Knitting the heel.... ugh this is confusing.

courtney1982 · 09-03-2010, 11:05 AM

So I have started to knit my first pair of socks. I am using a pattern for the first time with 4 double pointed needles. I managed to get all the way down the tube, finished the DEC the heel, now I have to INC the heel. This is where I am having a problem. I have 42 stitches all together, 21 on one needle, and after DEC the heel it left me with 10 stitches on my left needle, 4 on the middle one and 7 on the right needle. with my working yarn on the right needle. Now the pattern says exactly this.

" Here you inc the heel.
Row 15: sl1,k6, k wrap and next st tog, turn."

I can sl1 and k6 but I have no idea what k wrap and next st tog, means.

I feel like my head is going to explode so if anyone has a clue what this means or how to explain it, I would be forever in your debt.

Thanks a bunch.

Courtney

hyperactive · 09-03-2010, 04:25 PM

there are SOOO many types of socks.

I guess you do one, where the heel (cap) is made with so called "short rows" - they are described as "wrap and turn".

with these key words you find numerous instructions. For example here (and I think that is the be all see all for this problem):

nice and easy (but it is just a turn, not a wrap and turn"
http://garnstudio.com/lang/en/video....oryid=4&page=3

here it is with "wrap and turn" for Right Side:

http://garnstudio.com/lang/en/video....oryid=4&page=3

and for Wrong Side:
http://garnstudio.com/lang/en/video....oryid=4&page=3

but you can do better on the last bit of performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yVikAvPuE4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFrVqx-iN7k

(both last videos Cat Bordhi, THE master of this technique)

courtney1982 · 09-03-2010, 04:37 PM

I have seen all these videos before and i dont think it is what i am trying to do, they just cover the k wrap not so much the "next st tog"
thankyou for your help anyways!!!

hyperactive · 09-03-2010, 04:54 PM

Hi!
I think, it means (in your pattern) that you work the wrap and one stitch together (I would not exactly call it the "next" stitch, but the stitch it is with / around... ) but that is what this means to me.

maybe there is an expert out here that can console you about this.

does your stitch count give a hint? Is there a check up number of stitches somewhere that tells you what to do?
I mean: does the wrap get worked into 1 stitch of the originals or into 2? I would assume just one. then you would have the same amount of stitches as before and therefore come out right.

is your pattern available online? I might want to take a look at it then.

courtney1982 · 09-03-2010, 05:21 PM

hi,
yeah I think you are right, Im probably supposed to work the wrapped stitch and "next stitch" together. I dont know how to tell which ones are wrapped though. they all look the same to me . lol. and now in a brave moment i decided that I would just sl1 k6 and then I think I wrapped a k stitch. so I dont know what i will do now. lol. it is available online. I started the heel with 42 stitches, I still have 42 little loops on my needles but some of them havent been worked. the ones on the ends becasue I was decreasing the heel i guess, I have never knit anything but a scarf before, i think im in over my head. ha. have a look at the pattern if you can and let me know what you think.

http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/Pa...hop-socks2.pdf

I thought it was going to be alot easier than this when i started. lol

hyperactive · 09-03-2010, 05:37 PM

scarf to sock is a quick career, yup

The pattern looks ok to me.

it now wants you to get rid of the wraps, because you would see them on the finished sock.

so: do like in cat bordhis video when you get to a wraped stitch (yup, you can just count up to them, if you prefer). if you do that, the wrap ends up on the needle like a stitch. it is none, though.

Remember her thing with the ladies and the necklaces? Have you actually found the necklaces? once you have, you know what you have to lift onto the needle.

but careful: you may not have twisted your wrapped stitches as Cat does (the regular instructions do not tell you to, so you would usually not have done that). so you first have to take the stitch that was wrapped and change its orientation (let the lady become gay

), then you knit the 2 tog (that stitch and the wrap).
which way you turn it? move it knitwise to the right needle and back purlwise. the wrap (picked up onto the needle) and the stitch will then lie seamlessly and smooth by one another and can be worked together through the back loop.

I do think the pattern means "next stitch" as the stitch after the 6 knits. the wrap will fall behind it, if you take it onto the needle (and then becomes confusing about the "next" thing), but I have seen people do that "non-concealed" knitting tog that Cat shows in part 1. and then you do not have the wrap on the needle, you know? then you knit 6 and then knit the wrap and the next stitch (the one after the 6 knits) together.

go ahead, your scarf days are gone anyways. be adventurous and keep it up!

courtney1982 · 09-03-2010, 05:57 PM

LOL Thanks alot, I understand what you are saying and will give that a try but I think I am going to take a break for now. I have re knit the DEC heel bit 4 times now, thinking I was doing something wrong. but now Im pretty sure I know what to do, I remember the necklace and think if I keep track of what stitches are wrapped it might be alot easier, maybe ill mark with with a colored marker, cause im just using white yarn,. . . . you have been very helpful thanks alot!!!!!

Courtney.

Jan in CA · 09-03-2010, 06:21 PM

I think this is getting more confusing than it needs to be. To simplify here... are you having trouble with picking up the wraps and knitting it with the stitch right?

You should be able to see the wrap, but one thing you can do is to put a marker or safety pin on the wrap so you'll know where it is next time. Also..there are ways to do the heel w/o the wraps at all.

Amy (one of forum owners) has a video- watch this one if you only watch one and if you have a question after than about it ask.
http://www.knittinghelp.com/apps/flash/video_player/play/12/1
Still photos ..should have been done in light yarn, but...
http://www.purlbee.com/short-row-tutorial/
http://www.cosmicpluto.com/blog/as-p...heel-tutorial/

courtney1982 · 09-04-2010, 12:44 AM

So, its 1:30 in the morning and I finally finished knitting the heel. Now Im workin my way down to the toe. It is one hard lookin sock. haha. Theres alot of holes and I spilt Baileys on it but I DID IT. Thank you both for your help. I honestly couldnt have done it without you!

Its like all my birthdays and christmas' have come at once Im so happy. LOL