117 comments on “Toe-Up Socks Using German Short Rows”

1. hay Iam from croatia Zagreb..my english is very poor.,you helped me so much Inewer knitt in my life and thank you.If you can help me how to calculate stiches for reglan sweter.thank you.

2. Hello, Staci:

   I live in Madrid (Spain), and I want to purchase this pattern. But in Ravelry is not available. It looks like only can be purchased phisically in stores. Could you tell me please how can I get it.

   Tanks a lot and congrats for your awesome tutorials.

   Best regards.

   Regina

3. Regina – if you purchase the pattern via Ravelry, it should automatically process the transaction through LoveKnitting, which is the shopping cart for the EU:
   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/toe-up-socks-using-german-short-rows

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4. Thanks for the great video. I would like to buy this pattern, but I prefer fingering weight yarn. Is there a possibility that you will release this pattern using fingering weight yarn?

5. Hi,

   Just purchased the pattern but it didn’t go in to my revelry library it is in my books. How can I storeit in Ravelry? Thanks.

6. Juanita – I know you can add the pattern to your library (just go to your item and click “add item to library”), but I don’t think you can upload that item. Or it might be that Ravelry will recognize that you’ve purchased the pattern, and store it in the cloud. The best thing to do is to always be logged in to Ravelry when you purchase a downloadable pattern, so that it automatically saves there.

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7. I wouldn’t bother with a lottery ticket. My theory is that you only have so much luck, and it is usually used up on such things as a perfect provisional cast-on unzipping!

   Thanks for this. I love your two at a time toe up socks because I always end up with a pair and no extra yarn and no guilt over any procrastination at an unfinished second sock!

8. I’m under the impression that socks need nylon to give them wearability (hence the wool/nylon blends). I would love to try the DK/Sport yarn, but wonder how well they will wear. I made a pair in Misty Alpaca, which pilled terribly the first time I wore them, and something finished them off by eating them! I LOVE your videos, and watch religiously, so I’m anxious to try this GSR, as I HATE the wraps. I’d appreciate knowing how well these wear, please. I’m going to go with the 2 @ a time, toe up version, but I’m going to try your provisional CO, instead of my normal “8” CO.

   Thanks, again, for the great videos, and especially the CORRECT CCing.

9. Linda – the yarns I used are wearing well, and usually always use 100% superwash wool for socks. If you’re ever wondering about a specific yarn, you can always read the reviews for that yarn on Ravelry.

   Hope that helps!
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10. Hi Staci,

    Can’t tell you how much I love your patterns and videos. One question on the socks. I noticed you slipped the first stitch when starting to work in the round after the toe. Is that just for the first row in the round?

    Thank you,
    Linda

11. Linda – thank you for the note. The pattern spells out each spot where a slipped stitch is necessary.

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12. Hi Staci!

    I’m thinking about buying the pattern, but I have a question first: I have very thick / heavyset ankles and calves, so I’d probably need to adjust the sock shaft. Would this be a tricky adjustment and completely throw off your pattern?

    Thank you very much in advance,

    Caramelia from Austria

13. Caramelia – If your feet are wider than a standard women’s B width, you can just knit the men’s size. The pattern gives instructions for any length of foot, so you can knit the men’s width in your own shoe size.

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14. Hi Staci!

    I didn’t mean the foot part of the sock (my feet are more or less “normal”) but the leg part of the sock. When I buy socks I have to buy “extra wide shaft” socks with supersoft ribbing or they cut off my circulation.

    So I was wondering if I can adjust the leg width of the sock?

    Sorry for not being clear before.

    Best regards,
    Caramelia

15. Caramelia – I don’t recommend trying to adjust the stitches in the cuff of the sock unless you’re a really confident sock knitter. But you can start the ribbing right away in the cuff (and not just the last inch or so), which will give you plenty of stretch.

    If you do decide to add stitches to the cuff as an experiment, this is a good pattern to try that. It might take you a couple of times to get it just right, but you can make notes on the amount you increased in proportion to the stitch count, and use that info for socks you knit in the future. Good luck!
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16. Thank you, I think I’ll first try an all-ribbing cuff, before I try to alter the pattern! That’s a very good suggestion.

    Caramelia

17. the pattern for the german short rows socks is for men women and children. what size are the children socks?

18. Lorna – the kids’ size is from about 7 years old to pre-teen…the size before a kid’s foot becomes wide enough for a B width shoe or D width shoe. There is plenty of stretch in the sock, so there is a good range.

