General approach
General approachSince we’ll be switching the direction of your sock, you’ll start with the end of the pattern and work your way up. So, the first part you’ll work is the toe.
For this article, I’ll be working the Schlumbergera Socks.
Toe
Read the toe directions in whole. I say in whole because you’ll be starting where they end and working your way up.
Often, toes have a section of decreases that are every other row (EOR) followed by a section of decreases that are every row (ER). You’ll see that in the Schlumbergera Socks.
Here’s the section we’re working on:
Rnd 1: K to within 3 sts of first m, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk, k to within 3 sts of the second m, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk, k to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: K across all sts.
Rep Rnds 1 & 2 8 times total; 32 total sts rem.
Rep Rnd 1 (decrease rnd) 4 more times; 16 sts rem.
K across to the first m; resituate sts, if needed, so that all the instep sts are on one needle and all the sole sts are on another. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail and graft the two sides together using a Kitchener Stitch.
For toe-up we’ll read the directions from bottom to top. So, the round that has the Kitchener Stitch on it will become our cast-on round.
Then, it goes to the decrease-only rnd (the ER) for 4 rnds.
Then, you intersperse the decrease rnds with plain rnds (EOR).
Written out, this means:
Using a single circular needle, CO 8 sts on each of the 2 needles; 16 sts. If you’re not sure what cast-on to use, you may want to try Judy’s Magic Cast On. Work one plain rnd.
Rnd 1 (increase rnd): *K1, kfb, knit until 3 sts rem, kfb, k2, rep from * on the 2nd needle.
Work this round until you have 32 sts total.
Then, begin working a plain rnd in between:
Rnd 2: K across all sts.
Rep Rnds 1 and 2 until there are 64 sts.
Here’s an illustration for you too of what you’ll be doing:
And here’s what the start will look like:
And after you’ve knit the entire toe:
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This is terrific, thank you! I prefer toe-up sock knitting, but see so many top-down patterns that I’d like to try. Will keep reading through all the tutorials, and have bookmarked the page! Thanks again.
you’re so very welcome! i’m glad this is helpful 🙂
i do this a lot and realized that i should share what i do (my pref is toe-up as well)
I am delighted to see you do this series. I prefer toe up knitting, partly because of the easier cast on, and partly because of fitting. I also find it easier to bind off loosely than to cast on loosely. So THANK YOU! I will most likely be using this a lot.
awesome! i love to hear this 🙂
What ever happened to the rest of this series? I would really like to see the rest of it.
i really think this is a good tutorial. here’s my challenge (and it has nothing to do with the actual series), but – i went to work on Part 2 and I LOST the sock! so, i’ll need to start it again. it’s not a huge problem, but that’s my issue.
but, your comment def makes doing Part 2 more important.
I knit (most of) one sock years ago but they were too large and I never finished it. It seems to me that toe-up socks might be easier to fit, so your tutorial on how to knit socks toe-up might just be the impetus for me to try again!
def give it a try again!
I may be swimming against the current here, but I prefer top-down socks, on DPNs. This is useful information though, and hopefully you’ll do a series on converting toe up to top down. I have been knitting socks for over 65 years, and I do not like coping with floppy cables in the magic loop or two circ methods used in many (although not all) toe up socks. I have never had a problem with fit with top down DPN socks. I always convert top down patterns written for magic loop or two circs to DPNs.
Everyone has their own preference! The only requirement is that you make nice-looking and well-fitting socks.
And I use a 24” circ because I don’t like a lot of cord either.
Thanks SO much for this! I prefer toe up and I see a lot of patterns that I like but they are top down. Love Love!! Thank you!!
I love all these comments! I wasn’t certain that anyone would even use these posts but I figured I’d try.
Clearly I was wrong 😉
So happy to see this! Thank you.
You’re so welcome!
I really wasn’t sure it was going to be a hit with people, but it really has been!
BTW, the socks in your pic – toe-up or cuff-down?
Can we please see part 2, or converting the heel?
Thanks for the nudge. I def need to do it! I will, and feel free to bug me if I don’t.