[chrystyna]

Before Christmas I knit 5 Christmas stockings (red with white cuff and toe) but now I knitted my first pair of socks with worsted weight yarn and they came our ok but now I am knitting socks in sock yarn. I am having difficulty when knitting the knitting the heel flap.
Most patterns call for slipping first stitch and then knitting across and on the way back - slipping first stitch and then purling all the way back. This results in rather obvious holes along each side of the sock (where I knit each side of the heel flap to the main part of the sock.
Any suggestions so I do not get the holes?
Thanks for any idea you may have.

 

[deemail]

the 'slip the first st' technique has been accepted as a way to combat the 'loosey-goosey' edge on knitted rows...it is not part of the pattern and can be eliminated altogether if you just work on the habit of knitting (or purling) the first st...then as you make the second st (knit or purl) you tug a bit to tighten the first st....it will result in a more even appearance...I NEVER slip the first st...and my edges are fine...

secondly, if that doesn't appeal to you, there is a another alternative that is commonly used to tighten your work....you are ready to begin a new row (knit or purl) but instead of slipping the new st purlwise thru the front 'leg' of the st, (as is proper, all slipped sts are to be slipped purlwise, unless otherwise directed) you pick up the back loop of the st which results in a twist as you slide it onto the right needle...this closes the loop and is a recognized technique for both design and function, i'm not trying to get you to do something weird...there are many knitters who always knit in the back loop...it takes up more yarn, is tighter and thicker and is often applied to cold weather items....

how we pick up or sts, and whether we throw or pick or a combination, is purely a function of how we were taught and how we are comfortable....

good luck with your socks...a pretty and functional heel is worth working on....

 

[chrystyna]

Thank you! Thank you! I'm so glad to hear that you do not slip the first stitch on the heel flap row. Since I am new to socks, I thought I should follow all the rules exactly but the slip stitch causes holes no matter how tightly I do this.

I will either knit or purl (whatever the row calls for) all the heel stitches but will also try the other way of working the first stitch on each heel flap row.

Hopefully, I will now be able to knit socks much faster than I have been (since I spend so much time trying to hide the holes).

By the way, do you use sock yarn or worsted yarn most often? Is there a certain yarn that you would recommend so that the socks come out warm but soft on the feet>

Have a great day - thanks for taking the time to help me.

Chrys