Spiral Socks - 2nd Installment

When last we met, you had casted on for the toe of your Spiral Sock, shaped the toe, and worked the foot -- which means it is now time to shape the heel!

The heart and sole of any sock is the heel.  Not only is the heel the most important part of the sock in terms of fit -- no one likes a sagging heel -- it is also the most challenging -- and fun -- part of sock knitting.  Although there are endless varieties of heel shaping methods, most fall into two basic categories -- using a heel flap, turned heel, gusset combination or using short rows.  Being a questioning kind of gal, I recently made a pair of socks in which each sock used one of these basic heel shaping methods -- see the Grand Experiment for the complete scoop.

The heel of the Spiral Socks is shaped using short rows.  If you're a short-row-heel-shaping-virgin, you're in for a treat -- there is something magical in the simplicity of this method. 

Spiral Socks: Serial Pattern: Installment 2

Installment 2 of the Spiral Sock pattern takes up where Installment 1 left off.

Heel

Before starting the heel, let's get our bearings.  You have 60 [68, 76] sts evenly distributed over 4 needles -- 15 [17, 19] stitches per needle.  The stitches on needles 1 and 2 are for the sole and those on needles 3 and 4 are for the instep.  The heel is shaped using only the sole stitches -- the instep stitches need to be patient and wait quietly.  It's a bit easier to shape the heel if all of the sole stitches are on a single needle, so combine the 30 [34, 38] stitches from needles 1 and 2 onto needle 1.  Okay, let's shape:

Working shorter and shorter rows:

• Row 1: Knit 29 [33, 37] sole stitches, stopping just before the last stitch on the needle
• Turn, leaving the last stitch unworked
• Backward Yarn Over (BYO) - a backward yarn over is worked by moving the yarn to the back between the needles and then moving it to the front over the right needle.

• Row 2: Purl 28 [32, 36] stitches, stopping just before the last stitch on the needle.
• Turn and Yarn Over (YO)

• Row 3: Knit to one stitch before the YO, Turn, and Backward YO
• Row 4: Purl to one stitch before the YO, Turn, and YO
• Repeat rows 3 and 4 until there are 11 [13, 15] stitches between yarn overs, finishing with a purl row -- including the Turn and YO.

Working longer and longer rows:

• Row 1:  Knit to the first YO, correct the mount of the YO (you want the right leg of the YO loop in front of the needle), and K2tog (the YO and the next stitch)
• Turn and Backward YO

• Row 2: Purl to the first YO, SSP (slip two stitches knitwise individually from the left needle to the right needle, return these two stitches to the left needle, and purl them together through the back loops).
• Turn and YO

• Row 3: Knit to the first YO -- when you reach this YO there should be 2 YOs followed by a stitch -- correct the mount of both YOs, K3tog, Turn, and Backward YO

• Row 4: Purl to the first YO -- when you reach this YO there should be 2 YOs followed by a stitch -- SSSP (slip three stitches knitwise individually from the left needle to the right needle, return these three stitches to the left needle, and purl them together through the back loops), Turn and YO

• Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all the stitches have been worked, ending with a purl row, Turn, and YO -- poised to begin a knit row.  When done, you should have 30 [34, 38] stitches with the 2 YOs -- one at each end of the needle.

Rejoin Sole and Instep Stitches

• Knit 15 [17, 19] stitches onto needle 1
• Knit 15 [17, 19] stitches onto needle 2
• Slip the YO at the end of the needle to needle 3 and knit it together with the first stitch, knit the remaining stitches on needle 3.
• Knit to the last stitch on needle 4, slip the YO from the beginning of needle 1 onto needle 4 and knit it together with the last stitch.

Congratulations!  You have shaped your heel and rejoined the stitches to work the cuff in the round.  Please take a moment and enjoy an MCS. 

In the 3rd and final installment, you'll knit the cuff of the sock and knit those fun spirals.  Until next time, Happy Short Rows!