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19. Hi Staci, Thank you so much for sharing all these videos, they really help. I am wondering how can I work these toe-up socks with sock yarn? Is it not possible? I have a stash of Patons sock yarn and would love to use it up. Thanks again. P.S. You are a really great teacher!!!

20. Maria – (text from the blog post above) These socks are knit with either DK or Sport weight yarn (also called 8-ply). This weight of yarn allows you to learn the techniques quickly and complete the socks, and you get a nice weight of socks when you’re finished. Once you follow this tutorial and learn how to apply the German Short Row technique to socks, you can easily take that skill and apply them to other sock patterns you’d like to knit, in any weight of yarn.

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21. Hi Staci,

    I am so excited to have finished my very first sock ever!! I don’t think I would have attempted it without your video help. I just have one question…when I finish the foot and switch needle sides to start the heel, I need to do a purl row on the heel needle to get the yarn in the starting place to knit row 1 (hope that makes sense). I know there is a purl row at the beginning for the toe, but I am afraid I may be doing something wrong. It seems to still work out ok, but maybe you might have an idea of what I may be doing.

    Thank you again for all the work you place into teaching.
    Linda

22. Linda – don’t worry about doing anything wrong…I say in the video and pattern that if you ever find yourself with your yarn in the incorrect position, just knit or purl a row to get it where it belongs. No harm done.

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23. Hi Staci….I SO MUCH want to knit socks…..I have your “Bulky Sock” Pattern and all of the supplies, but I have not found a window of time to give it a go….and the truth is I am intimidated!! I would gladly purchase this pattern if you think it would be easier for a “first time”– the other pattern will be happily used I am sure once I get going!! If you could let me know what you think would be better for a first timer- this one or the one I already have!!! THANK YOU!!!! Courtney

24. Hi Courtney – hmm…it’s kind of a trade off. The German Short Rows are easier to work than the wraps & turns in the Bulky Sleep Socks pattern, but the bulkier yarn makes wraps & turns really easy. I’d have to say that the two patterns require equal skill and concentration. If you end up giving both of them a go, maybe you’ll let me know which one you thought was easier?

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25. Hi, just downloadedToe up a socks German short rows. Was able to download instructions but tutorial I get is only the one you get that stops at bind off. Nothing with Magic Loop??? Am sure it must be ME but would like to get Magic Loop instructions. Thank you, JO Ann

26. Jo Ann – the pattern is ten pages long…if you didn’t get all ten pages, you may want to re-download. Instructions for magic loop and two at-a-time are at the end of the pattern.

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27. I’m going to purchase this pattern and make a pair in the yarn recommended. Up above you mention that this technique (GSR) can be applied to other yarn weights. Would I be able to utilize this new technique with your bulky sleep sock pattern and the recommended cast on etc for that pattern. I’d like to be able to make many pairs quickly and I love the tutorial for this one versus the turns and wraps of the bulky sleep sock pattern.

28. Dorothy – yes, absolutely. If you knit each of those two patterns as written, you’ll easily be able to substitute GSRs for the wraps & turns in the Bulky Sleep Socks pattern. In fact, the exact same techniques are used in both patterns, aside from the GSRs. (If you’re like me, you’ll probably find yourself substituting GSRs for wraps & turns in all sock patterns you knit forever!)

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29. Hi Staci, I’ve become addicted to wearing hand knit socks, which leaves me little recourse but to knit them! Now that I have several pairs done, I’m interested in breaking up the long runs of stockinette (I’m one of those people who knits faster with complexity – it keeps me engaged), and I would LOVE it if you would consider a (few?) videos on “designing” socks using your patterns. Maybe decorative stitches that work well with socks (cables, lace, ribs) and where/how to start and end them? I would love to see some examples of what you’ve done to dress up basic socks. Thanks!

30. Hi Susan – thank you for the note. We’re actually working on an online class to teach this exact thing! We’re first putting together a “design your own sweater” class, then socks should be next. No release date yet, but we’re officially starting the content for the first video tomorrow.
    🙂
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31. Hello,
    Can you tell me the largest men’s sock size is for this pattern? My husband and one of my son’s wear size 13 and I am hard pressed finding a size sock pattern that goes up to that size. Only made one pair of socks and tried changing the pattern by having my husband put his foot inside the sock during knitting but in the end the sock was to big so frustrating!

