Loom Knitting Socks

Loom Knitting Socks by Isela Phelps rounds out my loom knitting library. Most of the patterns in this book are written for the Extra Fine Gauge sock loom, which means I'll have to make one in order to do any of the socks in this book. I'll probably make a 64-peg loom first, since many of the sock patterns are for that loom. A sock loom knitter can use fingering weight yarn with an EFG loom. Extra Fine Gauge means that the pegs are 3/16ths of an inch apart, from the center of one peg to the center of the next peg. The Fine Gauge sock loom pegs are spaced 1/4th of an inch apart. A sock loom knitter should be able to get 7-8 stitches per inch with an EFG loom. The loom knit socks in the book look every bit as fine as their needle-knitted counterparts.

Anyway, PART ONE has patterns for Simple Socks. PART TWO has patterns for Textured Socks. PART THREE has patterns for Colorwork Socks. PART FOUR has patterns for Fancy: Cables & Beads Socks. PART FIVE has patterns for Lace Socks. PART SIX has patterns for Footsies & Other Socks. PART SEVEN has patterns for Kid's Socks. All of the socks patterns in this book are written for Cuff-Down socks, but there is a Toe-Up Method on pages 28-29 with an explanation of how to make a toe-up sock on a 36-peg DA child sock loom with fingering weight yarn.

All in all, this looks like a fun loom socks knitting book.

Toe-Up Socks For Every Body

I recently added another toe-up socks book by Wendy D. Johnson to my socks knitting library. Once again, she has made a beautiful book, with beautiful socks on beautiful models. Toe-Up Socks For Every Body has an Introduction, followed by PART ONE, which has Basic Information for Sock Knitters, including Toe-Up Tools, Knit to Fit, and Pattern Essentials. PART TWO has the Sock Patterns for Lace Socks, Cable Socks, and Colorwork Socks. There are a total of 23 beautiful toe-up sock patterns in this book. All of the socks patterns in the book have been added to the Ravelry Patterns section. Finally, there is an APPENDIX of Techniques For Toe-Up Socks. I am looking forward to acquiring the skills needed to make some of the socks in this book.

Some Notes on the Sample Sock

I am not a hooker, and making the provisional cast-on with a crochet hook is difficult for me to do. I guess I just need to practice making chain stitches with some yarn and a crochet hook. One thing that has been pointed out in my books, is to use a smooth yarn for the provisional cast-on because it is easier to see the purl bump on the back of the chain, that needs to be picked up for the cast-on. I've tried it both ways, using a slightly fuzzy yarn and a superwash smooth yarn, and it is much easier to do the provisional cast-on with smooth yarn.

The wraps and turns on my sample sock sucked. They worked, but they looked like crap. So the first thing I did after I finished the sample sock was to look for a good tutorial on doing a Wrap & Turn (W&T). The best tutorial I've found is in this Universal Sock Pattern on Knitty.Com.

Even with a good tutorial, I'm still having trouble seeing the wrap when it comes time to lift it, in order to hide it when completing the short-row process. In my practice short-row toe, I'm using stitch markers to show me which stitches have a wrap, so I can figure out which part to lift. Just like making a W&T, there is a RS and a WS way of lifting a wrapped stitch.

I'm making practice short-row toes. These are just for practicing W&T. I do a long-tail cast-on of 12 sts, and proceed according to the sample sock pattern, except I have the tutorial in front of me, and I'm using stitch markers to keep track of where I am, as far as how many wrapped stitches I've done. Without having to do the provisional cast-on each time, the W&T practice toes are going pretty fast. I'm determined to learn how to W&T and how to lift the wraps so my short-row toes will not only look good, but be nice and tight as well.

Overall, the Short-Row Toe and Heel Toe-Up Basic Sock is a good sock to make. The toe and the heel are seamless. The provisional cast-on is a bit of a pain, but well worth the effort. One other thing to look into is a stretchy bind-off.

