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General Questions

Knitalongs » June 2020 Toe-Up Socks » General Questions

Lesson 16 - June 22, 2020

General Questions

If you have questions and you can't find a place to put them, ask them here :) (in the comments)

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  1. Hi Liat!
    Almost done with my first pair of socks and already looking to make another!! I’m curious if this yarn is just too thin for the socks?? Have so enjoyed this knit along and can’t wait to post my finished pair of socks. Your videos are wonderful!
    Thank You!!

    Yarn Weight 3 Light
    Crochet Gauge (4in x 4in) 17 sc x 20 r on H-8 (5 mm)
    Knit Gauge (4in x 4in) 22 sts x 32 r on #6 (4 mm)
    Length (yd)175
    Length (m)160
    Weight (oz)2.5
    Weight (g)70
    Fiber Nylon
    Fiber Detail 100% Nylon

    1. Hi Pamela,
      Great to hear from you! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the knitalong.

      As far as the yarn goes, what is the name of the yarn? I am just nervous because I see “Fiber: 100% Nylon.” I’m not sure that will work great for socks. If you give me the name of the yarn I can look it up on Ravelry.

      As far as it being too thin, you can use any yarn for the socks. This one has a suggested gauge of 5.5 sts/inch. So you could do one or two sizes larger than what you would normally do for the worsted-weight socks.

      Or you could use our Generic Toe-Up Socks pattern which works for any yarn (as long as you have the foot nearby to try on the sock).

      https://www.knitfreedom.com/free-pattern/generic-pattern-for-toe-up-socks-with-a-fleegle-heel-in-any-weight-and-size/

      I hope this helps!
      Hugs,
      Liat

      1. Nylon Thread

        I’m starting late, but this isn’t new to me, just need a refresher. I just bought some real Alpaca wool from a nearby Alpaca farm here in the mountains. My intent is to wear them in the cabin at night and to bed if my feet get cold.

        I was thinking of putting nylon thread in the heel if not the whole sock .

        The problem? I’m getting all hung up on the prickly ends of the nylon thread. Help! I’d hate to knit a whole pair and feel the nylon end,

        1. Hi Susanne,
          Ah, now I understand. I don’t personally have experience putting nylon thread in the heel although I know it’s very common. I think it might be worth a quick Google to see if anyone has a solution.
          I hope this helps!
          Liat

            1. Alpaca is wonderful! It’s VERY warm.

              Any socks that you wear without shoes will wear out in the heel if the yarn is not tightly plied.

              I make my sister a pair of super-bulky toe-up socks with Malabrigo Rasta about every 4 months (well, they wear out every four months, I make the socks when I can) because that is a single-ply yarn and it just wears out if you walk on it.

              Does that help? You may just have to knit more socks after 6 months or so.

  2. Good morning Liat ~
    I was so excited to finish my socks this morning, but now I’m so upset. I’ve managed to bind off too tightly (I thought I was following the method correctly, but I must have pulled too much) and I cant get my sock over my heel. Please help.
    I’m trying not to panic.

    Thank you,
    Carey

    1. Ok… after a couple of days away from the socks and with my mom’s encouragement I took a tapestry needle and s-l-o-w-l-y found each stitch and have put the socks back on needles. Now I need help deciding exactly what bind off I need to do. How can I tell if I’m doing it correctly?

      1. Hi Carey,
        Thanks so much for posting here! Aah, I’m so sorry you did not have a happy experience binding off for your sock. You and your mom were right – the fix (although slow) is to un-sew the bind-off and put the socks back on the needles.

        I’m going to recommend you try Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off (JSSBO) for your socks.

        Here’s a blog post that goes into detail about the bind-off:

        https://www.knitfreedom.com/blog/jssbo-jenys-surprisingly-stretchy-bind-off/

        Here’s a video showing me binding off on two-at-a-time toe-up socks:

        https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/binding-off-on-two-at-a-time-socks-jssbo/

        I hope this helps! You will know if you are doing it right if the bind-off feels nice and stretchy.

        Let me know how it goes!
        Liat

  3. Hi again Liat – just wanted to amend my last post. One of my questions is about estimated yardage or weight for the invisible ribbed bind off. I watched your video and read your notes about it which recommend leaving a three-foot length or measuring 6 times around the cuff. I asked my question based on the weight of yarn I’m using per round of ribbing as I am curious if that’s a way to gauge through some multiple how much is needed for the bind off.
    Many thanks.
    Marla

  4. Hi Liat – I have a few questions across different aspects of socks so am asking in this general section.
    Please explain why the technique in your new video for Judy’s magic cast-on results in a cast-on we do NOT need to knit through the back loop on the second half of the first round. I’ve compared the original video with the new one and the only difference I see is that when picking up a loop for the top needle, you are using the yarn around the top of the thumb as opposed to the yarn that wraps around the bottom of the thumb. This mitigates the need to take the thumb out of the loop like you do in the original video after each stitch on the top needle is cast on. Is this what keeps the stitches oriented correctly completely around?

