Who likes short rows? We like short rows!

This second part of the exploration into short rows and their usefulness in socks concentrates on the how part of the short row mystery.  Specifically, though, it is a look at how I make my short row heels and toes.  My method is not in any way the definitive method – there are many ways of knitting short rows, and this just happens to be my personal favourite for both looks and ease of knitting.

Wherever you are starting your heel or toe, whether beginning toe-up with a provisional cast on, knitting the toe last, knitting the heel in-line or as an afterthought, you will be knitting over exactly half of your total leg circumference stitches.  Instances of how to set up placement of your heel or toe are given in part one of this look at short rows for socks.

So, for a 48 (52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72) stitch sock, start with 24 (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36) stitches on a single DPN/circular and knit back and forth.  All stitches should be slipped purl-wise.

Row 1 (RS): Knit until last stitch, bring yarn forward between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn back to rear of work, slip stitch back to left needle.  There is now a ‘wrap’ around the base of the last stitch. Turn work.

Row 2 (WS): Purl until last stitch, take yarn backwards between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn to front of work, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Row 3: Knit until one stitch before nearest ‘wrapped’ stitch. Bring yarn forward between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn back to rear of work, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Row 4: Purl until one stitch before nearest ‘wrapped’ stitch, take yarn backwards between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn to front of work, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Repeat these last two rows until you have 10 (10, 12, 12, 12, 14, 14) unwrapped stitches in the centre of your short row sections.  You’re not finished yet, but at this half way point, take a little while to get to know your wraps.

Recognise your wraps:

Knitting short rows is made much easier if you can recognise your wraps.  Here, changing yarn colour has helped highlight the ‘collar’ of yarn sitting around the base of the stitch it is wrapping.  The stitches to the left of this newly wrapped stitch are also wrapped, but in the red yarn and so are less obvious at first glance.

The next part of knitting your short row heel/toe involves re-knitting over your wrapped stitches, picking up the wraps as you go, and working one further row each time.

Row 1: Knit to the first wrapped stitch (1).  Slip that stitch to the right needle (2). Using the tip of the left needle, pick up the wrap (3).  Place the slipped stitch back onto the left needle, alongside the wrap. Knit the stitch and its wrap together, through the back loop (4). Bring yarn forward between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn back to rear of work, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Row 2: Purl to the first wrapped stitch, slip that stitch to the right needle, using the tip of the left needle, pick up the wrap.  Place the slipped stitch back onto the left needle, alongside the wrap. Purl the stitch and its wrap together. Take yarn backwards between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn to front of work, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Row 3: Knit to the first wrapped stitch, which now has two wraps.  Slip that stitch to the right needle, using the tip of the left needle, pick up both wraps .  Place the slipped stitch back onto the left needle, alongside the wraps. Knit the stitch and its wraps together, through the back loop. Bring yarn forward between needles, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn back to rear of work, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Row 4: Purl to the first wrapped stitch, which now has two wraps.  Slip that stitch to the right needle, using the tip of the left needle, pick up both wraps .  Place the slipped stitch back onto the left needle, alongside the wraps. Purl the stitch and its wraps together. Bring yarn backwards between needles to rear of work, slip last stitch to right needle, bring yarn forward between needles, slip stitch back to left needle. Turn work.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all wraps have been knitted together with their stitches.

You are now ready to either undo your provisional cast on for your toe-up sock and surge ahead with your knitting, carry on with your sock if you are making an in-line heel or kitchener your stitches with their waiting partners to complete your sock for an afterthought heel or top-down sock.

Short rows. Simple. Really.

I like my rows, like my toes, short.

I mentioned a few days ago my love for short row toes when making socks. I rarely resort to using another toe, and most deviations from my normal short row version have proven disappointing to me. As far as I am concerned, shape, smoothness of fabric and comfort are the most important factors for a good sock toe. Some people may compromise on one or more of these for speed or simplicity of knitting, but if I am going to spend hours knitting a sock then I always believe it is worth putting in the extra 10 minutes to make the most comfortable toe I can.

Short row heels are another matter entirely. I’m quite happy to try whatever heel a sock pattern suggests when I am following somebody else’s design. If I am knitting a plain stockinette sock, or a sock of my own devising, then I choose a heel that best fits the design and the yarn.  An afterthought short row heel is fantastic for instances where the yarn you are using has a strong pattern of regimented, predictable stripes.  If a standard ‘flap and gusset’ heel is worked in this yarn it will break up the steady pattern of stripes on the top of the foot.