Sample Short-Row Toe and Heel Basic Sock

The pattern for this sample sock is based on the Short-Row Toe and Heel Basic Socks pattern, on pages 32-36, in Wendy D. Johnson's book, Socks From The Toe-Up.

24 Stitch Short-Row Toe and Heel Toe-Up Basic Sock.

 1. Make a chain stitch 18 stitches in length.
    Note that one side of the chain stitch has V's and the other side
    has purl bumps.
 2. Pick-up a purl bump with the left needle and knit it with the
    right needle until you have 12 stitches cast-on the right needle.
   
   12  9 7 5 3 1
    |  | | | | |
    Provisional Cast-on
    TKKKKKKKKKKK Row 01\                 /  [T = Wrap and Turn]
    WPPPPPPPPPPT Row 02 \               /   [K = Knit]
    WTKKKKKKKKKW Row 03  \  Decrease   /    [P = Purl]
    WWPPPPPPPPTW Row 04   \     |     /     [W = Wrapped Stitch]
    WWTKKKKKKKWW Row 05    \    V    /      [2 = K/P loop and wrap(s)]
    WWWPPPPPPTWW Row 06     \       /
    WWWTKKKKKWWW Row 07      \     /
    WWWWPPPPTWWW Row 08       \   /

 3. Row 1: K11, Sl the last unworked st from the left needle onto the
    right needle. Turn.
 4. Row 2: Sl the first unworked st from the left needle to the right
    needle. It should be wrapped around its base with the working yarn.
    P10. Move the working yarn as if to knit and slip the last st. Turn.
 5. Row 3: Sl the first st and K9. Wrap and Turn.
 6. Row 4: Sl the first st and P8. Wrap and Turn.
 7. Row 5: Sl the first st and K7. Wrap and Turn.
 8. Row 6: Sl the first st and P6. Wrap and Turn.
 9. Row 7: Sl the first st and K5. Wrap and Turn.
10. Row 8: Sl the first st and P4. Wrap and Turn.
   
   12  9 7 5 3 1
    |  | | | | |
    WWW2KKKKWWWW Row 09        /   \
    WWWPPPPP2WWW Row 10       /     \
    WW2KKKKKKWWW Row 11      /       \
    WWPPPPPPP2WW Row 12     /         \
    W2KKKKKKKKWW Row 13    / Increase  \
    WWPPPPPPPP2W Row 14   /      |      \
    W2KKKKKKKKKW Row 15  /       V       \
    WPPPPPPPPPP2 Row 16 /                 \
    2KKKKKKKKKKK Row 17/                   \

20. Unzip the provisional cast-on and put those sts on a second needle.
21. K6 onto a needle.
22. K6 onto a second needle.
23. K6 onto a third needle.
24. K6 onto the fourth needle.
25. Knit rounds for one inch.
26. Sl 6 stitches from the third needle onto the first needle. 
27. Start the short-row heel, the same as the toe, working back and forth
    on the one needle.
28. When finished turning the heel, put the 6 sts back on the fourth needle
    and work in the round for one inch.
29. Work K2, P2 Ribbing for one inch.
30. Bind-off very loosely in rib.

Short Rows with W&T (Wrap and Turn):

On knit rows, working up to turning point, slip next stitch (purlwise) 
onto right needle, yarn forward, return slipped stitch to left needle, 
yarn back, turn. (W&T Complete)

On purl rows, work up to turning point, slip next stitch (purlwise) 
onto right needle, yarn back, return slipped stitch to left needle, 
yarn forward, turn. (W&T Complete)

When you come to the wrapped stitch again, make the wraps less visible 
by knitting them together with the stitch they wrap. Insert right needle 
into the wrap, then into the stitch and knit the two together.

Bind-off in Rib:

Binding off is only passing the 1st stitch over the next instead of 
leaving it on the needle. Other than that, it's just knitting a row, 
or purling it or doing it in ribbing. So if its 1x1 rib - k1, p1, 
pass the stitch over, k1, pass the stitch over, p1, pass the stitch 
over, etc. 2x2 rib - k2, pass stitch over, p1, pass stitch over, 
p1, pass stitch over, k1, pass st over, etc.

