| Archive for The Potting Shed A forum to discuss Crafts, Cooking, Gardening, Countryside, Livestock and Pets |
| Libby |
I need to get knitting againhaving put the needles down for awhile I would like to get going again, ideally I would like to knit a pair of socks with a simple pattern, but I may do another pair of fingerless gloves!!!
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| Kathy |
I've been lazy with the knitting too, it's the good weather I think.
Knitting socks sends me insane, I like knitting hats the best!
Let us know what you decide to do Libby, with pattern details please. Oh, that reminds me........................just popping over to another thread. |
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| Libby |
Maybe I should have a go with hats?? No I defo want to try socks again, I'll keep you posted! | ||
| Kathy |
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| Lizzie |
I'm knitting socks at the mo, for one of the girls I work with at the restaurant. She wanted matching socks for herself and her boyfriend, in 'garish' colours  I've nearly finished them, using this wool - I hope it's garish enough for her!!
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| Libby |
Wow they will be fantastic!! What pattern are you using JC? | ||
| Lizzie |
D'you know, that's a question that's been puzzling me lately! Many, many years ago, my friend S taught me to knit socks and I have in my possession a pattern she gave me at the time. Not long ago, she rang me up and asked if I had The Pattern that we both thought we followed. I dug it out, looked through it and it's nothing like the method we use....so I'm thinking between us, we probably made the pattern up. I've knitted so many of the wretched things now I think I can do it in my sleep! It's 4 ply wool and 60 stitches...I can write it up for you if you like 
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| Libby |
Yes please! | ||
| Lizzie |
OK - I'll try and get it done this afternoon.... | ||
| Lizzie |
Here are instructions, as best I can - I hope they make some sort of sense! Please excuse any typos....
Seamless socks knitted in the round: Cast on 60 stitches and split over three needles (20 on each). Knitting in the round, rib (1x1 or 2x2, whatever you prefer) for as long as you want the welt - I usually do 25 rows Switch to stocking stitch and keep knitting until you have the length you want to the heel - I usually do 70 rows for OH's socks which need to fit inside a pair of doc martin's! For the heel, rearrange your stitches so you have 28 on one needle and 16 on each of the other two needles. I usually take 14 stitches from the last needle and 14 from the next so that where the round was originally joined together is exactly in the middle of the heel flap, but that's just because I'm OCD! You're now going to be knitting rows (as opposed to rounds) on the 28 stitches. On each inside row (i.e. the inside of the sock), slip 1 stitch then purl to the end. On each outside row, slip the first stitch then knit 1 stitch, slip 1 stitch purlways until you get to the end. Continue like this until you have the length you need from the top of the heel to the bottom - I find I normally do about 36 rows altogether. Still working on your 28 stitches, you now need to turn the heel. Row 1 Knit 15 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn Row 2 Knit 3 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn Row 3 Knit 4 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn Row 4 Knit 5 stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1, turn Keep on like this until you've knitted all the stitches - you should end up with 16 stitches and a neatly turned heel! Now you need to pick up stitches down each sides of the heel flap. Split the 16 stitches between two needles and sort of resume knitting in the round, picking up and knitting as many stitches as you need down both sides of the flap - the calculation I use looks unnecessarily complicated but really, you just need to pick up as many stitches as you need to make sure there aren't any holes. My calculation is the number of rows in the heel flap divided by 2 plus 2, so if I have 36 rows in my heel flap, I'll usually pick up 20 stitches down each side. It's more important to have the same number on each side! Put both your sets of 16 stitches (the bits that weren't used in the heel flap, onto the same needle. So, assuming I've picked up 20 stitches down each side of the heel flap, I'll now have Needle 1: 28 stitches Needle 2: 32 stitches Needle 3: 28 stitche The 32 stitches is the part of the sock that is on top of your foot. Starting from halfway across the heel (i.e. with the first 28 stitches) 1st round: Knit to the last three stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1 Knit the 32 stitches on needle 2 Knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over, knit to end 2nd round: Knit 3rd round: As 1st 4th round: As 2nd So you're knitting round and decreasing on every other row. Continue like this until you have 60 stitches altogether. Phew, that's the difficult bit done! Rearrange your stitches again so you have 20 on each needle and just keep knitting until the sock is long enough to the beginning of the toes. I do 75 rows from where I picked up the stitches down the sides of the heel flap for OH's size 8 socks, and 64 for my size sixes. For the tow: Rearrange your stitches so you have Needle 1: 15 stitches Needle 2: 30 stitches Needle 3: 15 stitches The point between needle 1 and needle 3 needs to be the same point as above i.e. in the middle of the heel (the bottom of your foot). Starting with needle 1 1st round: Knit to last three stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1 Knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over, knit to last three stitches, knit 2 together, knit 1 Knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over, knit to end 2nd round: Knit Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have 7/14/7 stitches on your needles. Knit the first 7 stitches onto the same needle as the last 7, so you have two needles with 14 stitches each then graft one needle onto the other as you cast off....I know what I mean by that but it's blinking hard to explain - let me know if you don't get it and I'll give it a try! The sock I'm on at the moment is approaching the heel flap part so I might be able to get OH to take photos as I go along if there are bits of this that don't make sense! |
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| Libby |
Oh Brill thanks! | ||
| Kathy |
Did you get anywhere with these socks Libby? | ||
| Libby |
 Erm, nothing!!! so far!!
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| Kathy |
Oh well, (as Fleetwood Mac said), winter is coming!
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