Go Forth And Kitchener
So, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for.
The best advice I can give you is to read the instructions through one time before trying to close the toe of your sock. I know they seem lengthy, but let each step sink in before moving to the next. Also, there are a fair number of large photos so please be patient while they load.
The Kitchener Stitch Demystified
Reliable sources tell me that the prospect of working the Kitchener stitch can instill fear in the hearts of the most experienced knitters. Call me crazy, but I’ve never had any trouble working the Kitchener stitch. In fact, it’s my favorite way to end the toe of a sock. It makes a neat, smooth edge that looks impressive and doesn’t loosen or come unraveled. The technique can be demystified by thinking in terms of “knit stitches” on the “knit needle” and “purl stitches” on the “purl needle.”
After you complete the toe decreases for your sock, divide the remaining stitches equally onto two needles with the instep stitches on one needle and the sole stitches on the other. Break the yarn and thread it through a tapestry needle. Now, hold the two needles parallel so the yarn is coming from the first stitch on the back needle.
The front needle (i.e., the needle closest to you) I’ll call the “knit needle” because the knit stitches are facing you. The back needle I’ll call the “purl needle” because the purl stitches are facing you.
There are only three basic rules to remember before you begin:
Basic rule #1 (with one exception): The yarn will be drawn through each stitch twice; once as if to knit and once as if to purl. When working the stitches on the “knit needle,” always thread the yarn as if to knit when you work the first stitch on the knit needle and thread it as if to purl when you work the second stitch on the knit needle. When working the stitches on the “purl needle,” always thread the yarn as if to purl when you work the first stitch on the purl needle and thread it as if to knit when you work the second stitch on the purl needle. The only exception: The yarn is threaded through the first stitch on each needle only once.
Basic rule #2 (no exceptions): When you draw the yarn through the stitch on the “knit needle” as if to knit, the stitch is slipped off the needle. When you draw the yarn through the stitch on the “knit needle” as if to purl, the stitch stays on the needle.
Basic rule #3 (no exceptions): When you draw the yarn through the stitch on the “purl needle” as if to purl, the stitch is slipped off the needle. When you draw the yarn through the stitch on the “purl needle” as if to knit, the stitch stays on the needle.
Got it? Great, now you can finish the toe of any sock by following these two steps:
Step #1:
Thread the yarn through the first stitch on the “knit needle” as if to knit. Slip the stitch off the needle.
Thread the yarn through the next stitch on the “knit needle” as if to purl and leave the stitch on the needle.
Step #2:
Thread the yarn through the first stitch on the “purl needle” as if to purl. Slip the stitch off the needle.
Thread the yarn through the next stitch on the “purl needle” as if to knit and leave the stitch on the needle.
That’s it!
And here’s a tip: When you pull the yarn through the stitch, pull snuggly. Not tight, but snug.
Just keep following Steps 1 & 2 until you run out of stitches.
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Susan | knitting, designing, socks, tutorials
Great pic-tutorial. Thanks!
Now, that’s a downright clear, well explained tutorial. I even knew how to Kitchener before, but always found myself questioning my technique. I think that I’ll print out this posting “just in case” I need a refresher. Thank you.
One tip worth mentioning, because it was one of the things that caused me serious grief when I was first learning the kitchener, is to make sure as you switch between the knit and purl needles, the working yarn (with the blunt needle) lays UNDER your knitting needles. My first attempts at kitchener, I was laying the yarn across the tops of the knitting needles and it caused a really wonky “wrong side looking” graft.
Also, leave the grafted stitches loose. Once your done kitchenering, go back to the beginning on the right and firm up the stitches by pulling the yarn one stitch at a time. Its easy to go back and tighten up. Its NOT easy to go back and loosen if you do it too tight the first time.
Hope all that made sense
Great tutorial, Susan. I’m like you, I’ve never had a problem with kitchener.
Call me crazy too because I never have problems with the kitchener stitch. Great tutorial for those who do! Thanks again for the fun pattern!
You deal with the first stitch on each needle differently than I’ve ever read before. I’m going to have to try it… I think it will help avoid the pointy corners I get when I kitchener.
Yay! I’m done, I’m done! This is the same way I learned to Kitchener. I also learned a tip that helps - chanting “knit, purl; purl, knit” Do the “knit, purl” as you work the front needle, and “purl, knit” as you work the back needle. OK, so even if I don’t guess the right name for the she-who-could-not-kitchener-but-now-can socks, can I at least get a gold star for being first to post that I’ve finished? (I’m not counting those who finished ahead of time without waiting for the final instructions, Margene).
Great minds….that’s exactly how I finally got Kitchener into my head! Knit off, purl on (front), purl off, knit on (back). You must have something extra, though, because when I tried explaining this to a “certain someone”, it didn’t take. Maybe you had to BE there!
My socks are finished! I love this pattern. Cheryl, I also use the ‘chanting’ method when I kitchner. (Learned that from Silver’s sock tutorial on my very first pair). I had not thought of the two needles as a knit needle and a purl needle though. Good idea.
I used Wick yarn; they will be great hiking socks for my daughter.
Susan, thank you again!
I find that I talk to myself when I Kitchener - ‘knit-off-purl, purl-off-knit’. Don’t try to talk to me when I finishing my toes!!!
I start a little differently though - I start the knit needle with a purl stitch, then the purl needle with a knit stitch. That way you do end up going thru each stitch twice before it comes off the needle.
i learned to kitchener from lovely big photos at ’socknitters’ dot com. yours are beautiful as well, Susan but what do y’all do to …uhm..finish off the yarn at the far end? weave in is what i mean to say, how do y’all weave in the far end?
i’moffnowto post a pix
blast and moth holes! the BatCam eats up batteries faster than i don’t know what! unable to photograph right now but take my unphoto’ed word for it, the socks are mighty fine.
