The Knitting Fiend

Now it’s time to translate directions for working the heel turn for toe up socks using magic loop to let you work them using DPNs. Because the translation is actually very, very simple, I am going to suggest you read the magic loop article to see what the heel flap looks like as you work it.

Now for the translation. Recall, if you are working with DPN’s you have stitches distributed on needles 1, 2 and 3. The stitches on needle 1 are those for the top/instep. The stitches on needle 2 and 3 are the stitches for the gusset and the back of the heel turn.

What’s going to happen? You are going to put a whole lot of stitches on three separate strings so they are out of the way and then you will work short rows back and forth on the stitches that aren’t on strings. Short rows are rows where you turn before getting to the end of the row; so when the directions tell you the next row begins, do turn. Eventually, you will form a little triangle or wedge of knitting, which loops weird, but is, in fact, just what you want.

Of course you need specific directions, so print out your directions from the knee sock sockulator and get a pen to add a few lines of text. I’ll show this using directions for a sock that had 40 stitches in the foot which had 20 stitches on needle 1. The translated directions, with additions shown in blue are show below.

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Round Heel: Worked back and forth over the center 12 stitches of the sole.

* Round 0 (set up):
o Before you begin, put the last 9 stitches you knit on a string. (These are gusset stitches and were previously on needle 3.)
o Needle 1: Work across the 20 stitches of Top/Instep; place instep stitches just worked on a strand of yarn.
o Needle 2Knit 9 stitches . These are gusset stitches; place them on a string.
o You should have 12 stitches on the needle tip. 6 stitches on the needle 2 and 6 stitches on needle 3. Transfer them all so they are on one needle. (After this point, the instructions are just as for magic loop. You’ll now be using two DPNs to work back and forth.)
o Second half: K1, L1B, k10, wrap and turn. (You should be wrapping and turning the edge stitch.)
* Row 1: P1, L1B, purl 9, wrap and turn.
* Row 2: K1, L1B, knit 8, wrap and turn.
* Row 3: P1, L1B, purl 7, wrap andturn.
* Row 4: K1, L1B, knit 6, wrap and turn.
* Work in pattern established– always working 1 stitch fewer stitch each row — until you complete row 6 in the sequence. (The final row in the pattern is: k1, L1B, knit 4 stitches then wrap a stitch. )
* There are 19 stitches on the needles.
* Note: this is one row short of where your heel will be when you
wear the sock. You can measure and verify the length of the sock if you like. Hang a marker to measure sock length.

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That’s actually all there is to translating. There isn’t much to translating the heel, either, but I’ll write that up as soon as I organize the photos.

Have fun on your sock.