Wanted to attempt my first pair of socks so I bought a creative knit kit from Rico.
Going great until I got to the heel flap and now I just don’t know what to do. The pattern doesn’t seem to match anything I’ve found online regarding heel flaps, so hoping someone here can help.
This is what the pattern says (nb width of heel flap is 30 stitches):
Work heel flap back and forth in st st over needles #1 and #4. Work selvedge as follows: slip last st of row as if to purl, yarn forward, and knit first st of row through back loop (twisted). End with a knit row.
Please help! Eager to get going again as it was going so well!
Holy Moly! I knit socks all the time and that’s just plain confusing. I’m assuming that this is a top down sock because you’re at the heel flap part. You are using 4 needles, correct? So you have 15 stitches on each of the #1 and #4 needles.
(Just a tip, if it helps you, but I use 3 needles to negate the “octopus effect” of having too many needles going at once. The heel stitches on needles 1 and 3 and all the instep stitches on needle 2. But I digress…)
From the right side (RS) of the work (the outside where you’ve been knitting), knit down needle 1. Turn your work. You’ll now be working on the wrong side (WS). (This is row 1 if you are knitting a certain number of rows. Usually you knit the same number of rows as the number of stitches you have so you’d be knitting 30 rows all together). Slip the first stitch as if to purl. Purl across the remaining stitches on needle 1. Continue purling all the stitches from needle 4 onto that same needle. You should have 30 stitches on this one needle. Turn your work. You’re now on the RS. Slip the first stitch as if to purl. From your pattern instructions it sounds like your heel is a straight stockinette stitch heel - so - knit all the stitches all the way across. Turn your work. Now on the WS. Slip the first stitch purlwise and purl across the stitches. Turn your work and slip the first stitch purlwise. Knit all stitches. Turn work - slip the first stitch - purl. Etc. Continue in this manner until you’ve reached the number of rows you need to do.
I’d continue on with the heel turn itself, but I can do that later if you need more help or the instructions are strange. Please watch Amy’s video on this site which is of a small baby sock. It’ll really help. It’s in “Advanced Techniques” about half way down the page - “Working the heel of a sock”.
Thanks so much for the reply, I’m so glad you also found it confusing I was beginning to think I was mad! Everything I found on line talked about the heel stitch slip 1 knit 1 pattern so thanks for clearing up the difference, yes I am knitting a straight stockinette heel. I think the main thing confusing me was that the instructions started with what to do with the last stitch of the row first, so I didn’t know what to do first!
I think I’m a bit clearer but still don’t quite get it, the bit that’s confusing me is the slipping of the last stitch of a row and knitting the first stitch of the row into the back of the stitch. So should I be slipping a stitch at the end of the row only?
This is how I am reading the instructions now, is this right?
Starting on a WS row, knit first st through back loop, purl 28, slip last st purlwise
RS row, knit first st through back loop, knit 28, slip last st purlwise
Don’t listen to their instructions. That knitting through the back loop thing is stupid. Just slip the FIRST stitch of each row and continue on. Don’t worry about slipping the last stitch of the row and all that hooey. Forget what they’re telling you and do it the simpler way - especially if this is your first pair of socks.
What you are doing when you are slipping the first stitch on each row is to create an edge on each side that will make it super easy for you to pick up stitches when you begin knitting in the round again. There will be nice, big open stitches for you to work with.
They are correct in that you should end on a knit row. That means that you’ve knit the row and are about to start the heel turn on the WS or purl row.
If you want, I’ll be happy to go over that part and the picking up of stitches, etc. We can do it here or you can PM me. I’ll be back on here tomorrow.
Well I did it and turned the heel so now have 10 heel turn stitches arranged on two needles (5 stitches on each).
The pattern said to heel flap should be 27 rows ending in a knit row, this didn’t work out following the instructions you gave so I did 30 rows instead! Hope this isn’t a prob!
Once again though the pattern is confusing me…
“Now continue knitting in the round over all needles, taking up 1 st from every selvedge st of the heel sides.”
It doesn’t say how many stitches I need to pick up…
I’m thinking I need to start again with a better pattern? What do you think? Could you recommend one?
I’m rather annoyed as this as the kit says step by step instructions for a beginner! I’ve been knitting for years, granted this is my first sock project but this pattern is certainly not step by step! Why does it not give number of stitches? Urggghh!
It’s okay. Relax. Your pattern seems to be written for someone who knows what they’re doing already. But, we’ll get you through it.
First off, put all of your heel turn stitches on one needle with the working yarn coming off of the left side of your work (if you are looking at the RS of the work, you’ve just finished a knit row and the working yarn is on the left side of that needle).
Now, remember how I said that by slipping the stitches on each edge you are making a nice big stitch for you to pick up stitches in? That’s what your pattern is referring to as the selvedge edge. Using the same needle that has all the heel turn stitches on it, pick up one stitch in each of these stitches going down the side of the sock (this is called the “gusset”). If you haven’t picked up stitches before I really encourage you to watch Amy’s video on this site. It will make sense to you and she will show the proper way to pick up the stitches under the 2 strands of the stitch (not just one).
Once you have picked up all the stitches on this needle (needle #1 and also, make a note of the number of stitches you have picked up not including the 10 heel sts.), take a new needle and knit across your instep stitches on your #2 and #3 needles (or if you’ve put all the instep stitches on one needle, knit across needle #2).
Now, with a new needle you are going to pick up the same number of stitches that you picked up with needle #1, but you are going FROM the instep TO the heel. Once you have picked up the same number of stitches, knit half of the heel stitches (5 sts) onto that same needle). The beginning of your round is now in the middle of the heel and you are ready to begin the gusset decreases.
Hey! Sorry for the delay, my little boy has been poorly so I’ve not been online. I have however managed to knit a sock! Thank you so much for your help! It doesn’t look too bad to be honest, think I need to practice picking up stitches as it seems a bit gappy there but you wouldn’t notice if you weren’t looking for it. So… just need to do to the other one now.
Think socks are my thing as I’m so rubbish at sewing bits together that this knitting in the round is perfect!
Thanks once again for all your help, you wouldn’t believe how close I came to giving up! x
