try try again
Related post:
28 March 2009 post (1 photo, shoe shot)
4 March 2009 post (10 photos)
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I frogged the pink sock and started over, this time with 2.5 mm pointy sticks (instead of 2.25 mm). With any kind of troubleshooting, it is best to only change one thing at a time so you can clearly see what that change affects. I was definitely trying to do too many things in my last attempt.
This time I cast on for the toe and worked plain stockinette for the foot for ~6.5", about 69 rounds I think. I was aiming for ~8.5" total.
I did not want to do short rows again. So I decided to try a heel flap & gusset. Ok, I've done the heel flap when starting from the top, surely this should work starting from the top ... it's the same thing, just worked "upside down", right? I think it should work.
Well, the heel flap turned out to be 2.5" long. My total foot length is now 9". Will this be too long? I placed the stitches onto circs to try it on.
Well, it looks like it fits ok around the heel (compared to 7th & 8th photo on this page), however there appears to be some dangling toe bit. Doesn't really look great, but lets keep going...
I continued the leg for about 46 rounds and then worked 10 rounds K1P1 ribbing. I used K2P2 in my first practice pair (the blue one), and thought I'd try something a bit more snug for this one. I like it!
For the 2nd sock, I knit the foot for 6 inches instead of 6.5 inches.
Then I took a sampling of 28 rounds from the foot section to get a feel for how long the heel flap would be.... about ~2.5 inches, just like in the 1st sock. Then I continued in the same manner as the 1st sock, knitting a heel flap, working the gusset, and continuing up the leg.
This is what a "backwards" heel flap looks like. The heel flap portion that you normally see on the back in a cuff-down is now positioned on the bottom of the heel in a toe-up. I did a slip1-knit1 type heel flap on Practice Sock #1. For this Practice Sock #2, I decided I did not want so much "texture" when the heel flap is underfoot, so I just did it in plain stockinette. The heel turn, gusset stitch pickup & decrease are worked exactly the same as I worked it in my blue cuff-down sock. I think I did a neater job this time around, I think it'll just get better as I knit more socks.
After finishing both socks and trying them on, I realized that I made "pointy" toes on both. Besides knitting the 2nd sock foot 0.5 inches shorter, I had also meant to make the 2nd sock toe "rounded". Well I apparently forgot to work it that way when I started it. Oops! I do not like the dangling toe bits on the pointy toes. I think a rounded toe would probably fit my foot better. I'll try to remember this for the next pair.
Ladders are still quite visible. I'm still working on improvements in this area.
So here's the odd thing about my sock knitting so far. I seem to use a combination of 3 needles and 4 needles on my sock, and I am not consistent with using the same number in specific sections of the sock. I guess I am still trying to find a nice sweet spot with number of needles.
Here's Practice Pair #2. They fit ok. I like everything about them except the dangling toe bits. Maybe they'll sort themselves out after a few wash cycles? However do you notice anything odd about them? No? Take a look at them side-by-side:
Still don't see it? Let's take an even closer look:
The ribbing does not match. I worked 10 rounds in the 1st sock and 5 or 6 rounds in the 2nd sock. No clue how I could have made that mistake. Oopsie. The one with the shorter ribbing tends to fold over, rather than lie flat. I'll have to remember to work future cuffs 1 inch or more.
Here are side views of one sock, the one with the shorter cuff.
Here are side views of the other sock, the one with the longer cuff.
Overall, I like doing socks toe-up. Just need more practice with the fiddly beginnings, other than this, it is pretty easy the rest of the way... as long as I remember how many rounds I worked in the 1st sock. ;-)
Project Notes:
Yarn: Elann Sock It To Me
Needles: 2.50 mm
CO 10/20 toe-up, 56 sts total
Sock 1: 6.5" foot before starting heel flap, 28 rounds ~2.5"
Sock 2: 6" foot before starting heel flap
leg: 46 rnds st st, 10 rnds ribbing
Copyright © Smariek Knits 2005-2009. All full copyright rights are reserved by Smariek Knits.
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It's fun watching you experiment with this. I'll have to try toe-up again; I've only done one, and it wasn't my best effort. I was doing too many things at the same time, too! I like the flap and gusset, and I think I'll try it with heel stitch under the heel. That's where my socks wear out, eventually.
I also work my socks with 3 or 4 holding needles, usually 3 on the cuff because it's faster, but 4 on the foot because the symmetrical needle placement helps me see where increases/decreases go.
Thanks for sharing!
Practice, Practice, Practice - that's what it takes, I am decent at getting a sock that fits now, I just have to knit with a needle that is one size smaller than the pattern calls for. You might want to try the Sweet Pea sock on Knitty, it's really darling on. Also I have less pointy socks, I do three rows of decreases (each row of decrease is followed with a plain knit row) beginning with the area over the little toe, so the socks fit my foot better. Then begin the normal toe decreases on both sides( this is on a top down pattern and not on a toe up pattern). Sorry rambling too much. Enjoy your sock knitting experience - you will be fabulous as usual.
I love reading you explain things, I am always too rushed to document what I am doing or thinking so I am usually clueless. You are so smart.
To precious love you being real about how hard it is to get them knit to fit I have a pair of socks like this also.(((Hugs)))) Darcy
I love how much you're practicing this! Hats off to you!
I also had some ladder problem on my first sock but at least it was on the bottom of the foot and you can't see it anyway. I'll definitely be working on that for the next one! :)
Nice. I like the color you chose as well.
I might have to give toe up a try again since yours look so good and dare I say...easy?
Each time you make a sock you get better, so keep at it. Your pink socks are lovely even with the quirky bits. So the next pair of socks will fit even better! I wore my first pair of socks for a year even though the toes were a bit long (like yours), the actual sock a bit loose, and holes at the gusset. It reminded me of how much better I got with each new sock I made.
Sock engineer! They look good!
I need to do toe-up socks as well and for the same reasons. Can't tell if cuff down socks will fit! Love your socks! Congratulations!
I am SO not ready for socks. I am knitting some fingerless gloves/wrist warmers/whatever you want to call them in the round from sock yarn. I am using 2 circulars, because I cannot work with DPNs. I've been working on it for weeks, but my hand cramps after only as few rows, so it's incredibly slow going.
Luckily, I have other quick-knit projects that I can turn to when this one gets me down.
These socks look great, BTW.
Your socks look wonderful!!!! If you are using Judy's Cast-on I put on 14 stitches (7 for each of the 4 needles). I find this does not give me pointy toe syndrome.
Hugs!!!
my kind of woman....the Supreme Experimenter and all its perturbtions!
Christine
very cool! I love the color, and I think you did a great job making your socks!
They look great! Did you use any references for the heel, or just wing it? I've seen several sources with how to do a heel flap heel from the toe up, but I'm scared to try any cause I've been happy with the top down one. So if your's works, that's great!
Is the pattern you used for the toe up socks a free pattern? If so, can you please tell me which one you used? I need to find something easy that's toe up to try so I can make sure they'll fit me.
thanks!
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