Recommended Toe-Up Sock Patterns

[evilawyer]

I've decided to give toe-up socks a try for a change, but I can't find any patterns that I've been able to execute without big holes all along the turn of the heel. This might be okay if I was going for a fishnet effect, but I'm not. Does anyone have a pattern they'd recommend that has stitches to avoid this problem?

Thanks.

Comments

[commodorified]

I have great love for the short row heel, and so long as I wrap and turn I don't get holes.

Or if I do it's one fairly tiny hole at the first turn that can be fixed by a bit of gentle tugging when I go past there again.

[evilawyer]

I'm not sure why it's not working for me, but I will try the linked pattern. Thanks!

[pinesandmaples]

Wrap-and-turn heels do have a learning curve. It takes practice and a balance to get the heels looking crisp. Some knitters are really lucky and manage to find their ideal tension for the heels the first time or two, but lots of people end up with holes that look too open.

WAT heels work really well for me, and I love the way they turn out...but I seem to be in the minority of folks who had good-looking heels from the beginning. I'm cautious when I recommend them because those holes (what the OP seems to be getting) put people off of an otherwise good technique. I have many loves for it, though.

[commodorified]

Mmmm, fair point. I tend to be a slow learner and I had all KINDS of issues at first with short rows in general so I guess I assumed that if WAT heels worked first go for me that must mean they were easy :-)

I also tend to do them in garter stitch, originally because I hated purling back and now because I like the way they come out. This may be helping avoid holes.

The hardest part is making sure I ALWAYS pick up each wrap/both wraps on the second half. Miss a wrap and I get a hole, sure as eggs is eggs.

[pinesandmaples]

The hardest part is making sure I ALWAYS pick up each wrap/both wraps on the second half. Miss a wrap and I get a hole, sure as eggs is eggs.

Huh. That is not true for me. Knitting is so freaking wild sometimes. I can just hear Taggert (from Eureka) stage-whispering to yarn shop employees, "It's a jungle out there." Then he'd probably pull his night-vision goggles down and try to hide behind a potted plant.

[evilawyer]

I also tend to do them in garter stitch, originally because I hated purling back and now because I like the way they come out. This may be helping avoid holes.

I did experiment with this, and the holes weren't as much of a problem. It made the heels a little to padded and rough, and I was worried about comfort or undue pressure on the heel of the foot (one person I make things for has really poor circulation in his legs and feet, and things like too thick socks can cause him wound problems).

[commodorified]

*nods* Reading this comment thread I'm sorely tempted to suggest waiting for a full moon and turning the yarn four times widdershins before casting on.

I knew knitting was highly personal but I'm always amazed by HOW personal...

[evilawyer]

It really is, isn't it? I remember how amazed I was the first time I saw how many different ways people cast on, even. And how much something that works for one person can result in nothing but frustration for someone else.

Thanks for the help.

[snakeling]

I haven't had that problem with the generic toe-up sock pattern :)

[evilawyer]

I'll try it. Thanks!

[hugh_mannity]

I use a slightly different Generic Toe-Up Sock Pattern which uses short row toes and heels. It avoids the dreaded gaposis by doing a double wrap thing.

There will always be a tendency to holes and your gauge will affect how much they show. A tighter gauge will be less holey.

[evilawyer]

Thank you for the link. And you speak wisdom --- I need to remember to be more patient at the heels and be more accepting of the fact that there is, in fact, always going to be some space there.

[pinesandmaples]

Short-row heels do get better with practice, if you want to return to the technique in the future.

But there are loads of other options. Take a gander at the heel treatment used in Widdershins to start you out on an alternative route.

Two other techniques that might work for you are the afterthought heel and a gusseted heel. I've never done either of these two, but they seem to be well-mapped out and clever.

[evilawyer]

That gusseted heel looks like a possibility. Thanks for the links.

[ginny_t]

I second the gusset recommendation. Once I did the Waterfall socks (PDF), that became my very favourite sock heel. I substitute it in to other socks quite cheerfully. (Here's the Ravelry link, too.)

Actually, that sock is one of my favourites, period. It helps that I knit it out of mmmmmalabrigo sock. *sigh*

[evilawyer]

That sounds absolutely decadent!

