Lesson 4: The Gusset
October 12, 2006 by Katherine
On page 2 of the sock pattern we are up to the dotted line on the chart. Today, we will be working increases on the back of the sock to create a gusset. Since gansey sweaters were work garments often worn as underwear and fit snugger than we wear now, the underarm gusset eased the fit for reaching. There are a variety ways to work gussets. The gusset in this sock pattern is just one of those and adds the fabric needed to accommodate the heel.
On each side of the leg chart, just above the dotted line, you see diagonal lines coming out of the purl dot. This is the only time these symbols are used in this pattern and they start the gusset. You can find these symbols on the Chart Key. On the chart, you will see the following:
This round starts on the knit stitch above the mock seam kb stitches. That row now reads:
k1, increase in the next stitch by working a knit 1 then purl 1 in the bump below, k11, p1, k5, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k5, p1, k11, increase in the last stitch of the round
On the second, it looks like we lost a stitch, but we didn’t. This little bit of fudging won’t show. We are simply shifting the beginning of the round (and our thinking) to the right. The center back of the sock is still above the mock-seam stitch, but the beginning of the round keeps shifting to the right as we work gusset increases.
The next new chart symbols we encounter are increases on each side of the gusset. Feel free to use your own favorite increases if you wish. These are the ones I use since they leave no holes. One leans to the left and the other leans to the right. Here is a diagram of how they are worked (I call these lifted increases):
RIGHT INCREASE: Knit the stitch from the left needle. Pick up the loop of the stitch below the one just knit and knit into that loop. LEFT INCREASE: Knit the loop below the stitch on the left needle. Knit into the actual stitch.
There are 20 increases in the gusset (10 on each side). When you’ve completed two rounds past the last set of increases, you will be ready to start turning the heel. We will work on that tomorrow.
[...] stitches around for the foot and the leg. I used what I call “lifted increases.” This LINK will to a page that shows a diagram for this kind of increase (look at the end of the page). k1+m1 [...]