Green Stripey Socks with an Afterthought Heel

April 27, 2011

When I got this great yarn at Rae’s, I wanted to get going on some socks. This is just a plain, stockinette sock using the technique I learned at Rae’s to knit socks without a pattern, toe-up. I decided to knit the leg in plain stockinette because I just wanted the self striping yarn to show without any texture.

Barbara, who teaches that sock class at Rae’s, really prefers an afterthought heel, placing waste yarn as you knit, which is easily picked out later for the heel. Having done socks with both a gusset/heel flap and the afterthought technique, I’ve come to prefer the afterthought heel, too. It’s by far the simplest method, requiring no pattern or keeping track of short rows and Barbara feels it’s the most comfortable to wear.

Another bonus with an afterthought heel – you basically knit a whole tube for the sock, from toe to cuff, and so it doesn’t interrupt your self striping yarn or any other pattern that you’re doing.

I also did a Russian bind-off for the cuff, which I really liked using this method (love this lady’s accent). I had tried the Russian bind-off in Wendy Johnson’s book, Socks from the Toe Up, and did not like that version at all.

Pattern: None!
Yarn: Pagewood Farm, Forest Camo
Yarn for Toes/Heels: Yarn Hollow Bitty/Jade
Needles: US #0, circular, using magic loop
Ravelry Page

Posted in finished objects, knitting, magic loop, socks/footwear, techniques | Tagged afterthought-heel, toe-up |

7 comments

Those socks look really lovely!! I haven’t tried the afterthought heel technique, but it looks so appealing!
by Julie April 27, 2011 at 3:56 pm

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- I Luv making socks. I’m loving the afterthought heel. Pls tell me how I can get a pattern. I really really would luv to try the afterthought heel technique.
  by Carol Els April 22, 2016 at 10:49 pm
  
  Reply
I love how the stockinette really highlights your beautiful yarn! These socks will surely be a favorite, I’m sure…
by Jenny April 27, 2011 at 9:35 pm

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Yours socks are really great! I just love the colors you chose!
by Dona April 29, 2011 at 2:15 am

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- Beautifully knitted socks, and they look sooooo cosy 😀 I’m not a big sock knitter but must try the afterthought heel. Russian bind offs (I use two different methods) are already amongst my favourites though. Have you tried the bind off
  here, I have a friend who swears by it for socks.
  by Annie May 3, 2011 at 5:43 am
  
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  - Annie: Thanks for the bind-off link! I will check it out.
    by italiandishknits May 3, 2011 at 7:14 am
dommage que tout ne soit pas en Français
by nicolas94 February 5, 2016 at 1:41 pm

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