>>> The Final Summer Socks Follow Along <<<

is at the END of this email.

Learn more about grafting the toe!

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Follow Along Summer Socks #6-- Part B

Hello knitting friends,

Before we get into grafting, let me congratulate you on getting this far in knitting a sock! Awesome work!

I remember the first socks that I knit. I felt like I had conquered the knitting world by shaping heels and doing toes. Sock knitting really is quite an accomplishment in knitting. You're not a freshman knitter anymore!!

Let's talk about grafting which is also known as Kitchener stitch.

Grafting is a way of closing up the toe hole without seams that can let behind clumps or knots. Grafting is a smooth finish -- one that you will marvel at as you see the process come together.

Think of grafting as a two part process. First you set up for the work. Then you do the actual grafting. There's a rhythm that you'll use for each needle:

FRONT -- knit off, purl stay

BACK -- purl off, knit stay.

Here's what happens

🧦🧦 The working strand travels through the slipped stitched and forms a row that looks exactly like knit stitches.

🧦🧦 The two needles are held parallel to each other.

🧦🧦 Hold the front needle slightly lower than the back needle so the back work is visible

🧦🧦 The yarn moves around the right (not left) side of the work, NOT over the tops of the needles.

Set up for grafting by dividing the 20 stitches on two needles, 10 stitches per needle, with the working strand attached on the right hand side of the back needle. Keeping an 18" length, break the yarn. Thread this working strand on to a darning needle.

Front needle setup

Working from right to left, bring yarn from back around side of the toe and pass yarn through 1st stitch on the front needle purl wise.

The stitch stays on the needle.

Back needle setup

Pass yarn through first stitch knitwise.

The stitch stays on the needle.

Now graft the toe

As you graft the toe, the working strand will follow the needle and form woven stitches. Keep these stitches as snug as your knitted stitches. As you begin you will feel like you are juggling the two needles. However, as the woven row forms the work becomes more stable.

Front needle: Passing yarn through stitch, slip first stitch knitwise and drop it from the needle. Pass through second stitch purlwise but keep it on the needle.

Back needle: Passing yarn through stitch, slip first stitch purlwise and drop it from needle. Pass yarn through second stitch knitwise but keep it on the needle.

Continue working 2 stitches on front and back needles until all stitches are worked. Use the tip of darning needle to tighten any loose stitches and even the row. Finish by drawing the working end to the inside and weave it into the back of the knitting.

The grafting rhythm:

Front -- knit off, purl stay

Back -- purl off, knit stay

I ended up with several little balls of leftover yarn from my skein of Lungauer Sockenwolle Seide. Once again, I used Color 414 in terra cotta and golden yellow.

You can see that I wound colors off of the skein so that I could use the terra cotta in the heels and toes. The skein started with the terra cotta for the ribbed cuff. I just got carried away!

Our price on this yarn is $19.95 a skein. That's twenty bucks for pleasurable knitting AND a pair of socks!

My Sunrise Sunset Summer Socks are shown before washing. The soaking and drying process will even out the stitches and flatten the knitting. I'll include a photo of the blocked socks in another email for you.

I block socks by soaking them in lukewarm water with a gentle soap like Eucalan. A gentle shampoo works, too. Then rinse in cool water. Roll in a towel until damp. Smooth out on a flat surface like the top of a dryer or a plastic bag laid flat on a bed or countertop. A small fan will speed the drying process.

I hope you have enjoyed the Summer Socks Follow Along emails. I would absolutely love to see your sock knitting. Send any photos and descriptions that you would like to share to our email -- [email protected].

A big thank you to my sister Carla Olson of Wisconsin for being my proofreader for this series. Carla's years of knitting experience have been invaluable as this series of emails has come together.

Enjoy Labor Day weekend. I have to admit that I'm already planning my next projects -- a lightweight shawl in Michigan State colors and another Felix cardigan to be knit in Simplinatural medium gray. And, oh yes, there's a pair of socks that got started a few weeks ago, too!

Happy Knitting!

Wanda