After knitting numerous socks, I've been doing a little experimenting
with how to keep the holes that come about when shaping the heel and toe as
small as possible. There are two methods usually used when shaping, also called
short-rowing.
The one I used for the sock is regular-short rowing, needle
wrapped manually: The carriage is on the left. I pull the edge needle on the
right side into holding position, knit to the right. Bring yarn down under and
around the edge needle in holding position, take up slack, knit back to the
left. When that same needle is brought back into working position, carriage
on the left: Holding position needle on the right that is closest to the center
is pushed back to forward working position, knit to right. Knit back to left.
Repeat till all are back in working position.
The other method is short-rowing with an automatic wrap: The
carriage is on the left. Knit to the right. Pull the edge needle on the right
side to holding position. Knit to left. Yarn automatically wraps around edge
needle.When that same needle is brought back into working position, it is done
the same way as for short-rowing with a manual wrap: Holding position needle
on the right that is closest to the center is pushed back to forward working
position, knit to right. Knit back to left. Repeat till all needles are back
in working position.
From my own samples, it looks as if the manually wrapped heel
and toe has slightly smaller holes than the automatically wrapped one. I wondered
if the holes would be even smaller if I also wrapped needles when bringing them
back into working position so I did a sample. I didn't care much about doing
it it that way because it left a ridge of floats on the inside. So I tried picking
up the purl bump that is directly below the wrap on the next needle, still in
holding position, and hanging it on the needle that I just knitted after having
brought it back to forward working position. Then I knit back to the other side.
This does seem to make the hole a little smaller. Below are a few pictures for
comparison.
Both samples were knitted with manual wrap as described at
the top of the page. Except - when bringing needle back to forward working position,
carriage on the left:
Sample #1, right side of picture: Holding position needle on
the right that is closest to the center is pushed back to forward working position,
knit to right. Hold yarn towards center of piece and with transfer tool pick
up purl bump that is directly below the wrap which is around the very next needle
still in holding position. Hang that bump on the needle just knitted. Yarn back
to the right, knit to left. You may want to put the needle into forward working
position before knitting to left.
Sample #2, left side of picture (this is the one I like best
so far.): Holding position needle on the right that is closest to the center
is pushed back to forward working position, knit to right. Hold yarn towards
center of piece (you almost have to do that to be able to see the purl bump
you want to lift) and with transfer tool pick up bump that is directly below
the wrap which is around the very next needle still in holding position. Now
before hanging the purl bump on the needle just knitted, move the yarn to the
right side first, then hang the bump on that needle. Knit to left, putting needle
into FWP if that is easier. This, in my opinion, has the smallest holes of the
six short-rowed samples I knitted.
Sample #3, right side of picture: This was done with automatic
wrapping as described at the top of the page. It seems to make the largest holes.
Sample #4, left side of picture: This was done with manual
wrapping as described at the top of the page. Holes are slightly smaller. No
purl bumps were picked up when needles were returned to working position for
these two samples. This is the method I used in the 'Altogether' sock.
Sample #5, right side of picture: This was done with automatic
wrap when needles were put into holding position. To bring back to working position:
Carriage is on the left. Holding position needle on the right
that is closest to the center is pushed back to forward working position, knit
to right. Hold yarn towards center of piece and with transfer tool pick up bump
that is directly below the wrap which is around the very next needle still in
holding position. Hang that bump on the needle just knitted. Yarn back to the
right, knit to left. You may want to put the needle in forward working position
before knitting to left.
Sample #6, left side of picture: Holding position needle on
the right that is closest to the center is pushed back to forward working position,
knit to right. Hold yarn towards center of piece (you almost have to do that
to be able to see the purl bump you want to lift) and with transfer tool pick
up bump that is directly below the wrap which is around the very next needle
still in holding position. Now before hanging the purl bump on the needle just
knitted, move the yarn to the right side first, then hang the bump on that needle.
Knit to left, putting needle into FWP if that is easier.
Picking up and hanging the purl bumps takes a little extra
time but if you want the holes to be as small as possible, it may be worth the
effort. Try it out and see what you think!
