Preschool Toe Up Sock

Preschool Toe up Sock by Natalie Langkilde http://www.nataliesknitting.com

for standard KM with ribber Last updated December 03, '07

To fit a 2 yr old child up to approximately a 7 yr old child with 1/2 inch shrink factored in

Rolled fringe edge to be featured in "Knitting Now In The South" April issue of the Carolina Knitting Guild, editors Jan Burch and Roz Porter

Fringe directions click here Note: the most stable fringes for kids are the crochet like trims

Please visit Diane's site "Diminity's Dry Goods and Emporium" for the marvelous "Penny Sock", and "Mini-Penny Sock". It's the model for technical how to of this preschool size sock. While your there I hope you notice the exceptionally cute sweater pattern she has! "Bella Lace". You won't be sorry... http://www.dimitysdrygoods.com/

Pattern

Little girl or boy, size USA 8-81/2 shoe - approx. 5 1/2 inch foot from toe to heel (6 inch before machine wash and dryer in the yarn recommended)

or size USA 9-10, and 10-13 shoe in parentheses ( )

Tension/gauge: approximately 9 st, 11 rows (after wash and dry in machine it shrunk to 14rows! woops!) Tension 5, stockinette, Standard KM

Yarn Regia, or Opal, or Cervenia English 4 ply sock yarn, 50 gm ball will make 1 1/2 pair socks with 2 inch rib and no fringe. This yarn shrinks 1/2 an inch in the washer and dryer, and this is accounted for in the pattern. I have done this in cotton lycra and it is very nice, soft, and stretchy. Like a nice store bought sock.

Skill level "Challenging" the first time through, because you go back and forth between the ribber and the main bed at different points in the sock. It will require multiple tensions, and multiple setting changes on both beds. St. will drop off if you do not hang enough weights properly. This sock needs even weight on all the stitches. You will have to watch and pull down any lifting stitches each side, each row for the pesky beginning. Then be sure you weight the heel as you turn it, as well. Minding all the weights and pulling by hand to provide the proper tension through out the knitting. Keep a close watch!

Here's a picture, on a larger sock, of how I ensured the sock had even weight distribution. The Preschool sock will only need one claw on front and one on back:

Hint: Be certain you start the next sock in the exact same part of the pattern so they will match. It is very difficult to match the rib with this self patterning yarn if it is done on the KM in two pieces. I HK the rib in circular. I like HK projects, anyway. So this is something I can take off and finish later.

Toe: using waste yarn cast on 24 st. (29 st, 33st) knit approx 10 rows for scrap, then one row ravel cord.
T4 knit 1 row main yarn

Put carrage hold button on for Short row shaping
Put one st on carrage side on hold each row until 10 st remain in work. (12 st remain in work, 14 st)
Short row back out by putting one st carrage side in work each row, while putting 2 st back into work on opposite side each row until all st back in work.

Hang toe for circular:
Hang st still on ravel cord on ribber so that you have a pocket between both beds of the toe. This would be a good time to take off the ravel cord and scrap yarn if you don't want to wait until later. It helps to push the prong tool into the center of the toe while you push up the ribber, so the st stay on easier before you can push them to position. Hang claw weight from each side of the toe pocket so that it provides weight to both front and back of the sock. Attach a small ribber weight to each ribber claw for each side of the sock (see photo and explanation).

Put on Ribber carrage and T5, Ribber T5, set both for circular knitting. Left part button on the main carriage, right part button on ribber carriage.

Knit foot:
Knit circular for 4 inches or 75 rows. (95 rows, 117 rows)

Then drop down ribber carrage one notch, and change to main bed carrage again. T4. Plain knitting setting (no part buttons). Hold position.

Heel:
Turn heel as for toe above. T-4. Hang the ribber claw weight over the heel area with a small ribber weight to keep it knitting properly without popping off st's.

Take the last st from main bed and put it on last needle in work from ribber. Take ribber last st and hang it on the last needle from main bed. Twist last 2 st from each side this way to help avoid a hole when you reconnect and knit circular again.

Ankle:
Put on ribber carrage again and T5. Circular knitting settings. RC 000. Knit at least 18 rows. (Knit 36 rows, 36 rows) to be generous knit more. I like 50 rows.

Cuff:
Take off ribber st on ravel cord and scrap

To do this: Put both part buttons in on main bed and both part buttons off, on ribber.

Then, with ribber set to 1X1 rib (pitch, not half pitch, no need to change tension down from main tension), transfer EON to ribber from main bed for cuff 1X1 rib. Knit 2 inches, (approximately 50 rows will give you anklet sock, turned down cuff of about 2 inches), or knit rib to desired height, cast off loosely in rib. Put the st on ravel cord and scrap back on main bed and ribber for 1X1 rib and knit the same amount of st as the other side of cuff, and cast off loosely. Sew up side seams.

Or

Take all st off on ravel cord then scrap yarn, to hand knit in the round on size 0 US to size 3 (your preference) double pointed needles. I prefer the hand knit circular on double pointed needes with the self patterning yarn. It gives me a purposeful hand knit project, that is easy to carry around.