Hello, all. Though I'm a new member to this group, I do feel as if I know at least some of you. I've had Google alert me via email whenever the word knit is used on the 'net, and many of the alerts I've received have been from this group. I've much enjoyed your discussions, assistance to others and friendships with each other. :)
To introduce myself, I learned to knit as a child but preferred other handcrafts, i.e., crochet, sewing, embroidery, needlepoint, macrame, tatting, etc. Crochet has always been my passion, and I can create just about anything crocheted without a pattern. However, in the last several years my hands have become increasingly impaired by carpal tunnel (and perhaps arthritis) so that to crochet is nearly impossible and extremely painful. I stopped handwork and making things ... and really missed it.
So recently I thought perhaps I could knit without the pain and crippling for days afterward. I taught myself to work the yarn with my fingers as I'd always yo'd by moving my entire arm, letting go of the needle and having to hold the needle standing into my thigh. I searched pictures on the 'net and found many of ladies working the yarn with their fingers ... and I'm happy to report that I learned and am knitting now without pain to my hands or to my back from the constant movement of my arm. :)
This change enabled me to progress my skill to include using dp's and/or circulars, and I've started knitting socks to learn. And this where my need for your help comes in....
I'm working a pattern for socks, and there's an abbreviation in the instructions I don't understand. Here's the portion of the pattern (it's in the part for the heel):
Make heel: Divide 30 sts on 2nd needle onto 2 needles and leave for instep. With A, knit 15 sts off first needle onto end of third needle. 30 sts for heel. Next row: (WS). With MC. K1. P13. P2tog. P13. K1. 29 sts. Next row: *K1. Sl1K. Rep from * to last st. K1. Next row: K1. Purl to last st. K1. Rep last 2 rows until heel measures 2=BD ins [6 cm], ending with WS facing for next row.
Shape Heel: 1st row: K1. P14. P2tog. P1. Turn. 2nd row: K3. Sl1K. K1. psso. K1. Turn. 3rd row: P4. P2tog. P1. Turn. 4th row: K5. Sl1K. K1. psso. K1. Turn. 5th row: P6. P2tog. P1. Turn. 6th row: K7. Sl1K. K1. psso. K1. Turn. 7th row: P8. P2tog. P1. Turn. 8th row: K9. Sl1K. K1. psso. K1. Turn. 9th row: P10. P2tog. P1. Turn. 10th row: K11. Sl1K. K1. psso. K1. Turn. 11th row: P12. P2tog. P1. Turn. 12th row: K13. Sl1K. K1. psso. K1. Turn. 13th row: P14. P2tog. P1. Turn. 16 sts. Break yarn.
My question is what's Sl1K, first appearing in the second row of these instructions? I can see by reading through to the "Shape Heel" part that this is reducing the number of stitches (from 30 to 18), but I'm not sure how to do this because it's not the expected psso or K2tog. Can any of you tell me exactly what stitches I'm to do?
Many thanks in advance for your help! I'm pleased to have joined and look forward to becoming one of you and making friends.=20
Eve