What is a short row heel?

A short row heel is one of several methods of knitting the heel of a sock, that (fittingly) utilizes short rows for the shaping. Instead of adding increases or decreases to shape the heel, you use short rows to create the curved shape. You can use any short row method you like, but this tutorial gives instructions for wrap & turns.

When to use it

Knitting a short row heel is great for folks who want minimal finishing once they're done with the sock (as opposed to an Afterthought Heel, which is added at the end). It also makes it easy to knit the heel portion in a contrasting color!

Doodle patterns that use this technique

The Basic Doodle Sock utilizes a short row heel.

Sock construction techniques (cuffs, heels, toes) can be swapped out for others in many patterns, so it's good to learn a couple of different ways to do things to find which one you like best! Then you can use your favorite method again and again!

If you want to learn different heel construction methods, check out our posts about the  Afterthought Heel and the Gusset Heel!

INSTRUCTIONS

The difference between knitting top-down and toe-up sock heels: With short row heels, it's exactly the same! These instructions don't need any modifications no matter which direction you are knitting your sock!

MATERIALS

You'll need your sock worked per pattern up until the short row heel portion.

The short row heel is worked in two parts: In the first half, you'll use wrap & turns (W&Ts) to decrease the number of working stitches towards the base of the heel. In the second half, you'll work back outwards, resolving each W&T, to get back to the full stitch count. 

If you are making a colorwork sock, you'll probably want to work one full round in a single color prior to starting the heel section. This will give a little extra space between the chart and the heel.

PART 1 WRAPPING STITCHES FOR THE SHORT ROW HEEL

Using your heel color yarn, you will work the heel over the FIRST HALF of your stitches only. It may be helpful to place a marker at the halfway point in your knitting. 

NOTE: For the second sock, to locate BOR on the interior of the foot, as in the first sock, follow the same heel instructions, however, work the heel over the SECOND half of the stitches.

Row 1 (RS): Knit across the first half of your stitches, stopping 1 stitch before the end of your needle. Wrap and Turn (W&T), i.e. wrap the last stitch on the needle. 

Row 2 (WS): Purl back across to 1 stitch before the BOR, W&T (i.e. wrap the last stitch on the needle).

Row 3: Knit to 1 stitch before the next wrapped stitch, W&T. 

Row 4: Purl to 1 stitch before the next wrapped stitch, W&T.

Repeat Rows 3-4 until approximately 1/3 of your heel stitches remain between wraps, with approx. 1/3 of the heel stitches wrapped on either side.

You've now completed the first half of the short row heel!

PART 2 RESOLVING WRAPPED STITCHES FOR THE SHORT ROW HEEL

In the second part of this method, you will work back outwards towards the full stitch count, 'resolving' each of your wrapped stitches. 

Row 1 (RS): Knit to the first wrapped stitch, pick up the wrap, and knit the stitch together with the wrap, through the back loop. Then, W&T the next stitch (this st is now wrapped twice).

Row 2 (WS): Purl to the first wrapped stitch, pick up the wrap, and purl the stitch together with the wrap. Then, W&T the next stitch (this st is now wrapped twice).

Row 3: Knit to the first wrapped stitch (which now has 2 wraps), pick up both wraps, and knit the stitch together with both wraps, through the back loop. Then, W&T the next stitch (this st is now wrapped twice).

Row 4: Purl to the first wrapped stitch (which now has 2 wraps), pick up both wraps, and purl the stitch together with both wraps. Then, W&T the next stitch (this st is now wrapped twice).

Repeat Rows 3-4 until all the wrapped stitches are resolved (i.e. each wrap has been picked up and knit, and there are no more wrapped stitches).

On the last repeat, you will wrap the stitches both before and after the heel section (usually in the main color of the sock, if using a contrasting heel color. You can see the white stitch at the end of the heel section in our photos).  These stitches will have only a single wrap when you come to them.

Break your heel yarn. Using the sock body color, knit one complete round, picking up the last two wrapped sts as you come to them.

If you are making a colorwork sock, you'll probably want to work one full round in a single color prior to starting your next chart. This will give a little extra space between the chart and the heel.

 

Happy Doodling!

 

Blog co-written by Jamie Lomax and Grey Lundy. Yarn used is by Fangirl Fibers.