Shaping the Heel on a Sock

by Karen
(Ft. Washington, MD, USA)

I am a new knitter. I am teaching myself socks. I have tried them start from both the toe and ankle.

However, I still get confused at shaping the heel. In most patterns, after making the heel flap (about 28 stitches), you begin to shape the heel.

In reading the pattern segment below, I begin my first row using only 18 stitches of the 28 stitches (turn); second row 7 stitches of the 18 stitches(turn); third row 8 stitches, etc...

What happens to the remaining stitches?

Please advise. Karen

HEEL FLAP;
(worked on 28 sts)
sl 1 as if to k, k1, *sl 1 as if to p, k1, repeat from * across row, turn
sl 1 as if to p, p to end, turn,
Work 22 more rows (total of 24 rows on heel flap)

Shape heel:
sl1(all further sl sts are done as if to p), k 14, k2tog, k1, turn
sl1, p3, p2 tog, p1,turn,
sl1, k4, k2tog, k1, turn,
sl1, p5, p2tog,p1, turn,
sl1, k6, k1tog, k1, turn,
continue in this manner until all stitches have been worked across heel, and 16 sts remain on heel flap.

YOUR ANSWER

Hi Karen, it is very brave of you to start your knitting career with socks, I know many, many, very experienced knitters that are reluctant to knit socks!

Now to answer your question: What happens to the remaining stitches?

The stitches remain on the needles while you work the shaping for the heel.

When you have finished the shaping rows, the pattern will probably tell you to knit to the end of the row incorporating the stitches that have been left at the side during shaping and then to knit (or purl) a row across all of the stitches on the needle.