Lots of questions on Baby Bootie

[hippodamia]

I am making this bootie pattern.

Here is a part of the pattern:

Divide for instep: K 22 sts, turn, P back over 11 sts.

Continue in Stocking Sticth for the next 14 rows on center 11 sts. Break off yarn

Sides: Pick up 7 sts on right side of instep, K 11 sts of instep, pick up 7 sts on left side of instep, K11 sts to complete row - 47 sts. Work 9 rows in stocking stitch. ( It'll be a little tight till you get a few rows up from the instep.)

I got the instep part done, I am now totally confused on the sides...

When it says to "Pick up 7 sts on the right side of the instep", do I start at the top of the instep, bottom, midde, I don't get it? The instep is 14 rows (I assume I am picking up the 7 sts on the side/edge where these 14 rows are?) If I only pick up 7 stiches, how do I k11 to "complete the row"? Where does the 47 sts come from??

I guess that is enough questions for now :D

Thanks!

[brendajos]

well i am not sure i am picturing your booties right but when i have done my booties i have had kind of a little wing on the left and right side plus a kind of tongue thing in the middle (yeah the instep but that's what it looks like to me!:D) So i have had stitches from the right wing on my needle and started picking up stitches up the right side of the tongue thing. once those were picked up i knitted across the top of the tongue from the stitches that were on my left needle.....then i had to pick up stitches down the left side of the tongue (this part was my least favorite part of the bootie because it feels so unnatural and tight trying to pick those up) and then knitted the rest of the stitches on the left wing. basically i was forming the foot there. i have always had the left and right wings on stitch holders so had to remove them from there first of course but that is how i did it. not sure if it makes sense or if it applies to your pattern but i think it might work.

[hippodamia]

Thanks brendajos. I kinda get what you are saying, but still having troubles applying it :thinking:

I've made this picture, I think it sounds like what you were explaining.

[brendajos]

Thanks brendajos. I kinda get what you are saying, but still having troubles applying it :thinking:

I've made this picture, I think it sounds like what you were explaining.

well i have basically just started from the bottom and went up over the hill. if you start at the top then you have to either carry yarn back up to the top or break off again. so i just start picking up closest to my right hand needle and go up over.

[hippodamia]

Thanks, I think I will just dive in and give it a try, keep your fingers crossed, heehee


:XX:

[hippodamia]

ok, I didn't get very far at all. I picked up the 7 stiches, but didn't know what to do with the k11??? Where in the world are those knit at? I assume I knit the 7 I just picked up, but what about the other 4 stiches?

[brendajos]

okay...on the right hand needle you had some stitches. You should have picked up and knitted seven stitches from bottom to top on the instep. Once you got to the top you should just knit across the top of the instep (yeah where you just broke off the yarn) and then proceed to pick up and knit seven stitches from top to bottom down the left hand side and then knit the stitches that are already sitting on your left needle.

it is going to feel like a mess on your needles because of picking up those stitches down the left hand side but it will start to work itself out while you are knitting out the rest of the rows.

[brendajos]

hmm...i just thought of something while rereading your post. it is possible that i am picking up stitches wrong but stuff still comes out okay the way i do it so who knows. (could be one of those "holding the needles wrong but it works" kinds of things? )

when i pick up the stitches i stick my right needle into whatever hole i find, wrap the yarn, and pull it through. I leave that sitting on my right hand needle and consider that to be a stitch that i have picked up and knitted. I don't do anything else to it. (i am not sure if what i am saying makes any sense at all or not)

[hippodamia]

okay...on the right hand needle you had some stitches. You should have picked up and knitted seven stitches from bottom to top on the instep. Once you got to the top you should just knit across the top of the instep (yeah where you just broke off the yarn) and then proceed to pick up and knit seven stitches from top to bottom down the left hand side and then knit the stitches that are already sitting on your left needle.

it is going to feel like a mess on your needles because of picking up those stitches down the left hand side but it will start to work itself out while you are knitting out the rest of the rows.

hmmm, now this makes sense!!! I didn't even think of it that way, because that was going to be my next question, how would I pick up 7 stiches on the left side. heehee. I will give this a try (wah, I am back to work today after being off for two days, so have to wait until later :crying: )

[brendajos]

well i find those first couple of stitches to be a HUGE PITA because it is so close to your other work and it is creating that obnoxious lump of worked yarn that those cute little toes will go into but yep you are basically just working up and over the instep.