Cable Twist Heel…

I would have posted this earlier, but I wanted to write to Adrian at Hello Yarn to make sure it was ok with her first. Always play nice with respect to copyright. So here it is!

To create the cables on the back of the heel of the Hello Yarn Cable Twist Socks, I did the following:

(Done with Magic Loop, but should be the same for DPNs or socks on two circs. Needle choice should not make a difference.)

– Knit the sock from top down according to the pattern. It is an 8 row repeat. When I reached the length that I wanted, I finished up to row 7 of the repeat, stopping the row at stitch #55 of the 56 stitches. I left the final purl stitch with the instep stitches. Then I started the heel.

Next row, Row 1 of heel – turn work (WS): knit the knits and purl the purls, working back across 28 stitches. It will be slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in front, P5, K2, P5, K2, P5, K2, P5, K1.
Row 2 – work row 1 of pattern stitch – slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in back, LT, K3, P2, LT, K3, P2, LT, K3, P2, LT, K3, P1.
Row 3 and all WS – Repeat Row 1.
Row 4 – slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in back, work row 3 of pattern stitch (K1, LT, K2)
Row 6 – slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in back, work row 5 of pattern stitch (K2, LT, K1)
Row 8 – slip 1 as if to purl with yarn in back, work row 7 of pattern stitch (K3, LT)

Repeat until heel flap is the length that you prefer. I did two repeats, and then added 4 rows of ribbing at the very end before turning the heel. (WS – K1, P5, K2, P5, K2, P5, K2, P5, K1. RS – P1, K5, P2, K5, P2, K5, P2, K5, P1) End with right side row.

Turn the heel:
Row 1: (WS) Slip 1 as if to purl, P15, P2 tog, P1, turn
Row 2: (RS) Slip 1 as if to purl, K5, SSK, K1, turn
Row 3: Slip 1 as if to purl, P6, P2 tog, P1, turn
Row 4: Slip 1 as if to purl, K7, SSK, K1, turn
Row 5: Slip 1 as if to purl, P8, P2 tog, P1, turn
Row 6: Slip 1 as if to purl, K9, SSK, K1, turn
Row 7: Slip 1 as if to purl, P10, P2 tog, P1, turn
Row 8: Slip 1 as if to purl, K11, SSK, K1, turn
Row 9: Slip 1 as if to purl, P12, P2 tog, P1, turn
Row 10: Slip 1 as if to purl, K13, SSK, K1, turn
Row 11: Slip 1 as if to purl, P14, K2 tog
Row 12: Slip 1 as if to purl, bring yarn to back between the needles, K14, SSK – 16 sts remain

Continue with pattern instructions as given.

Next time I make a pair, I will change the gusset decrease round to be K to 3 stitches from marker, K2tog, P1, slip marker, P1, knit pattern on instep, P1, slip marker, P1, SSK, K to end of row. The regular (non-decrease round) would then be K to 1 stitch rom marker, P1, slip marker, P1, continue in pattern, P1, slip marker, P1, K to end. That way the P2 column that starts at the top of the sock would go all the way down the side.

Please let me know if you have any questions or pattern modification suggestions!