In a fog about knitting heel flap of socks

Oct 11, 2007 6 Replies
C

I've done loads of knitting but have started my first pair of socks. Found a good basic pattern and have both of them ready to knit the heel flap.



The instructions say:



Row 1: Slip 1, Knit 1 Row 2: Slip first stitch purlwise, purl to end



Okay, sounds clear enough but very strange. This would mean that half the stitches are knitted only once instead of twice. Doesn't this make for a strange texture? Why knit the flap this way? What would happen if I just knit one row and purled the next?



Confused


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H

Hi Confused,

The first row is: slip the first stitch, knit the second, slip the

3rd, knit the 4th and so on. The second row is all purl stitch except for the first stitch which is purled. You end up slipping the first stitch on each row, which gives you a clear place to pick up stitches later for the gussett.

The texture is thicker on the heel flap, where there is more wear and tear. If you just knit one row and purled the next, it would be stockinette stitch, and would look fine, but would be more suseptible to wearing out. If you decide to just knit and purl the rows, I'd suggest you still slip the first stitches of each row.

Hesira

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W

First stitch on wrong-side rows is SLIPPED. You need coffee :)

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H

Ah, yes! Sorry about that. I do need coffee, but can't handle the caffeine!

Hesira :)

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C

Thank you so much Hesira and Wooly. The instructions make so much more sense now. I'd definitely not going to use plain stocking stitch for the heel flap now that I know the why of skipping every other stitch.

Thank you too Hesira for missing your caffeine hit otherwise I wouldn't have realized the importance of slipping the first stitch on the wrong side.

Not confused any more - until I get knitting again. (-:

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B

That is correct! There will be half the number of stitches on each side. which will form a chain. You will use these chain stitches to pick up as you pick up stitches around for the gusset. It sounds strange now, but it works! Marie and the cats

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