Sunday, December 29, 2013

Two Socks, One Week: Knitting the Heel Flap

Baseline: Sock 1, Day 2
Timeline: 105 minutes OR Steps 3, 4 and 5 (Each will be discussed in its own post...)

Step 3 (Heel Flap): I personally like Steps 3 and 4 the most. It's so satisfying to make the slip stitch heel flap, with its weird, sturdy fabric, and to create the turn of heel.

Today, if you're following the one week timeline, you'll knit for 105 minutes or until you finish Steps 3, 4 and 5- making the heel flap and turning the heel and setting up the gusset. If you're still finishing Steps 1 and 2, keep on with that, but do aim to finish Steps 3, 4 and 5 today, if possible...

Administrative Note: These 3 Steps are separated into different posts so you'll see 3 posts about 4 Steps today. Just worry about Step 3 (in this post), Step 4 (in the next) and Step 5 in the post after that. (Note, Step 5 is in the same post as Step 6: Making the Gusset, because they're naturally aligned. but we'll worry about Step 6 on Day 3, tomorrow...)
  • Now, first up, you will have to revert to the original beginning of the round for this part of making your sock. That means, if you've encased your marker to keep it from dropping at the beginning of each round, now you need to ensure that the green marker and the round start at the same place. Yeah, it's a tiny bit fussy. Just do what you did to enclose the stitch marker, in reverse.
And, for what it's worth, as of now, we're back to working in rows because we're about to knit Steps 3 and 4 flat.
  • Ensure you've got 28 stitches (or half of the total) on each needle. Push the stitches on the needle (not associated with the working yarn) to the cable. Then, remove the stitch marker. You won't need it for the flat-knitting portion.
This orientation reflects the true beginning of the round. It's in the same spot as that wherein the magic loop begins...
  • By way of set up, turn the work around and purl a row. Yeah, go in the opposite direction, which will seem very weird at this point, I realize.

  • At the end of this single purl row, you'll be at the right spot to begin making the heel flap - a back and forth / "right side, wrong side" experience wherein, on the first row, you slip the first stitch purl wise. (That means put the right needle into the stitch on the left needle, as if to purl, but slip the stitch off the left needle to the right instead.) Then knit a stitch, then slip purl wise the 3rd stitch and repeat stitches 2 and 3 till the end of the round. You'll end on a knit stitch. On the second row, a purl row, you'll slip the first stitch purl wise and then purl each stitch to the end of the row. That's all you need to do for the next 32 rows. 
When you start, you work the right side. The other half of the sock stitches are enclosed on the cable behind (can't see it in this photo...)
  • Just make sure to mark off every row on the chart provided in the pattern. And a quick note about the tick charts in the pattern: I've produced one for each relevant step. When you get to sock 2, you can simply use a different tick in the same boxes. (This saves space on pattern pages. Next time, though, I might aim to make the charts more two-sock friendly...) I like to check mark for the first sock and use a dot for the second...
But back to the heel flap... Here's what it looks like from the right side:

And here's what it looks like on the wrong side:

There are those unworked stitches being held on the cable (referred to above). Also, see how the fabric is ribby-looking on the front, and weavey-looking on the back. That's the mark of slipped stitch heel flap fabric...
Next up, later today, is Step 4: Turning the Heel and then the monster post that covers Step 5: Setting Up the Gusset and Step 6: Working the Gusset. You'll be in very good shape if you make it through Step 5 today...

But enough of this - what about you? How's the knitting going? Do you have questions? Please do leave comments. I'm interested to hear from you...


  1. I've been knitting along following the pattern and its looks good so far. I did forget to decrease just after the ribbed section but didn't want to undo the knitting so I just decreased when I realised the error and continued as written .

  2. You can totally do that. I've forgotten in the past and just decided to stick with 60 stitches until setting up the gusset - at which point I just picked up 4 fewer stitches. Makes the foot fit snugger but doesn't do much for the lower leg...

  3. Finished the 6 inches this am. Moving on to pt 2 later today. Happy to be doing this with others. Using a 2.25 Addi Sock Rocket (thanks Santa) with Blue Moon Socks the Rock Fingering. It's a denser fabric with slightly higher gauge than suggested, but still nice. Enjoying a knit along, as I'm off work for a few days and able to do this. (AND got sick so couldn't go to the family dinners in southern Ontario...though socks are good car knitting...) D.

    1. Oh, that's horrible about the sickness - but good for you to finish the 6 inches this morning! You're technically a day ahead of schedule. I haven't tried Blue Moon yarn but I've heard it's excellent. Keep on!

  4. I am one sock done and started on the second! Finding the instructions really clear and simple (couldn't wait for the knitalong to start as it suited me to knit rather than sew over xmas). Total kitchener stitch fail on sock 1 so I'll be trying to get it right on sock 2!

    1. Well aren't you a star! No worries about kitchener stitch. I'll link to a video that shows you what to do - and add in some of my own thoughts on it.