If you follow me on instagram you will know that I have become quite the avid sock knitter! I have tried multiple different kinds of heel types and thought I would share my thoughts & experiences.
1)Heel Flap & Gusset: This is what is known as a traditional heel flap, with a slip 1, knit 1 pattern. This was the first type of heel I tried and spoiler alert it is my favourite heel to knit. When I first started knitting I found this heel to be very slow to knit but as I have knit more and more socks it has quickly become my favourite heel type and I can knit it up quite quickly.
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| Traditional heel flap |
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| Stockinette heel flap |
There are multiple variations of the traditional heel flap & gusset including an eye of partridge heel flap & a stockinette heel flap. You can also do a Slip 2 Knit 2 flap instead of a Slip 1 knit 1 flap.
2)Afterthought heel: I HATE knitting an afterthought heel lol. I LOVE the look of it but I have such a hard time picking up the stitches and cutting the yarn and unpicking it. I also really struggle with knitting the heel in a way that fits me. I either make it too tight or too loose.
A variation on this is the forethought heel which I find marginally easier lol. This is where you place a piece of scrap yarn in where you want to place your heel to keep the stitches live. I find it easier especially if I use a color of yarn that is a very different color then my sock but I still struggle with fit. Maybe I just need to play with it more. It is nice to just be able to knit a sock in the round uninterrrupted.
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| forethought heel |
3)Integrated heel: This is a new to me heel type that is by Ailbíona McLochlainn. You knit the "heel flap" in the round as you go.I do not want to give too much away as this is a paid for pattern , but I enjoyed knitting it. I did try knitting it again and doing a Slp1K1 pattern to make it look more like a traditional heel flap and it just didn't work for me and I ended up frogging it.
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| integrated heel |
4)Short row heel: I tried this once, it was a disaster. That is about all I can say about this type of heel. Just not for me.
5)Magic heel: This I guess technically could be considered an integrated heel but it is so different looking I felt it needed to be counted separately. It has no Shaping, but again I do not want to give too much away because it is a paid for pattern. I have not YET tried this heel type but I definitely plan to.
What is your favourite or least favourite heel type?!?!?
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