Double Heel Socks by Susan Luni
This pattern provides instructions for double-knit heel flaps and heel turns. Although full instructions for a simple sock are included in the pattern, the main focus of the pattern is the heel. Double-knit heels can be added to most cuffdown sock patterns to make the socks more durable. Besides providing two layers of fabric at the heel flap and heel turn, a two-color double-knit heel offers the opportunity to add a color pattern to the heel flap. Three charts for colorworked heel flaps are provided, along with a blank chart that can be used to create original designs. Copyright Susan Luni Designs 2014 all rights reserved Double Heel Sock Pattern by Susan Luni Materials: MC--approximately 400 yards of fingering-weight yarn for singlecolor socks. Two-color socks require an additional 25 yards of one CC for the heel. Gauge: 32 sts and 48 rounds=4"/10cm. in st st. 28 sts and 40 rows=4"/10cm. in double knitting. Needles: US 2 (2.25 mm.), set of 5 dpns, or size needed to obtain correct gauge. Take time to save time, check gauge. Size: 7"/15 cm. (8"/20 cm.) leg circumference. : stitch markers, both removable and non-removable; tapestry needle Abbreviations and Special Stitches CC: Contrasting color. Dpns: Double pointed needles. K2tog: Knit two stitches together K: Knit. MC: Main color. N: Needle; N1=Needle 1; N2=Needle 2, etc. P2tog: Purl two stitches together. P: Purl. Rearrange sts: With yarn in back, sl1 knit wise, sl2 sts together knit wise, place left needle between the 2 sts just slipped, sl leftmost st back to the left needle, reversing the direction. There will be 2 knit sts adjacent to each other on the right needle, oriented for the ssk. Complete the ssk by knitting these two sts together through the back loops. RS: Right side. Sl: Slip stitch. Sl2: At the beginning of the heel turn rows in the two-color method, slip the purl stitch purl wise with both strands of the working yarn in front of the work and the knit stitch purl wise with both strands of the working the yarn in back of the Work. Ssk: Slip, Slip, knit--slip 1 st knit wise, slip the next st knit wise, knit these two slipped stitches together through the back loops. When the second stitch is a backwards yarn over, work as slip one knit wise, slip one purl wise, and knit these two slipped stitches together through the back loops. St(s): Stitch(es). St st: Stockinette stitch. WS: Wrong side. Notes: This pattern is written for an experienced knitter, one familiar with sock construction, stranding, and double knitting, including the use of charts for double knitting. Knitters who have not tried double knitting are urged to practice on a different project, or at least start with the Slow and Easy method explained on page 3. Double knitting is a slow process. Be patient. Double Heel Sock Pattern by Susan Luni Sizing: Double knitting radically loosens tension. Using a much smaller needle for the heel will produce a more even and durable fabric. Since double-knit fabric has a looser gauge, fewer sts are required to cover the same area as single-knit fabric. A double-knit heel fits best when worked on a smaller number of sts than a single-knit heel. A double-knit heel should be large enough to accommodate most sizes, especially since using fewer sts in the heel leaves more sts for the instep. For these reasons, there is only one size of double-knit heel provided in this pattern. The instructions should produce a heel flap that is 3.5"/9.75 cm. wide and 2.25"/5.75 cm. long. If a different sized heel is needed, the number of rows or sts worked may be changed to accommodate a larger or smaller heel. Slipping sts: Unless otherwise noted, slip all sts purl wise with yarn in front.
Instructions
Leg:
Cast on 56 (64) sts with MC. Join to knit in the round. Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 1"/2.5 cm. Work in st st until leg is desired length.
Heel:
Following one of the two methods below, work heel flap and turn. Method 1. (One Color) Slow and Easy This method uses only one strand of yarn. It does not require twisting yarns at the end of the rows and, after the first row, does not include purl stitches. Easy! However, it requires two passes to produce one row. Slow! Since it does require moving the yarn back and forth between each stitch, this method is ideal for those who prefer to hold the working yarn in the left hand. Work the heel flap on 24 sts. Row 1: (RS) Sl1, (k1, leave st on left needle, p1 in same st, drop st from left needle) until 1 st remains, k1, turn. (46 sts) Row 2: Sl1, (k1, sl1) until 1 st remains, k1, turn. Repeat row 2 46 times more for total of 24 rows. (2 rows worked=1 row of fabric.)
