The Knitting Fiend

Marcia B. and a few others requested I demonstrate knitting my Hourglass Knee-sock using double pointed needles; so I will! I previously blogged about knitting a round toe using magic loop; knitting using DPN’s is very similar. (I also posted the pattern, here Sockulator: Hourglass Knee Sock.)

A finished round toe is pictured to the left; notice the rounds seem to form circles? They do; that’s why it’s called a round toe. The first three directions for knitting a round toe are:

• Cast on 8 stitches. (In princple, you can cast on however you like. I cast on in waste yarn knit a few rows back and forth. Change to knit using some circular method. Then I attach sock yarn leaving a tail long enough to thread a tapestry needle and sew a few stitches.)
• Round 1: Knit 8.
• Round 2: Kfb in every stitch– 16 stitches

Ok, so how do I do this when knitting using DPN’s?

First, I locate 4 DPNs with the diameter I need to achieve my gauge. Then, I get some scrap yarn of similar weight as my sock yarn; using one of the DPNs, I cast on 8 stitches and knit 2 rows back and forth. I break the yarn.

Then, I attach the sock yarn and knit 8 stitches. The work now looks as shown on left. My waste yarn is blue; my sock yarn is variegated.

Next, I get ready to work circular as required for round 2. I am going to “KFB” into every stitch (Kfb means knit front and back–it’s in increase.)

To do all this at once, I slide four or the eight stitches on the DPN onto a second sock needle then fold the work in half with the purl sides facing each other; the knit sides face out. I hold the two needles in my left hand, with the most recently knit stitches toward the back. Now, I pick up a third DPN with my right hand, grab the working yarn in my hand, insert the right needle tip into the first stitch on the front left needle as to knit. Then, I wrap the yarn and draw a stitch through but I don’t drop the stitch off the left hand needle tip! You can see the new stitch on the right needle in the figure to the below left.

Next, I need to knit into the back of the stitch I just knit into! So, I insert the needle tip through the back loop as shown above left. Afterwards, I wrap the yarn as indicated by the white arrow, then I pull a stitch through. Now I pull the stitch I knit into off the left needle. There will be two stitches on the right needle and 3 on the left needle. (Remember, there used to be 4 on the left needle.)

Repeat “kfb” until you have worked all stitches on the left needle tip. You have finished 1/2 the round. (And if you are familiar with magic loop, this is exactly the same as working magic loop.)

Now, turn the work so the four stitches are facing you and the 8 stitches are away from you. Take an empty DPN in your right hand and work “kfb” in the first two stitches on the needle in your left hand. There are now 4 stitches on the right needle and two on the left.

Now, go find that fourth DPN and hold it in your right hand. Work kfb on those final two stitches. The work will looks something like the image to the left.

There are now 8 stitches on one needle, we’ll call that needle 1. There are 4 stitches on the other two needles; we’ll call those needles 2 & 3. You can now work around and around and around by first working the stitches on 1, then 2, then 3, then repeating 1,2,3 going around and around.

But 16 stitches aren’t enough for your sock. So, you’ll need to work increases every other round until you either have enough stitches to fit your foot, or you are just shy 4 stitches. If you are shy four stitches, you work an increase round with 4 stitches. (The sockulator will tell you how many stitches you need and when to increase 4 stitches only.)

For everyone, the next two rounds will be:

• Round 3: knit all stitches.
• Round 4: *kfb, k1; repeat from *.

Begin round 4 by working (kfb, k1) into the first and second stitches on needle 1. Then repeat (kfb, k1) working into the third and fourth; repeat until the needle in your left hand is empty. You will end up with 12 stitches on the right needle. Revolve around to knit the stitches on needle 2; work (kfb, k1) into the first and second stitches on needle 2; repeat. You will end up with 6 stitches on the right needle. Revolve around. Now, work (kfb, k1) in each pair of stitches on needle 3 — 6 stitches on the right needle.

You’ve finished the second increase round! Whoo hoo!

Now, round 5 will be “knit all stitches”. Round 6 will be *kfb, k2; repeat.

Are you noticing a pattern? Each time you repeat an increase round, there will be more 1 more stitch between the kfbs. That way you increase 8 every round. (I underlined to emphasize this.)

Eventually, the work will look as shown to the left; half the stitches will be on needle 1, and 1/4 on each of needles 2 and 3.

When you think your toe has enough stitches, knit a few rounds without increasing then be sure to test fit the sock to be sure it’s fitting your foot. (It should if you selected the correct foot diameter and are getting the gauge you specified. But if it doesn’t now is the time to discover the problem. )

If it fits, read the directions to learn when you need begin the gusset. I’ll blog about how to do that on DPN’s when I get to my gusset!

Meanwhile, I bet you want to know what to do with that ugly waste yarn? Well, I leave it there until I’m finished, but I took pictures when I worked the first sock. So, I’ll dredge those up and show you tomorrow. (It’s really a snap!)