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Follow Along Summer Socks -- Part 3 of 6

Hello, knitting friends,

It's time for the Heel Flap & Heel Turn

Since I'm following the Not Rocket Science Socks pattern, my Summer Socks have square heels. Heels are pretty easy to knit but now you'll need to keep your wits about you and, yes, there will be counting to do.

First set aside half of the stitches (30 stitches) by threading them on to a holding strand. A holding strand is nothing more than a piece of wayward yarn that holds the live stitches. Make it longer rather than shorter. Use a darning needle with a blunt tip (I like the Clover bent tip needle) with the piece of yarn (I'd make it at lest 18") and get those stitches set aside.

NOTE: The specific directions for the

 next two parts -- heel flap and heel turn -- are at the very end of this email.

Next comes the heel flap. It is a piece of back and forth knit fabric that extends down the back of the foot.

Two things are happening when you knit the flap. First, the slipped stitch pattern makes a padded fabric, AND, second, there's a chain stitch edge that gets used for the gusset later.

Don't worry about the gusset. Just follow the pattern and knit the flap.

Finally there's the heel turn. Tricky, yes, but again find a quiet time, tune out the noise and concentrate on the row by row directions. The heel turn forms a little cupped pouch that grows out of the center of the heel flap. Once you get the idea, you'll be fine.

The heel flap and turn are part of the challenge in forming a sock. You've been knitting a tube. Now there has to be a bump out part for the ankle and heel.

You'll notice that the yarn I'm using, Lungauer Sockenwolle, has yardage that is decidedly terra cotta. I wound some of that color off of my ball and saved it to use for the heels. That's why the heels on the Summer Sunset Socks that I'm knitting change color.

I'll probably keep that terra cotta going through the gusset. It depends on the yardage so keep an eye out for where my socks change back to the golden yellow yarn.

More heel knitting hints

🧦🧦 Those slipped stitches on the heel flap form a column that run up the flap. Each slip stitch equals two rows. So you can count the rows by 2-4-6-8 OR, since there should be 30 rows, count 15 slip stitches.

🧦🧦 When you slip a stitch, the unworked yarn passes on the back of the fabric and forms the padded feel of the heel flap. That's what make the fabric of the heel flap just a little bit heavier and adds strength to this part of the sock.

🧦🧦 The stitches that are on the holding strand -- 30 stitches -- those are the instep stitches and we'll put them back into play when we get to the gusset. For now, they are set aside. Remember that the instep is the top of the foot so these 30 stitches extend from ankle to ankle across the top of the foot.

I like to use two Addi FlipStix, double pointed needles,

when I knit the heel flap. In the photo above, you can see the FlipStix inserted under four of the slipped stitches of the heel flap.

Addi FlipStix

Here's that link for magic loop knitting, just in case you're ready for it.



KnitPurlHunter's Magic Loop video lesson

Next email -- Part 4 -- Gusset

My next step will be to knit the gussets on the Sunrise Sunset Summer Socks. Since I'm using the magic loop method, I'll be putting the stitches back onto the 40" circular needle when I do that.

I hope you will enjoy following along as I knit. We invite you to place an order and start some socks too. Remember that when your order totals $25 or more, you can use Coupon Code 25BY25 at checkout for a 25% discount on that order.

Happy knitting!

Wanda

PS Thank you SO much for the kind emails about this sock knitting series. It means a lot to me to know that some of you are following along! Of course we want to sell yarn and supplies here at Graywood, but we also want to be encouragers for those of you who enjoy knitting and crocheting and yarn.

Reminder -- We include a

FREE NRS Socks pattern

with every order of sock yarn!