In today’s video, we take a look at the Round Heel and the Half Handkerchief Heel. These are the most common modern cuff-down heel-flap heels in use today. They fit very well and are not difficult to work.
The only difference between these two is in how close to the center of the heel flap the first decreases happen. The short rows in the heel turn don’t require a wrap and turn or other gap closing method because the decreases actually close the gaps. Many knitters don’t even realize that a heel turn is actually a set of short rows!
If you want to try these heels out, here are a couple of tutorial patterns:
Tutorial Pattern, Round Heel:
Work the homework first (found here), or work from another sock heel in the series.
Flap:
Working flat over 20 sts (half our total sock sts):
Row 1 (RS): *Sl 1, k1; rep from * nine more times, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p19.
Repeat Rows 1-2 nine more times for 20 total rows. Place marker at center of heel sts.
Turn:
Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, knit to marker, sm, k2, ssk, k1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Row 3: Sl 1, knit to 1 st before the gap, ssk, k1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Row 4: Sl 1, purl to 1 st before the gap, p2tog, p1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Repeat Rows 3-4 until all heel sts have been worked, ending with a WS row.
(Last two rows will end with an ssk and p2tog.) 12 sts on heel.
Gusset:
Next Round: Sl 1, knit to marker, sm, knit to end of heel, pick up and knit 10 sts along side of heel, pm, knit across instep sts, pm, pick up and knit 10 sts along other side of heel, knit to bottom of heel. 52 sts.
Rnd 1: Knit to 2 sts from marker, k2tog, sm, knit across instep, sm, ssk, knit to bottom of heel. 2 sts decreased.
Rnd 2: Knit around.
Repeat these two rnds until 40 sts total remain.
Knit a couple rounds plain.
Leave sts on the needle for the next heel.
Tutorial Pattern, Half Handkerchief Heel:
Work the homework first (found here), or work from another sock heel in the series.
Flap:
Working flat over 20 sts (half our total sock sts):
Row 1 (RS): *Sl 1, k1; rep from * nine more times, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p19.
Repeat Rows 1-2 nine more times for 20 total rows. Place marker at center of heel sts.
Turn:
Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, knit to marker, sm, ssk, k1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p1, p2tog, p1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Row 3: Sl 1, knit to 1 st before the gap, ssk, k1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Row 4: Sl 1, purl to 1 st before the gap, p2tog, p1, turn. 1 st decreased.
Repeat Rows 3-4 until all heel sts have been worked, ending with a WS row.
(Last two rows will end with an ssk and p2tog.) 10 sts on heel.
Gusset:
Next Round: Sl 1, knit to marker, sm, knit to end of heel, pick up and knit 10 sts along side of heel, pm, knit across instep sts, pm, pick up and knit 10 sts along other side of heel, knit to bottom of heel. 50 sts.
Rnd 1: Knit to 2 sts from marker, k2tog, sm, knit across instep, sm, ssk, knit to bottom of heel. 2 sts decreased.
Rnd 2: Knit around.
Repeat these two rnds until 40 sts total remain.
Knit a couple rounds plain.
Leave sts on needles for next heel.
I hope this was informative!! Let me know in the comments if you’ve worked this type of heel before or if you try the tutorial pattern out!
Stay tuned on Friday for the next post in the Sock September series! Until then, Happy Sock Knitting!