[Knitting] Rhiannon Socks Technique Question (xposted to advanced_knit)

[kniteracy]

I've just started Cookie A's Rhiannon Socks. I've had the pattern and wool for over a year, but stuff got in the way, my dog ate my homework, and I gave at the office.

Now, I teach knitting both beginning and special techniques, at a shop in London, but I've just got past the top 1" of ribbing, and I'm stuck! Aie!

Here's the relevant bit of the pattern:
FOLDOVER CUFF:
Set up round: *K2, purl 4 stitches through the back loop without removing stitches from left needle; with left needle in front of right needle, purl 4 stitches again through the front loop, sliding stitches off left needle (4 stitches increased).

I see what this is saying, I just can't manage to *do* it! I get to p tbl number three and everything just wants to slip off the needle. Can anybody suggest a trick that'll make this technique easier? Because I'm about to go for just doing a straight increase and not worrying with the cable setup, as it's not like anybody's going to notice that I didn't make the cable increases exactly the way she said to in the pattern.

Comments

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

This is probably a dumb answer, but is there space to put a stitch-stopper, or a rubber band on the end of the L ndl, so stuff *can't* slide off?
That does sound the most bizarre increase I have ever read, I must say. *moves Rhiannon further back in queue*

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Yes, I could do that. I will experiment and get back to you! I use small hair elastics as stitch markers when I need coloured ones, so I think I have just the thing.

I'm still seriously considering that it just might be too futzy to do this twenty-something times around the circumference of this sock, though! I may very well choose an easier increase -- because *nobody* is ever going to know. We are talking about the beginning of a cable rib on a pair of foldover knee socks. ;)

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

True enough!

[aunty_marion]

Is there any practical reason you couldn't purl each stitch through the back loop, then slide it off onto a cable needle? Then you could just slide them back onto the left needle when you'd done the four, and purl them through the fronts... I can't quite envisage how the whole thing works, though - is it supposed to be an increase *within* a cable? Because that's what it sounds like. Most weird. It ought to have a picture to go with it, I feel...

[telynor.livejournal.com]

No, and that would make sense. I'll try it with a small wooden sock needle, if I don't just decide to ditch it.

It's the *base* of a cable. The aim is to start the cable off smoothly. This is the purl rib cable at the top of the sock, so it's a cable you do by purling rather than knitting, because you're basically knitting the cable inside out.

[pondside.livejournal.com]

it almost seems as though you create the 4 purls in a fan from the back of the one stitch.

I can't remember, are you a picker or a thrower?

[telynor.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's what you're doing. This is the base of a cable that you basically knit backwards, as it's meant to be folded over as a cuff on the top of the sock.

I knit continental/German/with the working wool in my left hand, though I'm comfortable with English (throwing) knitting when I have to strand.

[jeanniemac.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds painfully clunky. It sounds like she's trying to increase and cable at the same time. I don't have the pattern (although it is on my wishlist) but from what you've written here, I need to go home and test knit the repeat before I can give any advice. I wish I had my knitting at work to try it. Without test knitting the section, I think the idea of using a needle cap is a good one.

Also, have you checked on Ravelry to see if anyone there has a fix. Sometimes folks will list their modifications or quick fixes in their comments on the patterns.