How to knit a short row heel or toe, without holes

For a while now I have wanted to do this tutorial, because I often get asked how I pick up and knit my wraps on my short row heel. Yahaira was nice enough to take these pictures for me, since I am " knit and photograph at the same time" challenged.  This is a double wrap short row, based of Wendy's Pattern for toe up socks.  In that pattern Wendy uses a short row toe and heel, the tutorial below works for both  the heels and the toes. I do all my heels this way. The secret is how you pick up the wraps. Instead of knitting the "wraps together" with the stitch; pick up the wraps, place them on the right needle, knit the stitch and the pass the slipped wraps over.

How about I show ya:)

 Once you have all your stitches wrapped (most people usually wrap 12/16 stitches on each side depending on your gauge and how deep you want your heel). You are ready to pick up the first wrap. Knit to the first wrap.

Pick up the wrap.  (The pictures show picking up the wrap from the bottom, I sometimes for a different look pick up the wraps from the top, either way works)**. The first row is the only time you will only have one wrap to pick up.

Now leave this wrap you picked up on the right needle and knit the wrapped stitch like normal.

You now have the knitted stitch, then the picked up wrap on your right needle.

Now take the slipped wrapped stitch, with you left needle and pass it over the knitted stitch. Kinda how you would do a psso. And tada, you have knitted your first wrap.

Here's where the double wraps come in. While still working knit side up, slip the next stitch which has been wrapped once and wrap it again.

Now you turn your work, you will have the purl side facing you.

Purl across this row till you reach the first wrapped stitch. This side is the exact same concept, except you will be picking up the wraps from the back side of your piece. So not the side where the purl bumps are, the "knit" side. Pick up this wrap from the bottom up and again hold it on your right needle.  (above is two views of the same "pick up")

Now you are going to do the same thing you did on the other side. Hold the wrap on the right needle and this time purl the wrapped stitch. Then pass the wrap over. Now do a second wrap on the next stitch and turn.

You are going to keep doing the same thing, row after row until all the wrapped stitches are incorporated. The only change you are going to make after the first two rows is you will be picking up two wraps on each stitch instead of one. 

This is what that will look like on the purl side:

Make sure you are picking up both wraps instead of just one... and continue on purling the wrapped stitch and passing the wraps over.

And that is how I pick up the wraps on my short row heel and have no holes!

Other side

"Look mom no holes!"

Thanks again to Yahaira for the great pictures. I couldn't have shared this without her. Please let me know if I am confusing or unclear (um as I tend to ramble:) or if you have any suggestions. I hope this helps you embrace the greatness that is the short row heel. Don't fear the short row any longer! You can have a short row with out holes and without knitting 3 together...

** Remember you can pick up the wraps from the bottom, as if to knit (shown above) or from the top, as if to purl. If you pick them up from the top your heel will look like this:

Just make sure you are doing the same thing on both the knit and purl side so your heels look the same on both sides.

 

 

 

Still working on my sock, both pairs are at the point of the heel. I really want to try this heel from Julia for my yarntini socks. But I am not sure how it works. My rosies will have the traditional short row heel, sometimes simple is best.

Speaking of sock, who can resist Socktoberfest... go join. um only 853 people have so far.

I am thinking of joining "365", a group on flickr. The idea is to take a self portrait everyday, for a year. Can I handle that kind of commitment? Not sure, but it sounds like fun. And how amazing would it be to complete a whole year!

Georgia, The Yarn Pirate, will have more yarn soon, including rosie...

and yes, still working, working hard so I can revel my secret soon. Here is a peak.

 

 

 

I could get in to how there isn't enough time in a day or how my job is kinda kicking my butt, really I could. Or I could complain how things are kinda off, like when you realize all day you were wearing your underwear inside out... But instead I have socks to share, wonderful glorious, knitted socks.  And not talk about how pukey I feel today.

Socks socks socks, I love socks.  

 

 First up, Stripey goodness, Yarntini from Pure Knits in Vintage. Very fun and candy like. I have stalled on these because I want to find the perfect heel, something that will stripe just right, if you have any ideas pass them along. This yarn makes you want to keep knitting, to see all the colors show up. I am knitting up this pair on 2mm Addis, started of course with the Turkish cast on and my blunt toe.

 

 

These are Rosie, my most favorite colorway from Yarn Pirate... ARRrrrr.. Georgia surprised me with a great package and Rosie, my most favorite colorway. Well really I love all of her colors, of which I am starting to "collect". I just started these the other night, Turkish Cast On and a rather pointy toe. These will have a short row heel and some thing fun at the tops. Also being knit on 2mm needles but this time inxos.

The two yarn bases are quite different, but I like them both for especially because they both can be knit a such a tight gauge. Pretty soon I am going to be knitting with like 1mm needles if I can't get my small gauge addiction  taken care of!

My hubby is getting better, the Dr said he is healing well. He got a new cast and a "shoe" yesterday. So he drove himself to work today. Three more weeks in the cast then all he needs is a brace. Yeah, Oct 2 is Happy Cast Off day... Other than that not much is going on. I am going to be a better blogger I promise.... and I better go as Vito is looking to me for his morning spoonful of peanut butter!