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Leafling heel…..
Designer's Corner, General Knitting Questions, March Kit Questions | April 03, 2008
I have a question, but I guess it’s kinda sorta a general knitting question that happens to apply to this sock. I have noticed that most socks that do the heel “flap” the way it is in this sock (slip 1, k 1), never tell you which way to slip. Do I want the knit stitches to twist or not? I always assume when told to slip, if not specified, that it is knitwise. If they are supposed to be slipped purlwise, wouldn’t it make more sense to tell the knitter that? I looked through the abbreviations just to make sure I wasn’t missing some important note on this, so if it is stated in the pattern somewhere, I’m sorry for asking a stupid question. But, I seem to remember having this confusion before, so I think it’s standard isn’t it? So….best to clear up the confusion once and for all, lol. Thanks!!
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11 Responses to “Leafling heel…..”
You always slip as if to purl (with the yarn in back) unless otherwise specified. Some decreases call for the slip to be knitwise (such as SSK), but when doing normal work, it’s as if to purl. If you slipped with the yarn in front and then went to knit the next stitch, the yarn would cross in front of the slipped stitch and leave a bar, which you don’t want.
It’s not a stupid question at all. Unless you’ve been told or have found it in a knitting book, you don’t know.
The reason you’re doing a slip on the heel is give it an almost double-fabric effect. It gives the back of the heel more padding (therefore, more comfort), and also gives it more durability. That part of the sock rubs against your shoe, so it tends to wear out faster than other parts of the sock.
Good luck!
Just as Pam said, though often patterns will spell it out.
I got a kick out of the chatter on the Mystery Stole 3 message board, last year, though, when some experienced knitters swore themselves blue that you ALWAYS slip as if to knit, and others swore themselves purple that you ALWAYS slip as if to purl!
Well, the rule of thumb that I have gleaned is that, if not specified, you do slip as if to purl. If you are not going to work that slipped stitch *in the same row* (as you would with a SSK, or with lace stitches), then that will leave the slipped stitch mounted correctly on the needles so that it’s not twisted when you come back to it and knit it on the next row.
But, just to confuse the issue slightly, if you are slipping a stitch and are going to then work with it somehow on the same row, again as in all lace knitting, or as in SSK, SKP, etc., etc., you usually *do* slip as if to knit, so that the stitch DOESN’T twist. But hopefully the pattern will specify this; sometimes it is assumed the knitter knows this, however, which is why I mention it.
I had the same question as you! Being mostly self-taught, and not knowing any better, I have made socks slipping stitches for the heel both ways, and like both. Is there any practical reason for not slipping knit-wise? It gives a nice, decorative twist to the overlaid stitches, but maybe it would wear out quicker? If not, I would vote for whatever looks most pleasing to you.
To slip as if to knit, or as if to purl? The answer lies in looking at your knitting.
Most knitters reading this blog probably knit such that the right “leg” of each stitch is in front of the needles. (Go on, pull out a work in progress and have a look at your stitches.) Slipping as if to purl preserves this conventional stitch orientation, keeping the right leg in front, so it’s ideal for slipping stitches as part of a stitch pattern like heel stitch. (See for yourself! Slip a stitch purlwise. Have a look at the results.)
Slipping as if to knit reorients the stitch such that the left leg is in front of the needles. Why would you ever want to do this? Most commonly, as part of a left-leaning decrease such as ssk or skp: slipping as if to knit ensures that the stitches being decreased aren’t twisted. (Again, give this a try. Slip a stitch as if to knit, knit another stitch, pass the slipped stitch over. See how the slipped-and-passed stitch isn’t twisted? Now slip a stitch as if to purl, knit another stitch, and pass the slipped stitch over. See how it’s twisted?)
So, the general rule of thumb is to slip as if to purl, preserving conventional stitch orientation, unless directed otherwise, usually as part of a decrease.
Some of you might not knit (or purl) conventionally. Some of your stitches might sit with left leg in front. That’s okay. You just need to know how to work right- and left-leaning decreases in a way that meshes with your knitting style. For more details, see Knitting for Anarchists by Anna Zilboorg.
Thank you all of you wonderful helpful people!!
I did indeed pull out some knitting books, and though some hide it really well, a couple of them do say to slip as if to purl unless otherwise stated. I guess I could’ve saved all of you some trouble, if I had just read. But, in either case, you provided some great answers and advice! Thanks so much.
Please help me - I slao have a query re the heel. The SSK info was good info for me by the way. My question:
Page 4,Heel directions, I believe I’m on board with Row 1 and Row 2 but Row 3 — What exactly does “work in pattern refer to and how many stitiches are we talking at this point???I seem to be creating a ever-decreasing wedge shape that just plain looks wrong. Please help. I haven’t had trouble til now and just love the socks. Thanks. JL Edmonton Alberta.
Work in pattern is refering to the alternating slip and knit pattern that you were working. So you always slip the same column, and always knit the other column.
I don’t currently have my pattern with me, so I can’t answer the rest of your question right now. I would take a guess, but I really don’t want to mislead you.
Row 1) You knit (slip/knit) part way then wrap and turn
Row 2) You purl part way then wrap and turn
Row 3) knit in pattern to the wrapped stitch, knit one, then wrap and turn - to say that you will knit up to the wrapped stitch of Row 1, knit that stitch, then wrap the next stitch before turning back
Row 4) purl to wrapped stitch, purl 1, wrap and turn - so you will purl back to the stitch you wrapped on row 2, purl that stitch, then wrap the next stitch before turning again
Each time you complete Row 3 or Row 4 you should be moving closer to the outside edge of you heel row. It will make a funny little cup shape. It comes together when you start working decreases with all those increases you made earlier, and that’s when it starts to really look like a heel.
Did that help at all?
Thank you Things whatsqueek - It’s my second time at short-row heels and NOW I’ve really got it. jl
This was where I learned that if I’m slipping in the round and don’t want twisting, I have to slip purlwise. Going back to w/t or just ‘turning’, I had to slip knitwise to prevent twisting. (Gosh I hope I don’t have that backwards.) I’ve learned a bunch of cool stuff from this pattern.
I’m a little late to conversation, I know, but I just wanted to mention that I once knit a sock where you slip the sts as if to purl but with the yarn in front! (Nine-To-five Sockes by Nicole Hindes)This gives you a “bar” as Pam Mann calls it. These little horizontal lines make the fabric look “woven” rather than knitted at the heel, a cool effect to try out!
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