[ginny_t]

It really rather is. When Mmmmmalabrigo sock first came out, I was in love but resistant to putting it on feet. I had some left over from another project, so I figured I would. I am now a firm believer in luxury socks. It's quite the experience. *_*

[annaoj]

My absolute favorite short-row heel technique I got from the Misocrafty blog, which seems to be gone. However, I found it on the Internet Wayback Machine: http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20090629233501/http://misocrafty.squarespace.com/journal/2006/9/21/short-row-heel-tutorial.html?

It results in great heels, with no big holes.

[evilawyer]

Yes, I can see how that technique would make a huge difference. Thanks!

[indeliblesasha]

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATtiptoptoes.html

This is the tutorial I've been working with, it took me a few tries to work out how the wrap and turn works, but I have had no holes once I figured it out. :D

[evilawyer]

Thank you for the link. The wrap does appear to take practice. I should be more patient.

[indeliblesasha]

Have you ever worked short rows? I don't know if this will help or confuse you further - http://sameknit.blogspot.com/2007/04/yarn-over-short-rows.html this is a GREAT tutorial on short rows with no holes, and it's similar, at least to mind mind.

It was when I remembered this technique that the toe-up wrap and turn finally clicked for me. I hope it helps. :)

[evilawyer]

I have, but it wasn't on an article of clothing worn at a joint and so it didn't show the holes as badly. I figure I'm clearly due for a refresher given how the socks have been coming out. Thanks for the link --- I'm sure it will help.

[ironed_orchid]

I've just made my first sock using the lifestyle socks formula which has no wrapping, and it turned out pretty well.

[evilawyer]

Thanks for the link. Wrapping does seem to be one of those things that takes lots of practice. Another way of doing is most welcome in the interim.

[clare_dragonfly]

Fleegle sock. I love this pattern. No wrapping, and it's totally customizable to your foot (useful for me, as I have very narrow feet).

[evilawyer]

That sounds very good, as I've got one foot that wide by the toes but very narrow at the heel. Thanks for the link!

[starfish]

I second the Fleegle heel and also rec her short-row method whole-heartedly.

(As you have noticed, there are many many answers to your question. Ain't knitting grand? *g*)

[evilawyer]

Thanks for the links. So many ways....

Grand and highly personal. Great stuff.

[ginny_t]

I third that recommendation. It's the technique I use for all my increases. I would try it for sock heels, but I have my favourite sock heel. ^_~

[aunty_marion]

I've found that the method used on the Express Lane socks, which uses yarn-overs instead of wraps, is very neat at the corners. It only takes a short while to get used to the slip/slip/knit3tog working on the return rows, and I like it so much that I've printed out just that section of the pattern to use on other toe-up socks.

[evilawyer]

Thanks. I shall give it a try.

[black_hound]

When I do toe up I do a gusset heel because I find the short row heels don't fit my foot well enough, which is just as well because I have the devil's own time picking up the wraps so they don't leave holes. I've tried all sorts of different methods and I guess I just don't have the knack.

My favorite toe up sock for overall fit and construction is Widdershins from Knitty.

[evilawyer]

Yes, I think I'm going to have to try a gusset heel. One of the methods recommended by another comm member did a great job of minimizing the holes, but the heel, I can tell, is going to give me problems with slipping because it's a little too loose, even with modifying the pattern to reduce the number of stitches. I think the gusseted heel will do a better job of hugging the heel/Achilles' tendon.

Thanks for the link.

[maegquare]

I'm working on my first pair of toe-up socks and have just reached the heel. So far, so good. I'm doing the basic socks with slip-stitch heel from Wendy Johnson's first book.

I did find this tutorial I had forgotten that I bookmarked in Ravelry for a No Wrap Short Row Heel. I don't know if this is any different from the tutorials others mentioned, but thought I would pass it along if it is helpful.

[evilawyer]

Thanks for the link. I'll give that method a try, too. I used the Lifestyle Sock heel that someone here linked me to on the socks I finished this past week. They turned out pretty good although, as another commenter here wisely pointed out, there's always going to be a little bit of a gap in hand made socks.