Getting Started Knitting Socks - Part 5 - Heel Turn

Although the Heel Turn is a very small part of the sock, this is where the magic happens! This is where the sock changes angle, and starts to look like a real sock with a heel, and not just a tube sock. The heel turn is accomplished with short rows. Short rows are rows that are only knitted part way, then the sock is turned, and another row is knitted part way. Decreases are knitted on each row until there are only 14 sts remaining.

The pattern looks like this:

TURN HEEL
Work Short Rows as follows:
Row 1 (RS): K14, ssk, K1, TURN
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1 pwise, P5, P2tog, P1, TURN

Row 3: Sl 1 pwise, K to first st before gap on prev row, ssk, K1, TURN
Row 4: Sl 1 pwise, P to first st before gap on prev row, P2tog, P1, TURN

Rep Rows 3 and 4 until all heel sts have been worked. 14 sts rem

It doesn't take very long to do, however, on my first try, I flubbed it, then frogged back to the lifeline. Once at the lifeline, I discovered a knotty spot in the heel flap, and decided to frog the heel flap back to the lifeline, and do it over as well. I'd rather not have any knotty places in the heels, soles, or toes of my socks.

Taking a suggestion from Jean, I made a couple of 5 inch stitch holders from a bronze brazing rod, which took the place of the two dpns that were on the instep sts.

The next step is the gusset. The gusset requires that I pick-up sts from the heel flap selvedges on a couple of needles, then start knitting in the round again, decreasing stitches until I get back to 48 stitches for knitting the foot.