HELP--heel of a Christmas stocking - sorry long.

17 years ago

I don't think I'm doing this right, I'll type the directions. My problem is I think I should have fewer stitches then I seem to end up with.

1.Glossary: SL- Slip; RS - Right Side; CC Contrasting color:

I'm at a "Divide for heel" part.

Change to DP (Double Pointed Needles I assume) needles. SL first and last 16 stitches onto DP needle, having back seam at center of heel. (okay so I assume here that one needle has 16 and another has 16, or are all 16 on one needle?)

Leave center 34 stitches on st holder for instep (okay no problem here).

From RS, join CC at beg of heel sts & work back & forth on 32 heel sts as follows: Row 1: K2 together, K to last 2 sts, K2 tog (30 sts). Okay pretty straight forward. I THINK

Row 2: Purl. I can do that...okay I knit backwards, but it's the same as purling, so I'm fine here.

Row 3: *K1, SL1. Rep from * across.

Row 4: P.

Rep rows 3 and 4 until 23 rows are completed, end with a K row. OKAY here's where I'm confused a little. First I always seem to have a twist on the SL stitch on the next row, I just transfer the yarn from one Needle to the other right? Now how many stitches should I end up with on my needle when I'm done..30 right?

Next set of directions:

TURN: (I'm on the same 30 stitches right? )Row 1: P19, P2 TOG, P1 Turn.

Row 2: SL1, K10, K2 tog, K1, Turn. (If I'm on the same 30, what do I do with the rest of the stitches?)

Row 3: SL1, P to 1 st before gap made in previous row, P2 tog, P1, Turn.

Row 4: SL1, K to 1 st before gap made in Previous Row, K1 tog, K1, Turn. (YEs it says K1 tog, should it be 2??)

Rep rows 3 and 4 until 20 sts rem. P one row. From what I can tell, I only have 20 stitches total on my needle, what do I do with all the other stitches. I'm so confused.

Vickey-MN

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Comments (6)

Zipper_TX
17 years ago
1. All the stitches (16 + 16) are on one needle

2. You should still have 30 stitches when you are finished with that part.

3. You are making a ridge for the heel so even though it looks twisted it's right and yes you just slip that stitch from the left needle over to the right.

4. Yes you are starting out with the same 30 stitches, you are doing short rows now so you leave the rest of the stitches on the needle unworked, then when you turn and work back you will see a gap between the last stitch you worked and the first one left on the needle these two stitches are the ones you either knit together or purl together and to make this even easier look at this link it will say it better than I can. This link was given by another poster a while back and I'm sorry but I don't remember who sent the link but it's great for helping understand heel turning. (I'm on my 8th pair of socks so I guess I'm doing ok with it lol)

Play the video if you can it's much easier to understand if you can see what they are talking about.

Here is a link that might be useful: turning the heel
Vickey__MN
Original Author
17 years ago
Okay, I think I understand. I will try it next time I pick up my knitting (sometime this week I HOPE!!)

Vickey-MN
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Dash2
17 years ago
When slipping stitches when you are on a knit row, you must slip the stitch as though you were going to knit it. On a purl row, slip as though you were going to purl. That keeps the loop from twisting.

What does that mean? It means on a knit row you insert your needle from the bottom to the top. On a purl row, you insert your needle from the top to the bottom.

You will see that turning the heel does reduce the amount of stitches on your needle and forms a cup shape. Once the heel cup has been completely formed and you have knit the length of the foot that you need, your instructions will tell you to pick up stitches along the heel flap, then pick up the stitches that are on hold. When that is done, you will be back to your original amount of stitches that were cast on.

If you're working with DP needles, you will have to get your total amount of stitches distributed among 4 needles again. Then just follow the directions until the finish.

It sounds more confusing than it actually is. Just go along step by step. Once you do it the first time, the next time will be a snap.
Vickey__MN
Original Author
17 years ago
GOT IT. IT WORKED. Oops, sorry, I'm shouting, it's just that IT WORKED. Thanks for the help.

Vickey-MN
Evelyn_170
11 years ago
Hello knitters
I am having alot of problems following a christmas stocking pattern. I am up to the part where the instructions say dividing the stitches for the heel but I can't understand it. It says to have 16 stitches on two dp needles and I did that but now it says to knit and decrease so that there are 30 stitches left. Is that 30 stitches on one needle or two dp needles? I am afraid the instructions don't seem to be clear. Am I supposed to knit across one needle? I am very confused :P If anyone out there could please help, it would be very much appreciated! Thank you.
Vickey__MN
Original Author
11 years ago
30 stitches on on needle. Right now you will only work on the one needle, leave the other two alone. I have come a long way since this post and now knit a lot of regular socks.

Here is a link that might be useful: silver's sock class