Cybersocks
Denise's Toe-up Socks
Instructor Denise Powell
Lesson Three - The Foot and Gusset Increases
The Foot:
After the toe increases, continue knitting on the foot, keeping the sole stitches (needles 2 and 3) in stocking stitch (or other stitch of your choice - an excellent chance to try the fitted arches from the first Cybersocks class). The stitches on needle 1 form the top of the socks and can be knitted plain or in any stitch of your choice. I like to do them in a rib of some sort, which I later carry on up the leg.
On the Classic Wool socks I used a little twist stitch rib on the stitches for the top of the foot. It will be continued up the leg after the heel is complete. If you want to use this stitch, it is (for 24 stitches on the top needle): First Round: k1, *p2, right twist 2, repeat from *, ending p2, k1 Second Round: k1, *p2, k2, repeat from *, ending p2, k1 (For the second sock I am using a Left Twist.)
Instep Gusset Increases:
When the sock is almost long enough to fit your foot up to the front of the ankle, it's time to start the gusset increases.
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The increases are made one stitch in from the edge of the sole; that is, one stitch before the end of needle 1 and one stitch after the start of needle 3. Needle 2 continues in pattern without any increases. Increases are done by your favourite make 1 method, just as for the toe increases.
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I like to do the increases every other round. If you want a looser fit at the ankle and are planning an extra increase or two, you can do the LAST couple of increases every round. By the way, if you are making socks for someone with arthritis, it's a good idea to create a looser fit at the ankle, it makes the sock much easier to slip on.
And now for the BIG question: How Many Increases Do I Need??
Again, it's a matter of type of yarn, the sock you're making and the foot you're trying to fit. On a toe-up sock the number of gusset increases are what controls the fit of the sock over the ankle - too few and the sock will be difficult or impossible to put on - it won't go 'round the bend. Too many and the sock will be loose around the ankle.
So I can only give guidelines, just as length-of-heel-flap can only be a guideline in top-down socks.
You usually need to increase by at least an inch (2.5 cm) worth of stitches on EACH gusset. You may need to increase by as much as an inch and a half's worth or more (up to 4 cm).
For example, on my Classic Wool sock, my gauge turned out to be about 5.5 stitches per inch (22 st /10 cm). I increased by 6 stitches on each gusset, bringing the total number of stitches just before the heel to 60.
For my Koigu sock, with a gauge of 7 st/inch (28 st/10 cm) I increased by 9 stitches on each gusset, for a total stitch count of 90 just before the heel.
End with a plain round.