Sunday, January 06, 2008

toe up socks

I found this on Ravelry.com and it was posted at:
http://spacekitty.wordpress.com/2007/01/27/sock-class/#more-82.

The numbers in parentheses are for larger sized socks.

Yarn: Cascade Fixation

Needles: Size 3-5 (US)

Sizes: Toddler [women’s small (size 3-5), women’s medium (size 5-8), women’s large (size 8-11)]. Feel free to circle all the numbers for your size.

Skillz: Knit, purl, m1 (or kfb, as you like).

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Using the Magic Cast-on from knitty.com [http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html] cast on 16 [20, 24, 24] stitches (8 [10, 12, 12] per needle).

Rnd 1: Knit all the stitches on the top needle (this is the opposite needle from where the yarn is now hanging). Be sure to hold the tail of the dead end against the back of the toe so that you do not start to lose stitches off the ends of the needles. Then knit all the stitches on the other needle (this second set will be twisted, so knit through the back of each stitch).

Rnd 2: Knit 1; m1; knit to last stitch; m1; knit 1.

Rnd 3: Knit all stitches.

Repeat rounds 2 and 3 until you have a total of 36 [48, 52, 60] stitches (18 [24, 26, 30] on each needle), ending with round 3.

Next rnd: Knit 9 [12, 13, 15], pick up a fourth dpn, knit 9 [12, 13, 15]. Repeat for the other side of the sock. You will now be working with a total of 5 dpns: 4 in the sock and 1 to knit with.

Knit until the entire sock measures 4 [5, 6, 7] inches long, or to length.

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Short-Row Heel:

You will be working with ½ of the total stitches; that is, only the stitches for the heel. If you like, put 18 [24, 26, 30] on a holder so you don’t get flustered. Put the other half of the stitches on two live needles to work with.

Row 1: Knit 15 [21, 24, 27]. There will be 3 stitches left on the left needle. Slip 2 purlwise with yarn in back, bring yarn in front, turn work. Slip 1 from left to right purlwise, and bring the yarn to the front again, ready to purl.

Row 2: Purl until there are 3 stitches left on the left needle. Slip 2 purlwise, bring the yarn to the back. Turn the sock, slip 1 stitch left to right purlwise, over the yarn, and put the yarn in back again, ready to knit.
Row 3: Knit until there are 4 stitches left on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 4: Purl until there are 4 stitches on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 5: Knit until there are 5 stitches on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 6: Purl until there are 5 stitches on the left needle, wrap and turn.
Row 7: Knit until 6 stitches are left, wrap and turn.
Row 6: Purl until 6 stitches are left, wrap and turn.
Row 8: Knit until 7 stitches are left, wrap and turn.
Row 9: Purl until 7 stitches are left, wrap and turn.

Women’s Small/Medium/Large Sizes Only:

Row 10: Knit to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 11: Purl to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 12: Knit to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 13: Purl to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 14: Knit to 10 left, wrap and turn.
Row 15: Purl to 10 left, wrap and turn.

Women’s Large Size Only:

Row 16: Knit to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 17: Purl to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 18: Knit to 12 left, wrap and turn.
Row 19: Purl to 12 left, wrap and turn.

Women’s Small/Medium/Large Sizes Only (again):

Row 20: Knit to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 21: Purl to 11 left, wrap and turn.
Row 22: Knit to 10 left, wrap and turn.
Row 23: Purl to 10 left, wrap and turn.
Row 24: Knit to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 25: Purl to 9 left, wrap and turn.
Row 26: Knit to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 27: Purl to 8 left, wrap and turn.
Row 28: Knit to 7 left, wrap and turn.
Row 29: Purl to 7 left, wrap and turn.

All Sizes (again):

Row 30: Knit to 6 left, wrap and turn.
Row 31: Purl to 6 left, wrap and turn.
Row 32: Knit to 5 left, wrap and turn.
Row 33: Purl to 5 left, wrap and turn.
Row 34: Knit to 4 left, wrap and turn.
Row 35: Purl to 4 left, wrap and turn.
Row 36: Knit to 3 left, wrap and turn.
Row 37: Purl to 3 left, wrap and turn.
Row 38: Knit 16 [22, 24, 28], and do not wrap or turn.

zebra1

You have now knit all the stitches on the heel side. Now you will start working in the round again, working on both the heel side and the instep (top) side. The heel is the first half worked.

Round 1: Knit all stitches.
Round 2: Knit 18 [24, 26, 30]. K1, k2tog, k 16 [22, 24, 28], ssk, k1.

Repeat these 2 rounds again twice more (6 sts decreased).

Knit until ankle reaches desired length. You may add in ribbing or pattern, if you like.

Sewn bind-off:

Break yarn, leaving a tail about 4 times as long as the circumference of the sock. Thread a tapestry needle.

Sew forward (right to left) through two stitches as if to purl, leave the stitches on. Sew backward (left to right) through the first (right hand) stitch as if to knit and remove the stitch.

Repeat. On last stitch, sew right to left and remove the stitch from the needle. Pull tight. Sew the loose end inside the cuff and trim excess.

Greatest invention since sliced bread....


That is if you knit socks with double pointed needles. One of the challenges of transporting sock knitting using 5 sharp double pointed needles has been in how to "corral" the needles for transport. I did invent one made of two large thimbles with a hole punched in the middle of each and I knotted a piece of elastic and the two thimbles just sort of capped the needles. This method was kind of ok but I kept misplacing the gadget.

I see others have had the same problem, and finally somebody invented this great gadget:


available: http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/dp_wip_tubes.htm