Getting Started Knitting Socks - Part 9 - Finishing Socks

After weaving in the loose ends, and cutting off the extra yarn at about 1/4 inch, the finished socks were put in a zippered, open mesh, nylon laundry bag and put in the front-loading washing machine on Normal Cycle, Cold/Cold, Medium Spin Speed, with other laundry items. When done, they were laid out flat, on a drying rack, to dry.

---

These socks are too big. For one thing, I did not calculate a 10% negative ease when I was figuring out what size to make the socks. I probably would have made a snugger sock by casting on 44 stitches, rather than 48 stitches. My gauge swatch was correct: I knitted 5 stitches to the inch. Live and learn. The socks are very soft, and very warm. Overall, I'm pleased with my very first pair of Adult-Sized, Cuff-Down, needle-knitted, wool socks.

---

This is the first time I've managed to get the Kitchener Stitch (pronounced: "Kitchen - er") to come out so well defined. The way I did it was to weave in the yarn very loosely with the tapestry needle, through all the stitches, until they were off the needles. Then I went back to the very beginning and found the yarn that went through the first loop, and began tightening it up from there, until all the slack had been taken out, and the tension was even across the tip of the toe. The proper way to do the Kitchener Stitch is to adjust the tension to match the rest of the knitting as you go.

The Kitchener Stitch has a Setup, then repeats a Pattern until all the stitches are off the needles. The final four stitches are put equally on two parallel needles, which are called the Front Needle and the Back Needle. The working yarn comes from the right end of the Back Needle, and is cut off from the ball of yarn at about 18 inches, then threaded through a tapestry or darning needle.. It is important to keep the working yarn under the Front and Back needles at all times.

Setup:

1. Bring the tapestry needle through the first loop on the Front Needle as if to purl (from right to left).
2. Bring the tapestry needle through the first loop on the Back Needle as if to knit (from left to right).
The Setup is done only once.

Pattern:

1. Front Needle: Bring the tapestry needle through the first loop as if to knit, and slip this loop off the needle. Bring the tapestry needle through the next loop as if to purl, and leave the loop on the needle.

2. Back Needle: Bring the tapestry needle through the first loop as if to purl, and slip this loop off the needle. Bring the tapestry needle through the next back loop as if to knit, and leave the loop on the needle.

3. Repeat steps 1. and 2. of the Pattern until all the loops are off both needles.

When you finish, insert the needle into the inside of the sock and weave in the tail on the wrong side.

Blocking.

I threw the socks into the washing machine, then laid them out flat to air-dry, as described above, for blocking.

Getting Started Knitting Socks - Part 8 - Toe

The Toe is decreased from the full circumference of the Foot, to being closed with the Kitchener Stitch. The rounds are started at the center of the Heel.

Round 1:
Needle 1: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to end of needle
Needle 3: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Needle 4: k1, ssk, k to end of needle

Round 2:
Knit

Rep Rnds 1 and 2 until 24 sts rem. (6 on each needle)

Rep Rnd 1 ONLY until 8 sts rem.

Knit sts from Needle 1 onto Needle 4.
Slip sts from Needle 2 onto Needle 3.

---

4 sts each on 2 needles.

Cut yarn, leaving an 18 inch tail.
Using Kitchener Stitch, graft sts together.

---

The Kitchener Stitch in progress.

---

Weave in loose ends.
Both socks together.

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Wearing the finished socks.

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Knifty Knitter Circular Loom Socks 03

You can wear these socks with your Birkies...

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Or wear them with Garden Clogs...

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Or just lounging around on the Porch...

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Or as snuggly House Socks!