Heel Turn:
Row 1: (RS) Sl1, (k1, sl1) 12 times (1 st pair past center of heel), rearrange sts, ssk, sl2, k1, sl1, turn. Double Heel Sock Pattern by Susan Luni Row 2: (Ws) K1, sl1, k2tog, (sl1, k1) 4 times, rearrange sts, ssk, sl2, k1, sl1, turn. Row 3: K1, sl1, k2tog, (sl1, k1) to last pair of sts before gap, rearrange sts, ssk, sl2, k1, sl1, turn. Repeat Row 3 until 1 st remains on left needle on a RS row. K1, turn. Finish heel with: Row 1: (WS) Sl1 k2tog, (sl1, k1) until 3 sts remain on left needle, sl1, rearrange sts, ssk, turn. Row 2: (RS) K1, k2tog, (sl1, k1) until 3 sts remain on left needle, rearrange sts, ssk, sl1, turn. Row 3: (WS) Rearrange sts, k2tog, (sl1, k1) until 3 sts remain on left needle, rearrange sts, ssk, sl1, turn. Row 4: (RS): Ssk, (k2tog) 12 times. 13 sts remain on heel Method 2. (Two Color) Hard and Fast This method uses two strands of yarn. It is easier to keep track of the pattern if the two strands are different colors. Using two colors allows for the inclusion of color worked patterns that follow the charts provided. The two strands must be twisted at the beginning of each row to hold the work together at the sides. A row is worked by knitting a stitch on the front side of the work, then purling a stitch on the back side of the work. Both yarns must be moved between the needles prior to each stitch. Hard! One pass completes one row, working both the front and back stitches in the same pass. Fast! lis method is best worked by holding one strand of yarn in each hand.
Notes:
Stitch Pairing: The knitted st on the RS of the heel and the purled st on the WS of the heel form a st pair. One st is knitted in one color, the next st is purled in the other color. When the chart indicates a color change, the color change occurs on both sts in the pair and will result in two sts of the same color sitting adjacent on the needle. In other words, a MC st followed by a CC st in the chart will appear as: (k1 with MC, p1 with CC, k1 with CC, p1 with MC) on the needle. The two adjacent CC sts mark the color change. Double Heel Sock Pattern by Susan Luni Moving Working Yarn: Always move both strands of the working yarns together. Before knitting a st, move both yarns to the back. Before purling a st, move both yarns to the front. In the heel turn, move both yarns to the front before slipping the purl st, then to the back before slipping the knit st. Edges: Double knitting produces a double-layered fabric. When worked with two strands, one strand for each layer, the two layers of the heel will not be joined together until the center design is worked. It is necessary to twist the strands around each other at the edges to create a join. Otherwise, the layers will not be connected at the edge. In this heel, the strands should be twisted at the beginning of each row. Slip the first st, then twist the two strands before working the next st. Do not twist the two strands of the working yarn together before knitting the first stitch after the heel turn. Setup row: Using two strands of yarn, designated MC and CC, work the heel on 25 sts. (With MC k1, leave st on left needle, with CC p1 in same st, drop st from left needle), repeat until 1 st remains on left needle, end with MC k1. 49 Ssts Begin chosen heel flap chart. All odd numbered rows are WS rows. All evennumbered rows are RS rows. Change colors according to the chart, working the knit st with the color indicated and the purl st in the other color, double knit the heel flap, working the rows as follows. Row 1: (WS) Sl1, (k1, p1) repeat to end of row, turn. Row 2: (RS) Sl1, (p1, k1) repeat to end of row, turn. Rows 1 and 2 11 more times, then Row 1 once more, completing cha
Heel Turn:
