#8

So I got to this instruction:

11.Knit across the remaining heel stitches. With the same needle, pick up and knit 22 (24) stitches along the heel flap. Work the stitches of the leg as established. Use an empty needle to pick up and knit 22 (24) stitches along other side of heel and knit 11 (12) heel stitches onto this needle. This is now the end of the round.

I picked up and knitting 24 stitches. What does it mean “work the stitches of the leg as established”…and so on in this instruction?

Thanks, I really do appreciate all the help!

#9

I picked up and knitting 24 stitches. What does it mean “work the stitches of the leg as established”…

As established means with the same type of stitch you were using on them before. If the stitches are all stockinette just keep them that way, if there is some pattern stitch pick the pattern up right where you left off on that part.

#10

But what stitches? After I have “pick up and knit”, then where does it want me to go to knit next?

#11

Usually the next round. :slight_smile:

#12

11.Knit across the remaining heel stitches. With the same needle, pick up and knit 22 (24) stitches along the heel flap. Work the stitches of the leg as established. Use an empty needle to pick up and knit 22 (24) stitches along other side of heel and knit 11 (12) heel stitches onto this needle. This is now the end of the round.

You picked up 24 along one side of the heel flap, then there should be some stitches waiting on a dpn to be worked across, these will be the top of the foot (unless this is toe up then I’m not sure what they are, part of the leg I guess), after you work those you pick up 24 more stitches along the other side of the heel. Then after you knit 12 sts from the heel onto that same needle, you start working around and around again. You should have stitches at that point over three needles like you did for the first part. (I don’t know if you are working cuff down or toe up [I’ve never done a sock toe up])

#13

Thanks, I’m in the midst of working it out :slight_smile: