How to Knit Up the Side of a Heel Flap on a Sock

Knitted socks usually feature stitches knitted along the sides of the heel flap.

Knitting socks can sometimes seem like a daunting challenge to novice knitters. The process requires multiple techniques that are not normally seen in other knitting projects, such as making a heel flap, turning the heel, creating a gusset and finishing the toe. Picking up stitches to knit up the sides of the heel flap is another necessary technique that may be new to inexperienced knitters. Sock patterns sometimes give the instruction to pick up stitches but do not explain the method for doing so. This action requires only inserting the needles you have already been working with into stitches and wrapping the yarn to create new stitches.

Things You'll Need

• Sock knitting pattern
• Unfinished knitted sock
• Yarn
• Set of four or five double-pointed knitting needles

Instructions

1. Hold the sock with the outward side of the heel facing toward you.

2. Insert an empty double-pointed needle into the second stitch from the bottom of the right side of the heel flap. This stitch should be at the edge of the heel flap. Wrap the yarn around the tip of the needle, pull it through the stitch and bring a loop up onto the needle.

3. Consult your sock knitting pattern to see how many stitches you have to pick up along the side of the heel flap.

4. Pick up the remaining number of prescribed stitches in the same manner as the first stitch. Be sure to evenly space the stitches so they all fit onto the side of the heel flap.

5. Knit across the instep stitches using an empty double-pointed needle.

6. Insert an empty double-pointed needle into the second edge stitch from the top corner of the left side of the heel flap. Wrap the yarn and pull up a loop onto the needle.

7. Continue picking up the prescribed number of stitches along the left side of the heel flap in the same manner as on the right side.

8. Knit across half of the stitches on the bottom of the heel using the same needle that you used to pick up the left side stitches. This completes the round in which you must pick up stitches from the heel flap sides.

9. Begin the next round by knitting the remaining half of the stitches at the bottom of the heel with an empty needle. Use the same needle to knit the stitches picked up from the right side.

10. Work the rest of the round by knitting normally.

11. Continue following the pattern instructions to complete the sock.

References

• Knitty; Techniques with Theresa; Theresa Vinson Stenersen; 2004
• "Hip tp Knit"; Judith L. Swartz; 2002
• Lion Brand Yarn: K = Knit