Row 1: (RS) SIl1, (with CC p1, with MC k1) repeat 12 times, with CC p1, rearrange sts, with MC ssk, with CC p2tog, with MC k1, with CC p1, turn. 8 st pairs and one knit st remain on left needle before turn. Row 2: (WS) SI2, (with CC k1, with MC p1) twice, rearrange sts, with CC ssk, with MC p2tog, with CC k1, with MC p1, turn. 9 st pairs remain on left needle before turn. Row 3: (RS) SI2, (with MC k1, with CC p1) until 2 sts remain before gap (the stitch pair that was slipped at the beginning of Row 2), rearrange sts, with MC ssk, with CC p2tog, with MC k1, with CC p1, turn. Double Heel Sock Pattern by Susan Luni Row 4: (WS) SI2, (with CC k1, with MC p1) until 2 sts remain before gap, rearrange sts, with CC ssk, with MC p2tog, with CC k1, with MC p1, turn. Repeat Rows 3 & 4 until 1 st remains on left needle after completing a RS row and 2 sts remain on left needle after completing the next WS row. K1, turn. Finish heel with: Row 1: (RS) SI2, (with MC k1, with CC p1) until 2 sts remain before gap, rearrange sts, with MC ssk, with CC p1, turn. Row 2: (last WS row) Sl1, (with CC k1, with MC p1) repeat until 2 sts remain before gap, with CC ssk, with MC p2tog. Row 3: (last RS row) 13 pairs of sts on needle. Break CC. With MC, ssk 13 times. 13 sts remain on heel.
Gusset:
With MC, pick up and knit 12 sts along left side of heel flap, work instep in pattern, pick up and knit 12 sts along right side of heel flap, knit the 13 sts of the heel turn. Round 1: K until two sts remain in gusset, k2tog, work instep in pattern, ssk, k to end of round. Rounds 2 & 3: Knit all sts. Repeat Rounds 1-3 six times. 25 sts remain in sole.
Foot:
Knit in pattern until foot is 2"/10 cm. shorter than desired length.
Toe:
Decrease toe as follows: Row 1: K to last 3 sts on N1, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k to last 2 sts on N3, ssk, k1, ssk, k to end of round. Row 2: Knit all sts. Double Heel Sock Pattern by Susan Luni Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 20 sts remain. Place sts on two needles and graft toe closed, using Kitchener st. Finishing: Use tapestry needle to weave in ends. Block as desired.
In the photo above, double-knit heels were inserted into another sock pattern. A contrasting color was used for the background, with the design worked in the yarn used for the socks. This color scheme can be reversed. As an example, in the three socks featured in the photos shown on pages 8-10, the heel is continued in the yarn used for the socks, while the double-knit heel design is worked in a contrasting color.
Method 2 Charts, Argyle
odd numbered rows are WS rows. All even-numbered rows are RS rows.
Copyright Susan Luni Designs 2014 all rights reserved
Method 2 Charts, Fish
doubleknit (k1 in MC,p1inCCon RS;k1in CC,p1in MCon WS) double knit (k1 in CC, p1 in MC on RS; k1 in MC, p1 in CC on WS) sl1stpwwyi sl1stpwwyib All odd numbered rows are WS rows. All even-numbered rows are RS rows.
Method 2 Charts, Leaf
double knit (k1 in MC,p1 in CCon RS;k1 in CC,p1 in MC on WS) double knit (k1 in CC, p1 in MC on RS; k1 in MC, p1 in CC on WS) sl1stpwwyif sl1stpwwyib odd numbered rows are WS rows. All even-numbered rows are RS rows.
The chart above will produce the leaf shown in the photo to the left, a leaf with three set of veins. The sock in the photo on the first page of this pattern has only two sets of veins. The set depicted on lines 11-14 of the chart is omitted. Additionally, the sock in the photo on the first page has 32 stitches in the heel.
Method 2 Charts, Blank
double knit (k1 in MC,p1 in CCon RS;k1 in CC,p1 in MC on WS) Jsl1stpwwyif sl1stpwwyib
The photo above shows Method 1 heel on the left and the inside of a Method 2 heel on the right. These heels were knit on their own as a pattern test.
