sock heel names

redstach wrote

on Feb 13, 2009 8:09 AM

 Was reading, there are different heel names and ways to knit a heel, could someone explain the differences and how to work them. Thanks

AndreaW wrote

on Feb 14, 2009 11:32 AM

 Hi...

There are countless ways to knit heels. probably the most common is to make a heel flap (2.5 -3" ?) long using approx 1/2 the total # of sts....make a small triangular section of shaping @ the bottom of the heel...pick up sts along the sides of the flap...knit down the foot dec'ing 1 st ea side of the gusset (every 2nd rnd) until you get back to the orig # of sts. The flap is often worked in a slip st patt to reinforce it. may also be worked "eye of partridge" or another st patt.  There are also short row heels/ afterthought heels/ Dutch heels/ etc/ etc. Just start looking around @ patterns + you will see various types. If you see an unfamiliar name...try googling it.

This link will take you to an article @ Knitty that discusses some types of heels + toes:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall08/FEATsocks102.html

This link is for a heel type I ran across the other day. I think it would be especially nice w/ striped yarns:

http://anleitungen.bestrickendes.de  then click on "free patts" in the left column + scroll down to "Horseshoe Heel".

    Enjoy.......Andrea

JoeR wrote

on Feb 15, 2009 12:49 PM

 The link to that AndreaW supplies leads to a heel that I've only seen before in a German knitting book published in the 1930's by the company now known as Schackenmeyer. (Makers of Regia.)  It is a fantastically comfortable heel and has become a favorite of mine.  A similar heel that wouldn't be quite as "loose" would be to do a French heel for half of the stitches, switching to a Dutch (or German) heel to finish.

redstach wrote

on Feb 16, 2009 6:18 AM

 Thanks, i am fairly new to sock knitting and i only know the flap and sl st one, i really would like to try new ones, so thank you, redstach

redstach wrote

on Feb 16, 2009 6:20 AM

 Thank you , i want to try these heels and thanks for the sites, i am fairly new to sock knitting but am enjoying doing so, Redstach

redstach wrote

on Mar 9, 2009 7:30 AM

 Thanks , that helps a lot, i am fairly new to sock knitting, but love it and was seeing  those great looking heels. will google. Thanks