German Short Rows make socks look great! After experimenting with several needle sizes and Wisdom Yarn Wacki Saki, my wife and I each knit a pair of socks using German short row heels.
The faux Fair Isle patterns that work up with the space-dyed Wacki Sacki yarn look good at any gauge.
I wrote this pattern for 56 stitches and size 2US [2.5mm if you can find them, or 2.75mm] needles. You can either use one long needle and the magic loop method, 2 circular needles, or 4 dpns. It’s up to you. The instructions aren’t written to favor one technique. These are cuff-down socks, so you will need to be prepared to graft the toes. However, if you’re more of a toe-up person, these heels are completely reversible as long as you add the 4 stitches for the instep before you work the heels, and decrease them afterwards. Watch video here. Cast on 56 sts using cable cast on. Work ribbing as follows: Round 1: [K1tbl, p1], rep between [ ] around. Rep Round 1 11 more times. Next: Knit for 1 inch.
At a gauge of 30 to 32 stitches per 4'', it’s possible to knit 4 ankle length socks out of one ball of Wacki Saki sock yarn.
Set-up Rounds for Short-Row Heel.
Rnd 1: K28, k2, m1, k24, m1, k2–58 sts on needle. Rnd 2: Knit around.
Rnd 3: K28, k3, m1, k2, m1, k3–60 sts on needle. Rnd 4: Knit around.
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Rnd 5: K30 and place these stitches “on hold” on waste yarn or a spare dpn, k28, turn leaving rem 2 sts on needle unworked.
KNITmuch | issue 11
Just 4 stitches are added to make a mini gusset before the short-row heels are knit.