    Also, I just finished the seven rows of ribbing for the cuff of my bulky socks. I would like to knit a few more rounds before binding off but how do I know how much yarn to leave for the invisible ribbed bind-off? I’ve been weighing my remaining yarn for the past several rounds and am using approximately 1 gram per round. I have 7 grams left on each ball.

    Lastly, once I’m finished, I will start another pair using sock yarn and your pattern for fingering weight toe-up faux-heel-flap socks. Is it possible to do this using two circulars instead of magic loop? If yes, would I hold one tip of each circular needle together to cast-on? Push that cast-on down and then continue to cast on for the second sock? With that pattern, will there be a need to ever rearrange stitches on the needles? If so, is that possible with two circulars?

    So many thanks again for giving so much of your time, energy, and support to help all of us through socks! I wouldn’t be doing this without you ;-))

    Marla

    1. When you pick up the yarn that way the loop is not twisted. The twisting of the loop on the needle is completely dependent on which direction you pick up the yarn from the finger or thumb. I played with picking up the yarn, using all the different ways to pick up similar to how y you describe (And a few more) to find out which way works best for me. One note – I knit everything left handed. I have to flip everything, which is why I worked to figured this out.

      1. I cannot fathom left-handed. You must put a lot of energy into translating as everything is geared to right-handed knitting. Thanks for your thoughts on this. I asked because I didn’t note any specific explanation in the video about why this works to prevent having to knit through the back loop on the second half of the first round after Judy’s Magic Cast-on. And I hadn’t noticed that picking up from the bottom of the thumb twists the stitch. Yet, it’s not a problem with the first half of the round immediately following the cast-on. No matter. I’ll try the new way next pair of socks and pay attention to whether the cast-on stitches are twisted or not.

      2. Thank you so much! You are absolutely right and you explained this much better than I could have. By the way, I flipped my old JMCO video for left-handed and put it on YouTube, but not the updated one. If you ever want me to flip any of my videos, just let me know and I’ll be happy to do it.

    2. Hi Marla,
      I do think you could use your scale to judge how much yarn you’ll need to leave for the bind-off. Just measure out 6 times the width of the sock-half and see how much that weighs.
      PS – Good job for making it to the bind-off already!! Have you tried your socks on? I had another knitalong student comment that her Invisible Ribbed Bind-Off made her cuff too tight and she gave away the socks. Is your ribbing comfortable on your cuff? Just make sure you do the Invisible Ribbed Bind-Off with nice, even tension, not too tight, or alternatively try JSSBO.

      https://www.knitfreedom.com/blog/jssbo-jenys-surprisingly-stretchy-bind-off/

      1. Thanks Liat! I measured and weighed and I’m sure I can knit a few more rows of ribbing before binding off. I’d like to try the Invisible Ribbed Bind-Off. Grateful for the caution about keeping my tension even. I’ll send an update once I’m done!
        Marla

          1. Hi Liat – any thoughts on knitting my next pair of socks on two circulars? I want to follow your pattern for the faux heel flap socks; thus, sock yarn and sz 1 needles. Is the technique similar enough to two socks on one circular that I can translate what I’ve learned?
            Thanks!
            Marla

        1. Hi Marla!
          Regarding your question “Hi Liat – any thoughts on knitting my next pair of socks on two circulars?”
          I think you will have no issues using two circulars to knit the socks. With two circulars, you divide the sock in half just like you do with Magic Loop.
          While I did learn the 2-circs method, it was a long time ago, and I didn’t go back to it after learning Magic Loop. So I don’t exactly remember how to do it, but it’s almost identical to Magic Loop, especially as far as how the stitches are divided.
          Does that help?
          Thanks!
          Liat

          1. Yes, Liat, thanks! I am going to try it on the next pair and will let you know as I progress (she says optimistically ;-)) I’m sure I will have questions along the way.

  5. Liat, is there an easier way to do the toe increases besides M1L and M1R? That is so hard to do with sock yarn.

    Thanks!
    Liz

        1. Aw, no problem! This has been a good inspiration for me to get back behind the camera. One knitter on YouTube commented that she had used Lifted Increases to accomplish the same goal, and another knitter said that even easier was just to do a yarnover and then knit it through the back loop on the next round to close up the hole. Both are interesting options!
          I have an old, old video for lifted increases but it’s not on KnitFreedom because I think I have them backwards…
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NPsiM0mzwk&t=2s

  6. Shelagh Wotherspoon

    Will I continue to have access to all the videos shown in the KAL, after it has ended?
    Thanks.

    1. Elias - Customer Happiness

      Hi Shelagh,

      For sure! You’ll have access to both your Knitalong content and videos and your Toe-Up Socks class and videos, after the Knitalong has ended.

      Cheers,
      Elias

  7. Liat, Now that I am ready to do the Stretchy BO and I have watched your video.. I have to say I am a beginner but brave enough to follow your pattern and instructions. However, I did my ribbing wrong. I did k2P2…I saw the word ribbing in the pattern and thought its what I know. I did not realized its K1P1. Can I still do Stretchy BO? Luckily, I did not attempt 2 socks because I just couldn’t do it right. Maybe my next pair I will attempt it.

