Feather Lace Socks Tutorial: Toe Increases

My last blog post had you casting on your 24 stitches to begin the Feather Lace Socks. Now, let's get ready for the toe increases. We are working on two 16" circulars, but you can also work this on one long circular, or the Magic Loop.

Pull the needle holding the second half of the CO stitches so that those stitches lie on the flexible cord with its tips resting. Bring the working tip of the first-half stitches into place to be ready to work.

Before we get started, though, flip to the back and wrap the tail end over the working yarn to secure it. Otherwise, it could unravel and make you cry.

Knit across the first half of the stitches on needle one.

When you come to needle two, knit the first stitch. Then you will see that the rest of the stitches are mounted backward, so knit into the back of those to correct their mounts.

Now we're ready for our first increase. Next round, knit the first stitch, and then pick up the running thread between the first and second stitches with the right needle, front to back, and place it onto the left needle. Alternately, you can pick up that running thread from back to front with your left needle, but I often do it with my right needle because I find it easier. Either way--just so you get it onto the left needle positioned correctly.

You want it to to sit like this.

Now knit into the front of the picked-up stitch. You made a new stitch! And it's a right-leaning one, at that.

Knit the next stitch and take a second to look at your new stitch between the first and third ones. Nice! Now, knit all the way across to the last stitch. We want to add another stitch there before we knit the last one.

This time you want to pick up the running stitch between the next-to-last stitch and the last stitch front to back and knit into the back of it. If that little move is giving you fits, read on.

I have a little trick for this. Bring the two needle tips more in a parallel position, slide the right needle into the front of the stitch, then over and behind the left needle, and knit into the back. It seems easier to me. Maybe it will to you, too! You just made a left-leaning increase, by the way. Now knit the last stitch and get ready to work the same increases on the second needle.

Work this same set of increases every other round until there are 32 stitches on each needle.

It will look like this after the first set of increases. It will become more apparent that you are knitting rounds the more stitches you have on the needles.

Once you have increased the toe to 32 stitches on each needle (64 total), you are ready to begin the lace pattern. Have fun!

I'll be back next post to show you how to knit that double-wrap, short-row heel.

See you then!