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Super Bulky Ribbed Toe-Up Socks

Skills needed:

Slip Knot
E-wrap
Knit Over / Knit Off
Knit
Wrap & Turn
Purl
Sewn Bind-Off
Weaving-in Loose Ends

Materials needed:

6-8 ounces of Super Bulky Weight Yarn.
60-70 inches of contrasting-color waste-yarn
Stitch Markers
Tapestry Needle
Peg Markers
Loom Pick
Blue 24-Peg Knifty Knitter Loom

       PEG
   (12)    13
    11     14
    10     15
     9     16
     8     17
     7     18
     6     19
     5     20
     4     21
     3     22
     2     23
    (1)    24

Refer to the above diagram.
With the loom in the above position.
Place peg-markers on pegs 12 and 1.

I knit a sock tightly on the Knifty Knitter Loom.
My gauge on this sock is 6 sts and 10 rows in 2x2 inches.

The Short-Row Toe:



With Waste Yarn of contrasting color, place Slip Knot on PEG.
1. E-wrap pegs 1 to 12.
2. E-wrap pegs 12 to 1. KO.
3. E-wrap pegs 1 to 12. KO.
4. E-wrap pegs 12 to 1. KO.
Undo waste yarn slip knot from PEG.

Leaving a 6 inch tail, place a Slip Knot of working yarn on PEG.
Cast-on: Wrap behind peg 13 and E-wrap pegs 12 to 1. KO.
         Place Stitch Marker in loop of working yarn on pegs 12 and 1.
         Wrap behind peg 24.

                                                   (T = wrap & turn)
The directions are on the left and a visual        (E = e-wrap)
chart is on the right. In the chart it is          (W = wrapped)
relatively easy to see the hourglass shape         (2 = 2 over 1) 
of the short-row toe. The key to the chart         (<- work left)
is to the right.                                   (-> work right)

Work back and forth on pegs 1 to 12 as indicated.

Decrease:                                               12  9 7 5 3 1  
  Row  1: E-wrap pegs 1 to 11. KO. W&T 12.           <-  TEEEEEEEEEEE
  Row  2: E-wrap pegs 11 to 2. KO. W&T 1.            ->  WEEEEEEEEEET
  Row  3: E-wrap pegs 2 to 10. KO. W&T 11.           <-  WTEEEEEEEEEW
  Row  4: E-wrap pegs 10 to 3. KO. W&T 2.            ->  WWEEEEEEEETW
  Row  5: E-wrap pegs  3 to 9. KO. W&T 10.           <-  WWTEEEEEEEWW
  Row  6: E-wrap pegs  9 to 4. KO. W&T 3.            ->  WWWEEEEEETWW
Increase:
  Row  7: E-wrap pegs 4 to 10. KO, 2-over-1 on 10.   <-  WW2EEEEEEWWW  
  Row  8: E-wrap pegs 10 to 3. KO, 2-over-1 on 3.    ->  WWEEEEEEE2WW
  Row  9: E-wrap pegs 3 to 11. KO, 2-over-1 on 11.   <-  W2EEEEEEEEWW
  Row 10: E-wrap pegs 11 to 2. KO, 2-over-1 on 2.    ->  WEEEEEEEEE2W
  Row 11: E-wrap pegs 2 to 12. KO, 2-over-1 on 12.   <-  2EEEEEEEEEEW
  Row 12: E-wrap pegs 12 to 1. KO, 2-over-1 on 1.    ->  EEEEEEEEEEE2

Put the loop that is attached to the waste yarn with the stitch marker
from peg 12 on peg 13. Put the next loop on peg 14, and so on, until 
all pegs to peg 24 have loops on them. The waste yarn should be free 
from the loom. No loops of waste yarn should be on any pegs. The waste
yarn may be removed after all the loops have been placed on the empty
pegs.

The working yarn should be between pegs 1 and 24.
Work from right to left (counterclockwise).
K12. This is the sole of the foot.
K1, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K1. This is the top of the foot with ribbing.
Repeat the above pattern for each round until pegs touch the leg, when
the sock is tried-on. I place a stitch marker every ten rounds on the
sole of the foot, to keep track of how many rounds I've done. Not
counting the toe, this sock was 34 rounds in length. The heel was
started on the 35th round. Your length will probably be different.

