One For My Fellow Sock Knitters – This Is How I Do It May 14, 2015 – Posted in: How to, Thursday This and That
Hi there. Today I have something to show to my fellow sock knitters – it’s a little trick I do and that I teach in my sock class, so nothing special, unless you’ve had to deal with these pesky holes before and want to try to avoid them. When you knit socks and have just finished the heel, you need to pick up the stitches for the gusset. This requires picking up one stitch into each selvedge stitch you created on the heel flap. I cheat a bit when I do this to eliminate the problem of holes on either side of the heel. Let’s have a look:
I pick up the stitches as usual, except for the last one.
For the last one, I skip the selvedge stitch and look for the regular stitch in the row below – see the beige one with the circle.
See? That’s where you want to pick up the last stitch.
When you have knit the stitches of the top of the foot, it is time to pick up the stitches for the gusset on the other side of the heel flap. Look for the corresponding stitch on this side and pick up there, not in the first selvedge stitch.
See? The arrow shows the little gap that is made by skipping the first selvedge stitch. When you are done that, you pick up the rest of your stitches as you would.
This way, there will be virtually no holes between the the heel flap and top of the sock, and the slightly larger gaps are closed neatly on the next row. This is how I do it!
Dear non-sock-knitters, please forgive the lack of information for you today, yet this is something I have wanted to share for a while.
Happy Knitting, as ever!
– Mona
18 Comments
Avril May 14, 2015 - 13:26
This isn’t cheating…. it is “perfecting your technique”! I do this as well but not as neatly.
Carol September 08, 2018 - 14:33 – In reply to: Avril
I have to say thank you so simple so effective and I’m grateful you “share” 🙂
trucdefil May 14, 2015 - 14:32
Thanks for the tip… Would you use the same process for the underarm of a sweater?
espacetricot May 15, 2015 - 11:37 – In reply to: trucdefil
Hi there,
The underarm of a sweater is a bit of a different animal – so to speak.
If you have cast on stitches for the body, I do pick up below the cast-on line
into the ‘v’ that looks like a stitch from the angle I look at it, so you get a
continuous look.
One thing though: no matter how hard I try, I always end up with holes between the
picked up stitches and the rest, so I just tighten those up when weaving in the end.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Mona
sunday news #25 | ready to knit May 17, 2015 - 12:18
[…] great tip on how to avoid the gusset sock gap found here. So simple, you just had to think about it. Un super […]
Susan Kaliszewski October 31, 2016 - 18:32
Do you pick up both “legs” of the stitch? I am confused with the 2nd and 3rd pictures of the stitch to pick up
Mona November 01, 2016 - 11:33 – In reply to: Susan Kaliszewski
Hello Susan,
I pick up into the ‘V’ of the stitch. Then it looks like uninterrupted knitting and it closes the little gap that can appear nicely.
I hope that helps!
Best,
Mona
Annesmetona February 14, 2017 - 17:31
That’s a very good tip, thanks so much..
organicmama1992Mary April 07, 2017 - 09:42
I pick up all the gusset stitches, plus one extra where the hole would be, then knit the hole stitch & the first (or last) gusset stitch together on the next round.
espacetricot April 09, 2017 - 15:59 – In reply to: organicmama1992Mary
Hi there,
Yes – that is another possibility of avoiding holes. There are plenty of variations of this out there, thank you for mentioning this one!
Mona
Gillian June 29, 2017 - 04:08
This is what I do – by instinct. So reassuring to know that you do it too – I always felt I was cheating … now I feel that I am ‘being clever’ Thank you for encouragement!
espacetricot June 29, 2017 - 10:09 – In reply to: Gillian
Hello Gillian,
It is always nice to know that we are not alone in what we are doing! Knit on!
Mona
Cindy April 08, 2018 - 09:31
Thx for the input I like this way better than mine.
Rebecca July 22, 2018 - 02:26
Thank you so much for this!!!! I am brand new to sock knitting and those holes were so big and embarassing…. I have just finished my fourth pair of socks ever, and they are completely perfect. You are wonderful Mona 🙂
Gilberte Dubois July 10, 2019 - 16:43 – In reply to: Rebecca
Does it work the same for toe up socks?
Gilberte
espacetricot July 11, 2019 - 10:38 – In reply to: Gilberte Dubois
Hello Gilberte,
To be perfectly honest, I am not sure. I have ever knit toe up socks with a short row heel, so there was no need to pick up stitches. I do know there are other heel versions for toe up socks, so it might be something you can use.
Happy Knitting,
Mona
Vera September 12, 2018 - 03:37
Thx a lot for this, I’m gona tray it next time!
Fran April 15, 2019 - 06:52
Thank you. I pick up the salvage stitch and twist,knitting in the back of it . I think this will work better. Will do it next time. Thanks