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amy's toe-up sock tutorial

My darling Sarah requested a primer after I mentioned that I had triumphed over the Toe-Up sock. While starting from the toe is BRILLIANT when dealing with possibly Not Enough Yarn, I do have to say that I prefer the cuff-down method. If the fit is off, it is necessary to rip back a LONG way (3+ inches) to fix the situation. Also, I am not familiar with a good elastic bind-off, so the cuff isn't really stretchy enough. I am assuming a familiarity with sock-making, especially with the 2-circs method, and working short rows. In an attempt to give credit, a great deal of this "pattern" is lifted directly from Cookie A.'s Baudelaire toe-up sock. Anyway, here it is:

I used 2 US size 2 circs and some leftover KnitPicks Essential.

Cast on (CO) 16 stitches, divide and join, careful not to twist. Work the following 2 rows until you have 60 stitches (or however many you tend to like for your foot circumference):

Toe:
R1: *M1 (K in front and back of stitch), knit across to last 2 stitches on needle, M1 (K in front and back of stitch), K1*, repeat * * on second needle (1 round)
R2: K all stitches

Instep:
Needle 1 is the top of your foot, Needle 2 is the bottom of your foot. Work pattern on Needle 1 (I did a 2x2 rib), K all stitches on Needle 2. Knit around until the sock measures about 3.5-4.5 inches less than the length of your foot (this is where you have to rip back to if the length is off and you won't know until you have worked the heel turn). I needed to work to about 4.2" less than my foot, but the sock is REALLY stretchy (and I wanted it to be that way).

Gusset:
Continue Needle 1 in pattern as established. Every other row, increase 2 at each end of Needle 2--M1 (K in front and back), K across to last 2 stitches, M1, K1--until there are 30 stitches on Needle 1 and 54 stitches on Needle 2.

Heel Turn:
Needle 1 is now dead to you. You will be knitting short rows back and forth on Needle 2 for the turn:
R1: K48, w&t
R2: P28, w&t
Alternately knit and purl back and forth, working each row 1 stitch shorter (working each w&t next to the previous w&t) until you are on a right side row and you knit 11 stitches between wraps. Make sure to not work the wrapped stitch AGAIN after turning. (On my first sock, somehow I kept ending up with the wrapped stitch on the wrong needle and the stitch count would get horribly off. Irritating!)

Heel Flap:
Still only working on Needle 2, you will be working some decreasing short-rows to get back to 30 stitches. I have to say, I am very impressed with Cookie A. for figuring out this math. I see how it works, but still, the mechanics give me a headache. Anyhoot.
R1: P11, P8 picking up wraps and P2tog stitch and wrap to bulk up holes, on the last wrapped stitch P3tog (the wrap, the wrapped stitch and the first not-wrapped stitch). Turn, but don't wrap!
R2: Sl1, K19, K9 picking up wraps and K2tog stich and wrap to bulk up holes, and on the next stitch (the last wrapped stitch) K3tog (wrap, last wrapped stitch, and first not-wrapped stitch). Turn, but don't wrap!
Work back and forth in stockinette* slipping the first stitch of each row and either P2tog or K2tog the last stitch before the previous turn and the first stitch after the previous turn. Is that clear? Probably not. There will be a gap where you turned the last time you were at that end of the needle. If you are knitting, K2tog across the gap and turn, or if you are purling, P2tog across the gap and turn. Keep working back and forth until there are no more stitches past the gaps (which, obviously, won't be "gaps" anymore, but rather the end of the row) and you have 30 stitches on Needle 2.

*If you like a slip-stitch heel flap, on the knit rows alternately *Sl1, K1* across.

Leg:
Go back to working in the round on both needles, working pattern all the way around the leg, until you nearly run out of yarn. The last inch-ish you can work a cuff if you want. Bind off. (If someone has a good stretchy bind off method, please share!)

Tadum! Toe-up socks!

I am happy to answer questions if any of that is not clear. And if my readers are REALLY lucky, I might insert some pictures someday. I'll have to make another pair of socks using this method and next up for me are a baby blanket for the impending Brawny Swan D. and finally the Maggie sweater from Rowan 31.

Posted by amy at 9:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tags: Cookie A., knitting, socks, toe-up, tutorial

Comments

Yay, thanks, Amykins!

Posted by: Sarah | May 7, 2007 6:10 AM