Markers in short row heel

yarnbee · 05-25-2007, 10:36 AM

I'm knitting my first toe up sock with a short row heel from Sensational Knitted Socks by Schurch. The heel pattern uses wrapped stitches and calls for a lot of markers in the heel and I find the markers to be a big nuisance. Are they necessary? Several tutorials on the Internet (including Silver's two toe ups on one circ) do not call for these markers, so I'm confused. I searched this forum but didn't find an answer, though I did find some other useful tips.
Can anyone help?
Thanks in advance.

turtlegirl76 · 05-25-2007, 03:47 PM

Markers are not at all needed. If you're using a lighter colored yarn (ie. not navy blue, black, or dark green) it should be fairly easy for you to see your "paired" stitches and know when to turn next. Don't sweat about the markers.

rebecca · 05-25-2007, 05:04 PM

I agree with Turtlegirl, the markers are not necessary if you have a light colored yarn or if you are careful and watch what you are doing. LOL, I tried that technique when I did a short row heel once to see if I liked it and the markers were off of the needles very quickly!

BillSpace · 05-25-2007, 05:50 PM

I was using a dark, variegated yarn, and sometimes it was hard to see the wraps; I needed some kind of marker. So I used two markers -- one at either end -- and moved them when I wrapped a stitch. The thousand marker approach seemed like overkill (is this a sock or a charm bracelet?), when I needed only to know where my next wrapped stitch was.

turtlegirl76 · 05-25-2007, 05:53 PM

I've been using the Yarn Over Short Row technique and find it ALOT easier to keep track of where I need to turn.

redwitch · 05-26-2007, 06:29 AM

If you get to the stitch markers and think 'I can SEE the gap there, I can tell what I'm supposed to be doing without the markers' then you can probably dispense with them. If you are needing to use them but just hate fiddling with them, you might have problems if you chuck them, but still probably worth trying.

Sarah

yarnbee · 05-26-2007, 05:50 PM

Thanks to all for your input. I didn't like the way the heel looked after the first part so I frogged and reknit without markers but found I couldn't distinguish the wrapped stitches--I'm using fingering weight self-striping sock yarn.

Then I resumed using markers; I had only the little plastic rings but they got in my way and drove me nuts. I switched to tied rings of button thread (all I had on hand late last night) and they worked a little better but I think I'll buy a ball of knit cro-sheen as Schurch recommends in her book. (Was thinking those tiny rubberbands the orthodontist used to make me wear on my braces would be perfect!)

I'm pretty sure I made some mistakes on the first part of the heel, so after I get my errands done today I'm prepared to face the music and frog it. The next step, the heel turn, looks scary but I have Silver's tutorial.

Assuming I don't go blind after this project, I'm hoping that once I become familiar with the technique, I can dispense with the markers. Sort of like taking the training wheels off the bicycle?

Have a great long weekend!

redwitch · 05-27-2007, 09:08 AM

Yep I expect you will be able to do that. For stitch markers try getting a drinking straw and cutting very narrow bits off it, while keeping the loop intact. This is one of my favourite markers, I don't buy them, and the ones from straws work better than tied loops of wool for me quite often (depending on project). Very cheap too.

Sarah