Sockmatician’s Heel Turn & Flap

Because some are working ahead and because it’s the weekend, I’m going to answer a couple of questions and try to help where some have had issues.

I’m not pointing fingers because I do the same thing. The best advice I can give on any pattern, whether it’s knitting, quilting, even a recipe, is this: Do not worry about Step 4 until you’ve completed Steps 1, 2 and 3. And, if it’s a pattern you trust (or someone else has trusted and had good results), don’t try to figure out why you’re doing what the instructions tell you to do – just do it.

If you’re really nervous about doing something, add a life line (using a needle and light weight yarn or heavy thread, tread the needle through your stitches so if you do have to rip back, you can just “let ‘r rip” and the ripping will stop when it gets to the lifeline. You can then put those stitches back on your needle, figure out what went wrong and start from there. Make a note as to which row you were on when you placed the lifeline so you know where to pick up again on the instructions.

German Short Rows

I think Sockmatician’s instructions for GSRs are very clear. I’m speculating that if you’re having problems, you’re trying to reason out in your head what’s you’re doing. This is one of those times where we just have to trust the pattern.

On page 2, if you’re on the right side, follow the instructions – exactly! If you’re having a specific problem, leave a comment as to what step is throwing you, and I’ll try to help.

If you’re on the wrong side, the instructions for the GSR are on the top of page 3.

Heel Turn:

1. You will be adding one stitch (either a m1l on the right side or a m1r(p) on the wrong side.
2. Once you get to the end of the Heel Turn but before the Heel Flap, count your stitches and be sure your number matches the formula at the very bottom of the Heel Turn section.

Heel Flap:

Be sure to notice that on Row 3, you slip 1, knit one, all the way across until 2 stitches before the gap. This is what makes the ridges in the heel.

Once you’ve finished the Heel Flap portion, you’re back to knitting in the round, should have the same number of stitches on the needles as you had before you started increasing for the gusset.

As always, if you have any questions, leave them in a comment.