    1. Hi Teresa,
      Great question! You can still do the stretchy bind-off for 2×2 rib.

      https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/jenys-surprisingly-stretchy-bind-off-for-2×2-rib/

      This is a paid video (part of our Bind-Offs class) but you basically do the same movements for JSSBO for 1×1 rib but you do each movement twice.

      You can also do a great invisible bind-off for 2×2 rib called the Kitchener Double-Rib Bind-Off:

      https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/kitchener-double-rib-bind-off/

      Let me know if this helps!
      Liat

      1. JULIE R HARVEY

        Liat, I wonder if 2×2 would have made my cuff stretchier? See pic..it’s too tight for my calve. I did the stretchy Bind Off also.

        1. Hi Julie,
          Oh no! I’m so sorry your bind-off turned out too tight. I hope you don’t mind re-doing it so you can wear your socks comfortably. Which bind-off did you do, the Invisible Ribbed Bind-Off? It’s a little tricky to get the tension just right on that one. Unfortunately it’s also not that fun to un-do, either, although it can be done.
          I would recommend you try Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off. You can do it on 2×2 rib as well.

          https://www.knitfreedom.com/blog/jssbo-jenys-surprisingly-stretchy-bind-off/

          Let me know what you decide to try and how it goes!

          1. JULIE R HARVEY

            I followed worsted wt pattern- invisible rib BO.
            Too late to try to undo~ gave socks away. ;)
            Will try JSSBO next time. Tks.

  8. What is the difference between the faux heel and the fleegle heel other than the the stitch pattern could you interchange them? Thank you Theresa

    1. Beth Leatherman

      I’ve been wondering as well. I also want to know how to use different heels within Liat’s patterns. For example, I like the slip-stitch pattern but it seems to require more stitches. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I just don’t know!

  9. Allyson Shames

    I have really wide feet in the front (toes and instep) but the back half of my foot is a normal women’s shape…so duck feet :). Would it make since for me to CO for a larger size and then reduce stitches as I work back?

    1. Hi Allyson, I think that’s an excellent idea! You actually wouldn’t even have to reduce – you could cast on for the larger size and then when it’s time to do the gusset, only increase to the number of stitches for the smaller size. What do you think? Liat

  10. Liat –
    I’m so excited to learn this technique of knitting socks 2 at a time. I’ve never knit toe up socks before and I’m having a little difficulty getting it started correctly. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve knit the first ten rows of this and then ripped it out because the stitches were loose and/or there was a hole on the edges. I’ve watched your troubleshooting video and it helped, but my stitches still don’t seem quite right. There seems to be a “long” stitch in the first few rows. Could you look at this and tell me how to correct this? Thanks! Carey

    1. Beth Leatherman

      I’ve had a lot of trouble with this. Sometimes my toes are beautiful and sometimes they have these loose stitches. I just tried the Turkish cast on yesterday and it turned out better for me (or it was a fluke!). You can find it on YouTube.

      1. I ended up looking at a few more videos on Judy’s Magic Cast On and worked with my M1 stitches. I think I’ve fixed the problem. At least it looks a little better and no holes. :-)

    2. Hi Carey,
      Thank you so much for your comment, and I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you to be able to answer you properly. I’m so glad you kept trying and are now getting the result that you want. I’m now getting caught up on answering everyone’s questions so if you need to ask me anything else, I am here!
      And thank you for the picture. That is lovely yarn!!
      Liat

  11. Hi Liat – I am optimistically planning on knitting two pairs of socks during the KAL: one in bulky yarn so I can, hopefully, move along at a pace that will allow me to keep up (I’m a slow knitter); and the other in fingering (albeit I will fall behind). If I can manage both, may I use your pattern for fingering-weight tow-up faux-heel-flap socks for magic loop? Or, is that beyond the scope of the KAL?
    I’m excited about getting started regardless!
    Thanks so much.

    1. I would love to take my socks apart, I’m not happy with the heel and would prefer to do them over. Is it possible to go back before the ankle without making a mess and starting from cast on?

      1. Hi Joan,
        Absolutely. Remove your stitches from the needles and unravel each sock back to the gusset. Make sure you have the same number of stitches on each sock before you put the stitches back on your needles.

        Below is a basic video for putting stitches back on your needles after unraveling.

        https://www.knitfreedom.com/knitting-video/how-to-put-stitches-back-on-your-needles-correctly-after-taking-out-several-rows/

        You’ve also inspired me to make a new video for getting stitches back on your needle for two-at-a-time. I’ll work on that!

    2. Hi Marla, Sorry for the long delay! I love this plan. Yes, for your fingering-weight socks, I think it would be a great challenge to knit the Toe-Up Heel Flap Socks. I’ll be providing support for knitters who are knitting that pattern during the knitalong.
      Cheers!
      Liat

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