sock question- dividing stitches for heel flap

[margie]

Hello!!

I am knitting my FIRST sock on dpns!!! It has been going very well, and I am so excited about it! I am stuck though, on something frustratingly simple. I've looked for my answer, and can't seem to find it, probably because it's so simple! I have knit my cuff and leg of my sock, and am ready to divide the stitches for the heel flap. I have 64 stitches total on my needles- I need 32 on one needle, and 16 on the other two. Right now I have 24-20-20. If you are looking at the picture, the needle on the top is the one with 24 stitches on it. My working yarn is coming off of the right hand side. I don't understand how I am supposed to divide the stitches. Do I slip stitches from the needle closest to the working yarn, or from the other end? If I transfer from the needle closest to the working yarn, the yarn will be in the middle of the needle. The pattern calls for the first row of the heel flap to be on the right side- S/1, K1 across- and no matter what I do, I seem to be on the wrong side. I hope this makes sense.

[knitqueen]

First off, really lovely work for your first sock on DPNS!!

What I would do, since your first row of your heel flap is a knit row, is slip that one stitch that has the working yarn on it onto the needle immediately next to it. Then I would just slip stitches between the other needles until you arrive at your 32 on the one and 16 on the others, keeping the one with the working yarn as the first stitch on the needle with the RS facing.

Does that help??

(Don't be afraid to just keep moving the stitches around by slipping them as if to knit from one needle to the next until you get the right numbers, you will not screw anything up by slipping stitches around.)

[rebecca]

Since you aren't knitting a pattern down onto the instep, you are really free to transfer the sts in any way. I would say that if u move the sts onto the back of the needle with your working yarn & have this needle as your needle with your heel sts...that this would be the most 'correct' way, bc u will not have knit 'more' sts on the sts that you would tranfer from the dpn in front of the working yarn....if that makes any sense @ all
As far as the instep sts go, u can just rearrange them on the other 2 dpns after you finish the heel, or transfer them to a st holder (I opt for a piece of yarn bc u then won't have the pressure at the sides of the dpns where u pick up the gusset), which ever u prefer, bc they are patiently waiting their turun to be stitched after u finish shaping the heel.
Now, I hope I've not confused u too much

[knitqueen]

I would say that if u move the sts onto the back of the needle with your working yarn & have this needle as your needle with your heel sts...

Don't you think, then, that she would have the wrong side facing for her first row then? :thinking:

[margie]

Thanks for the speedy replies!! Rebecca, if I transfer stitches onto the back end of the needle that has my working yarn on it, what would I do about the first row of the heel flap being a knit row? Would I just purl a row first, and then go to the heel flap? :rollseyes: I know I am making this so much more confusing than I need to- I wish I had someone here to show me!!!

[rebecca]

No, no, I was being confusing..I'm always confusing unless I can show u, I apologize !! U are fine to begin on either a purl or knit row

[rebecca]

Or, u can continue knitting across the next dpn and slip the sts knitwise from the next dpn and knit across & allow this to be the beginning of your heel flap as kq stated, u r actually good to go either way...I'm sorry about the confusement :rofling:

[margie]

Thank You!! I have finished the heel flap and turned the heel. I am so pleased with the way the sock is turning out! I will posts pics when I am done.

[rebecca]

I can't wait to see the pics!! Didn't u find that the heel turning was way easier than u thought?! I did

[knitqueen]

And turning the heel is just so COOL, seeing how it all comes together!!!!!! 8-)