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Can’t figure out how to work the heel
March Kit Questions | April 20, 2008
I have knitted 8-10 pairs of socks without much trouble but this heel is throwing me for a loop. With past sock patterns…. the heel stitches are on one needle and the instep stitches are on the other (i knit with 2 circs) and i have done a few different types of heels but this one has me stumped. i have done the slip1 knit1 part and am trying to figure out the w & t part…. i finished last RSC heel and even made another pair but to w & t and still be doing the knit on the R side and P on the W side and work the leafing pattern… how does that work??? working in the round and “R and W side P and K” together???? HELP… i really love this socks, and don’t want to quit and don’t have anyone at a LYS to ask for help. Thank you to anyone that can help me and let me finish and wear this gorgeous socks proudly!!!
3 Responses to “Can’t figure out how to work the heel”
Chaya, if you’ve completed the gusset and are about to start turning the heel, then you don’t need to worry about the dotted leaves pattern. You’re turning the heel with short rows–that is, working back and forth over a subset of the stitches, not working in the round.
Have a look at the definition of “w&t” in the abbreviations section: You’ll wrap a stitch by slipping to the right needle, moving the yarn between the needles, and slipping back to the left needle. Then you’ll TURN: to the WS if you had been working a RS row, or to the RS if you had been working a WS row. Wrapping a stitch prevents a hole at the point where you turn.
Once you’ve finished turning the heel, you’ll work the heel flap. This will decrease away the extra stitches added for the gussets. Again, you’ll be working back and forth over a subset of the stitches. But while working the heel flap, you’ll prevent holes with decreases, not short-row wraps.
Hope this answers your question!
-JC
Hi JC,
I too work on two circulars. I’m soon to the place where I will work the 29 heel stitches. I’m wondering if part of Mushkie’s confusion might be how the stitches are arranged on two circulars. I’ve got the 29 heel stitches straddling the needles on one end, and the 21 leaf pattern stitches straddling the other end. Your stitch marker instructions have kept me on track, but I’m thinking that I should rearrange the stitches on the two needles before I do the heel flap. I’m thinking I should move the heel stitches to the front needle.
It seems like doing the heel on one needle would be less confusing, especially for those of us who haven’t done this kind of heel very often.
Does this make sense?
Thanks, Holly
Arrange the stitches on the needles however you like. While turning the heel, if having just the heel stitches on one needle makes sense for you, then go for it!
But remember that while knitting the heel flap you’re going to be decreasing the gusset stitches. So, at that point in the pattern, it would probably be helpful to have both the heel flap stitches and the gusset stitches on one circular.
-JC
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