The Short-Row Heel Turn:
                                                   (T = wrap&turn)
The directions are on the left and a visual        (K = knit)
chart is on the right. In the chart it is          (W = wrapped)
relatively easy to see the hourglass shape         (2 = 2 over 1) 
of the short-row heel. The key to the chart        (<- work left)
is to the right.                                   (-> work right)           
 
Work back and forth on pegs 1 to 12 as indicated.

 Decrease:                                        12  9 7 5 3 1
 Row  1: Knit pegs  1 to 11. W&T 12.           <-  TKKKKKKKKKKK
 Row  2: Knit pegs 11 to  2. W&T 1.            ->  WKKKKKKKKKKT
 Row  3: Knit pegs  2 to 10. W&T 11.           <-  WTKKKKKKKKKW
 Row  4: Knit pegs 10 to  3. W&T 2.            ->  WWKKKKKKKKTW
 Row  5: Knit pegs  3 to  9. W&T 10.           <-  WWTKKKKKKKWW
 Row  6: Knit pegs  9 to  4. W&T 3.            ->  WWWKKKKKKTWW
 Row  7: Knit pegs  4 to  8. W&T 9.            <-  WWWTKKKKKWWW
 Row  8: Knit pegs  8 to  5. W&T 4.            ->  WWWWKKKKTWWW
 Increase:
 Row  9: Knit pegs  5 to  9. 2-over-1 on 9.    <-  WWW2KKKKWWWW 
 Row 10: Knit pegs  9 to  4. 2-over-1 on  4.   ->  WWWKKKKK2WWW
 Row 11: Knit pegs  4 to 10. 2-over-1 on 10.   <-  WW2KKKKKKWWW
 Row 12: Knit pegs 10 to  3. 2-over-1 on  3.   ->  WWKKKKKKK2WW
 Row 13: Knit pegs  3 to 11. 2-over-1 on 11.   <-  W2KKKKKKKKWW
 Row 14: Knit pegs 11 to  2. 2-over-1 on  2.   ->  WKKKKKKKKK2W
 Row 15: Knit pegs  2 to 12. 2-over-1 on 12.   <-  2KKKKKKKKKKW
 Row 16: Knit pegs 12 to  1. 2-over-1 on  1.   ->  KKKKKKKKKKK2


The working yarn should be between pegs 1 and 24. 
K12. This is the sole of the foot.
K1, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K1. This is the top of the foot with ribbing.
Repeat the above pattern for 10 rounds above the top of the heel.

At peg 1, start the K2, P2 Ribbing, and work this pattern for the
remainder of the sock leg.

Finish the sock by threading the last of the yarn onto a tapestry
needle and doing a sewn bind-off all around. Weave the loose ends
in.

A. Short-Row Toe: 12 rows.
B. Foot: 34 rows.
C. Short-Row Heel: 16 rows.
D. Heel: 10 rows.
E. Leg: 34 rows.

The Short-Row Toe (A.), e-wrapped for elasticity, so the free loops can be stretched onto the empty pegs of the loom (pegs 13 to 24), is worked on half the loom (pegs 1 to 12). The Foot (B.) is knitted in the round, K12 for the sole and K1, P2, K2, P2, K2, P2, K1 for the instep, which centers the K2, P2 Ribbing pattern that will be knit on the leg. The Short-Row Heel (C.) is knit on half the loom (pegs 1 to 12) for 8 rows of Decreases, then 8 rows of Increases to make the heel turn. The Heel (D.) adds 10 rows in the round to the top of the turned heel because it not only looks better, but I think the Short-Row Heel is too short for a heel. These 10 rows follow the same pattern as the Foot. The Leg (E.) is 34 rows of K2, P2 Ribbing. However, because this sock is Toe-Up, the Leg can be made any length.