Sidewinders: Act I

Sidewinders are knit sideways -- back and forth -- from the top of the cuff to the end of the foot.    Once completed, the flat sock is joined into a tube using a little Grand Finale magic.

In Act I you'll cast on and concentrate on the first half of the heel.  Paired decreases are used every row to shape the heel from the bottom of the sole to the ankle bone.  These decreases remind me of a mitered square and have the same effect -- bending a straight line of stitches 90 degrees, perfect for turning a heel.  The cuff is worked in Double Garter stitch -- which simulates ribbing – while the leg is initially worked in Garter Stitch to give the back ankle a snug fit. 

Previous installments of this serial pattern include: The Prologue.

Did you get gauge?  Great!  Let's get started.

Sidewinders Act I: Heel In

Stitch Patterns

Double Garter

Row 1 (RS): Purl
Row 2 (WS): Knit
Row 3 (RS): Knit
Row 4 (WS): Purl

Slip Stitch Edge

Row 1 (RS): Slip 1 stitch purl-wise with yarn in front
Row 2 (WS): Knit 1 stitch through the back loop

Abbreviations

RS -- Right Side Row.  In this pattern, all even rows are right side rows.
WS -- Wrong Side Row.  In this pattern, all odd rows are wrong side rows.
YO -- Yarn Over.

Right Slanting Decreases

k2tog -- Knit two stitches together
p2tog -- Purl two stitches together

Left Slanting Decreases

skp -- Slip 1 stitch knit-wise, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch up and over the knit stitch and off the needle.
ssp -- Slip 1 stitch knit-wise, slip another stitch knit-wise, return the 2 slipped stitches to left needle, and purl them together through the back loop.

Instructions

Getting Started

Using the provisional cast on of your choice, cast on

(112, 113, 112), [(116, 117, 116),  (119, 118, 119), (125, 125, 125)] stitches.

nonaSays  Don't know any provisional cast ons?  Cast on with waste yarn.  Switch to your real yarn with Row 1.  The waste yarn will be removed later to reveal live stitches.  For other variations, try google.

Row 1 (WS):  Place stitch markers to divide the sections of the sock as follows:

Purl (39, 38, 33), [(41, 38, 35), (42, 37, 36), (45, 41, 39)]  foot stitches,
Place foot marker,
Purl (12, 13, 15), [(12, 14, 15), (13, 15, 16), (13, 15, 16)] heel stitches,
Place center heel marker,
Purl (12, 13, 15), [(12, 14, 15), (13, 15, 16), (13, 15, 16)]  heel stitches,
Place leg marker,
Knit (41, 41, 41), [(43, 43, 43), (43, 43, 43), (46, 46, 46)]  leg stitches,
Place cuff marker,
Purl  8 cuff stitches.

Row 2 (RS):  Establish the stitch patterns used for each sock section as follows:

Work the 8 cuff stitches in Double Garter, starting with Row 1 of the stitch pattern.
Work the leg stitches in Garter Stitch
Work the heel stitches in Stockinette Stitch
Work up to the last foot stitches in Stockinette Stitch
Work the edge stitch in the Slip Stitch Edge stitch pattern, starting with Row 1

nonaSays  Don't forget to keep working the foot's Slip Stitch Edge.  It seems trivial now, but is very significant in the Grand Finale.

Continue in the establish stitch patterns for (4, 5, 6), [(4, 5, 6), (4, 5, 6), (5, 5, 7)] more rows.

nonaSays  Are you concerned that your sock is lacking a toe?  Don’t worry, the toe will magically appear in Act II.

Shaping the Heel

Next Row -- Row (7, 8, 9), [(7, 8, 9), (7, 8, 9), (8, 8, 10)] --   Continuing in the established stitch patterns, begin the heel shaping by working paired decreases every row as follows:

RS Rows:  Work to 2 stitches before the center heel marker, k2tog, skp, work to end of row
WS Rows:  Work to 2 stitches before center heel marker, ssp, p2tog, work to end of row

nonaSays  Some sizes start the heel shaping on a RS (even) row, while others start it on a WS (odd) row.  No Worries!

Repeat the decrease row (10, 11, 13), [(10, 12, 13), (11, 13, 14), (11, 13, 14)] more times -- you'll eventually get down to 2 heel stitches --  and at the same time...

Shaping the Calf

After finishing Row (9, 11, 13), [(9, 11, 13),  (9, 11, 13), (9, 11, 13)] -- Insert a few short rows to add a little calf shaping.  These short rows should not be included in your row count.  Continuing in the established stitch patterns shape the calf using short-rows as follows:

RS - Work 20 stitches, Turn mid-row.
WS - YO, work 20 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
RS - Work 16 stitches, Turn mid-row.
WS - YO, work 16 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
RS - Work 12 stitches, Turn mid-row.
WS - YO, work 12 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.

nonaSays  When working short-rows, you "turn mid-row" after working only part of that row -- trying your best to ignore the un-worked stitches.  The YO is used later to close the gap formed by your mid-row turning escapade.  On WS rows, you always work back to the end of the needle.

Next Row -- Row (10, 12, 14), [(10, 12, 14),  (10, 12, 14), (10, 12, 14)] -- Switch the leg stitch pattern from Garter Stitch to Stockinette Stitch.  Also, when you encounter the 3 YOs, knit each together with the next stitch to close the gap formed by turning the short row.  Continue the heel decreases and don't forget to work the foot’s Slip Stitch Edge.

Finishing Up

Last Row -- Row (17, 19, 22), [(17, 20, 22), (18, 21, 23), (19, 21, 24)]   -- should be your last row of heel decreases.  When working this row reposition your stitch markers as follows:

Keep the center heel and cuff markers,
Remove leg and foot markers, and
Add a center toe marker 2 stitches in from end of the foot (the foot's slip stitch edge stitch counts as one of these 2 stitches).

When finished with this row, you should have:

8 cuff stitches,
(41, 41, 41), [(43, 43, 43), (43, 43, 43), (46, 46, 46)]  leg stitches,
2 heel stitches, and
(39, 38, 33), [(41, 38, 35), (42, 37, 36), (45, 41, 39)] foot stitches

For a total of (90, 89, 84), [(94, 91, 88), (95, 90, 89), (101, 97, 95)]  stitches.

Intermission

Please take a moment to admire your heel shaping.  The paired decreases created a right angled miter that connects the leg with the foot at a 90 degree angle.  Too much math talk, I know, but it’s neat!

 

Tomorrow in Act II, the action will shift from the heel to the toe.