32. Jan – if your husband and son have a normal foot width, the sock instructions are for any shoe size.

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33. Staci,

    I love the idea of the GSR and i’m excited to try it. I know you have listed this pattern as using sports/dk weight. If I wanted to use regular sock weight yarn am i able to do so with this pattern? Would I go up to the next larger size? I would love to find that one pattern that I can utilize all yarn weights…

34. Lisa – you’ll need an entirely different pattern with different numbers if you want to change the gauge. This pattern is a tutorial, designed to teach you the skills you need, so you can move on to all kinds of other patterns in different styles and yarn weights.

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35. Hi, when doing the GSR on the “pick up wraps” rows, should those knitted two together stitches, when they are pulled up look really bulky? Mine look like they have three strands of yarn all snugged together on the needle. Thanks in advance. 🙂

36. Becky – it sort of is what it is…if you’ve watched the video and seen how the technique works, I’m sure your sock looks as it is supposed to. There is some extra bulk there, but I think you’ll find that it’s hardly noticeable after blocking.

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37. I may have a solution for the commenter with wider calves. I knit a version with a fisherman’s rib leg and cuff (a simplified brioche rib I learned from a sweater I knit), and it was much stretchier and less distorted when stretched than a standard rib. It is much slower to knit since you almost have to work 2 rounds to get one of height, and it uses more yarn. It also looks a little odd off the foot, since the rib is “fluffier” than standard, but looks very nice on. No increases or changes to the pattern necessary!

38. Hi Staci! I’m loving this pattern and I’m about to start the stretchy bind off on my first sock. Is the stretchy bind off written out in the pattern? I was just wondering if I’m missing it. I did get all 10 pages but I may be overlooking it.
    Thanks so much for all your great work!

39. Glynda – I don’t write it out in the pattern, but I demonstrate it in the video. I also demonstrate it in this short, separate video:
    https://verypink.com/2015/03/04/simple-stretchy-bind-off/

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40. Thanks, Staci!!

41. Thanks for this video, I’ve been wanting to knit more socks but hate the wrap and turn portion. Can’t wait to purchase this pattern and start my next magic loop two at a time pair. Also great knowing that sport weight yarn works up well.

    Thanks so much for your clear and personable instruction. It’s a pleasure to watch your videos…not stuffy!

42. Staci…I bought the pattern and loved making the socks. I even made two pair back to back…the directions were so clear! The sock is too big for my foot and I would like to use fewer stitches. Is there a formula for recalculating the short rows when you use different cast on numbers?

43. Sandra – changing the cast-on number really changes the whole pattern…if your socks were too big, I suggest going down a needle size or two, instead

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44. Hi,

    I have just watched several of your tutorials and purchased the German short row socks. Does it matter that I knit in the opposite direction to you?

45. Theresa – when you say that you “knit the opposite direction” as me, are you saying that you knit on to an empty needle in your left hand? Not many people knit that way, and it’s called “mirror knitting”. Here is a video that explains more:
    https://verypink.com/2012/09/26/backwards-or-mirror-knitting/

    If this is the way you knit and you’re experienced with translating patterns to accommodate your knitting style, then you should be fine. If you’re a newer knitter, you will probably have some difficulty, since my patterns are pretty detailed about left needle and right needle, and the videos demonstrate knitting on to an empty needle in the right hand. You may want to ask for help at your local yarn shop for some guidelines on reworking patterns to make them work for you.

    Hope that helps!
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46. Hi Staci,

    Why does the checkout have a place for a coupon code?

47. Barbara – I don’t currently have any coupon promotions (or any other promotion) running.

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48. Hi Staci
    Been loving you and your tutorials for several years now. Im working up o knitting along to make this sock pattern – yikes! My first socks ever!

    I want to knit them in superwash merino with a little nylon content so greedy bugs dont nibble them here in the tropics. Can you direct me to such a yarn?

    Secondly i wish to buy a set of interchangeables (my pref right now are AddiAdd) but im terribly orn between the choices: lace, long lace, turbo or bamboo. Its driving me crazy. I wonder if you can offer any further info re needles thanks

    Thanks for the MOST WONDERFUL tutorials ever!
    Cheers Seren (its actually Sehryn but then people never get the pronunciation hence the phonetic version)

49. Seren – thank you for the note. The yarn that I list out for the pattern is just that fiber content. The yarn is Knit Picks Hawthorne Sport.

    There are a lot of choices with needles…here is a link to a four-part video series I did for Knitter’s Pride, called “Find Your Needle”:
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfIHTvbSGLAtljgG6xAyljjCH1r3-JxSv

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50. Thanks Staci

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