Look at all the people bragging about being able to Kitchener! At least I’m one of them now. HOWEVER, I still like my round toes;-)
Lovely display of Kitchener. I learned mine from Silver’s Sock Tutorial http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Toes2.htm
but your closeups are NICE! My first sock is almost there. Will post finished pics on my blog soon.
I despair of ever catching on, but I’ll try with your instructions. The “rules” seem like very helpful mnemonics. It never occured to me that knit stitches get slipped off the knit needle and purl stitches off the purl needle!
Thanks for that pattern! It was fast, fun and I had the perfect yarn for it. I love making socks that only take a few days. Those that use little yarn and little needles take forever!
Sheri in GA
Fantastic pictures! They are actually clear - which goes a long way to making tutorials uber helpful. Thank goodness you’ve been able to bring Margene over to the dark side (albeit kicking and screaming.)
Yay! Wonderful! I also agree that including the information about keeping the working yarn beneath the needles is really important. Closeup pictures and step-by-step instructions like this are what taught me because I could never picture exactly what they were talking about in written instructions! Whew. I’m so glad Margene is finally on the Kitchener wagon. hehe
Terrific tutorial!!
Finally - someone who doesn’t tell you to leave your stitches loose and snug them up later. I never could make that work.
Wow, what a great tutorial! I might even give up drawstring toes - at least these socks I will give this a good try. My next name guess is “Fear Factor Socks”:) Have a great weekend, and thanks for your generosity.
I love you!
Just sayin’…
Great tutorial. Question: how on Earth do you manage to take such great pictures of your own hands?
I’m wearing my socks!! Will get a picture up soon….Thanks for a fun sockalong.
(I chant “Knit,Purl….Purl,Knit”)
Great tutorial. Personally, I love grafting, but I’ve always been weird!
You mean there’s more than one way to end the toe of sock besides kitchener?! Smile.
I agree with you that it is easy and gives a great professional end to the socks.
Great information to pass on though.
Knit on!
Okay, I think I finally get it. Easy to memorize, too!
I love doing Kitchener, but I don’t like how my very last stitch comes out.
Would you please add some images for what you do at the end?
I’ve never had trouble kitchenering either. As I do it, I say my mental mantra:
1. Knit off, purl on (for the front needle)
2. Purl off, knit on (for the back needle).
I just get in a rhythm, and then I’m surprised when it is all over.
Thanks for helping to demystify this trick for so many people. Now, I am very interested in applying your pattern to fingering weight sock yarn.
Oh yeah, one more thing –
I pass my outermost stitches over their neighboring stitch to help avoid “doggy ears”. It sounds funny, but this step decreases your total stitch count by 2 on each needle, and gets rid of that tendency of the stitch on the end to stick out funny after kitchenering.
Thank you for the pattern.I never tryed to make socks whith hands and needles but many times on my knittingmachine.I “need” some of them whith lace but first normal and plain socks - for make a heel.
Gitte from Denmark
This is the best description of Kitchener stitch I have ever seen. I haven’t had a problem doing it before but always had to round up how-to directions each time. After reading your clear instructions I don’t think I will ever need to refer to a Kitchener cheat sheet again. Kudos. Well done.
theresa (aka fibercrone)
Susan,
Thanks for sharing such a great pattern and making it fun, as well.
My guess..”Easy Kitchener Sock”..although I named it as I was knitting it..’Serendipity’(a fortunate discovery)!
Oh thanks so much Susan..not only for a great pattern but also for the very wonderful Kitchener instructions. I was looking in a notebook today and I have about 5 different tutorials and this is the first one that actually worked for me. Yay! No more hiding the toes of my socks!
Thanks for the kitchner stitch details. I am finally “getting it” but I stll need to look it up before I do it. Yours is the best tutorial I’ve seen. I am so bummed to have missed this sock-a- long! It looks like it was fun! The sock is cool, I hope you’ll put it all together in one post. Or should I back track through your posts? It’s worth it. I’ll do it!
I just finished my first sock and am thrilled! Thank you so much for this. I just did what you said and it all came together. Can’t wait to do it again and have a pair to wear! Thanks again!
I do break out in a cold sweat each time I have to close a sock toe, but your photos are great. Even though I manage to do it, it always takes me three or four tries to get it right. I think the reason is that I’m a combined knitter, and “knitwise” and “purlwise” don’t always match my stitch orientation (although they do on socks because it is circular knitting). I’ve printed your photos to add to my arsenal of instructions for my next pair of socks.
Not being an experienced sock knitter, I have a quick question. If you forget to do round 2 of the gusset decreases, does that affect the sock? Could one get away with leaving it that way, or would they have to rip back?
/sigh
Great tutorial! I’ve been kitchenering for years, but I’ll save it and direct others here for help.
As for the socks, I’m thinking they are “Swollen Ankle Socks”. Anyway, mine are. Unblocked, the zigzag lace part is quite wide compared to the ribbed top and bottom of the legs, and the ribbing along the foot makes the feet look extra long and skinny as well. I love the pattern, though, and “on feet”, they’re just fine!
Nicely done - the pictures are so clear - just think of the multitudes of knitters who will now have beautifully closed toes.
That is an excellent explanation. Maybe I won’t need my cheat sheet now.
I have been knitting for over 35 years and have been SOOOOO embarassed that I have not been able to figure out the Kitchner stitch! Have read it in tons of books and leaflets, but now I think I have a grasp on it thanks to your blog and those who commented!!!! Knit, Purl, Purl, Knit….geeze…I was making it all too hard on myself! Thank you all!!!
This is a book-marker, for sure. Great tutorial!
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