Self-striping yarn can benefit from a short-row 'afterthought' heel

Other forms of ‘afterthought’ heel may work, but again the smoothness of a heel without decreases makes the short row heel my preferred choice, and the result is both attractive and professional from all angles.

Evenly-spaced stripes with neat heels that fit the simple design.

Short row toes and heels are also multi-functional – one simple set of instructions will work in all instances where a short row heel or toe might be used.  The toe and heel are worked in exactly the same manner, and when you have knit one it is likely that you will never need to consult the directions again.

• Top-down toes: when you reach the point in your sock where you want to knit your toe, put the bottom half of your total number of stitches on some scrap yarn (you could leave them on the needles, but it makes manoeuvring your needles easier if they are on scrap yarn), knit the short row toe, then kitchener stitch the end stitches to the stitches on the scrap yarn.
• Toe-up toes: Using scrap yarn, provisionally cast on half the total required stitches for your intended sock circumference, knit the short row toe.  When complete remove the provisional cast-on and place these stitches onto your needles – you are now ready to begin knitting your sock in the round.
• Top down/toe up heel in situ: When you reach the point in your sock knitting where you wish to place your heel, put half of your stitches (the half intended for the top of your foot) onto scrap yarn.  Knit the short row heel on the remaining half of your stitches.  Once complete, remove the scrap yarn to free your live stitches and continue working in the round.
• Top down/toe up heel (afterthought): When you reach the point in your sock where you later wish to knit your short row heel, drop your working yarn and knit across half (the half intended for the back/heel of the foot) with scrap yarn.  Drop this scrap yarn and re-knit over these same stitches with the working yarn, and continue to work in the round.  When you come to later knit the heel, remove the row of scrap yarn stitches, one by one, leaving two rows of live stitches.  Place the lower half of these stitches onto scrap yarn and the top half onto your needles. Knit a short row heel and kitchener closed with the awaiting stitches on the scrap yarn.

OK, that’s ace. Now, show me how to knit them.

The socks, today

Not long after learning to knit I decided that I fancied making a pair of socks for Craig, my other half.  They seemed to symbolise something old fashioned and intimate by way of affection.  Nothing showy that I’d hope that others would see on him and remark on, but rather just something that he would enjoy the idea and comfort of.  Two things delayed me in turning this idea into an actual pair of socks:

1. I am a wuss, and the shape of them and the words ’short rows’ and ‘turning the heel’ all sounded terribly complicated, and
2. I kept on reading terribly sad posts on the Ravelry boards where people came to sob in public over their beautiful new socks returning from the debut trip to the shops with big holes or the heels worn right through to mere threads.

The idea of spending the money on a skein of yarn (or two) to make a pair of socks at a price that would buy about 15 pairs of socks at a supermarket just to enjoy them for a single day before they started to disintegrate made me wince.

when I finally cast these fears aside and decided that there must be a reason why so many people enjoyed making socks and so I should give it a go anyway I knew that I would have to revisit the socks after a number of wears and washes to asses if they were worth the money and the bother.

The picture at the top right of the post is the socks today.  The fit is pretty much as they were when they were first completed.  They have been machine washed a few times on a 40°c normal wash, and do not seem any worse for wear because of it.  To my immense relief there appear to be no holes and no ends working loose as far as I can see after a close inspection.  There is a bit of pilling at the back of the heel, which I suppose is to be expected as these socks have now had at least 14-18 outings in Craig’s various boots, shoes and trainers.

a fair degree of sock abuse has taken place, but they remain strong

When I went to London for a couple of weeks and Craig proudly announced that he had worn the socks I made him every day whilst I was away I thought a) they must reek, and b) they must be in tatters.  Luckily I was (mostly) wrong on both counts.  They had been washed at least a couple of times and left to dry (on the sock blockers, even) overnight, fresh for the next day.  When I asked how well they were holding up Craig said he didn’t know, he hadn’t looked.  This made me nervous of the state they’d be in, but I was pleasantly surprised.  Apart from some minor surface bobbling, and a slight halo to the yarn, they were pretty much in the state I had first given them to him in.

Craig says he loves his socks and that they are the best socks he has ever owned.  I feel so buoyed by this and the fact that they haven’t fallen apart within the first hour of putting them on that I shall make some more.  Hopefully they’ll allow another portrait in a few months time!

minor bobbling - just a sign that they have been loved