Achilles, the hero of Homer's Iliad had only one weak
spot – his heel. He ultimately died from a wound
to his heel.
Unlike Achilles, these socks will not ‘die’ once
the heel is wounded, i.e. with a hole. The heel can be easily
re-knitted without affecting other parts of the sock.
I’ve been knitting socks for a long time, and for a long
time had been grafting or mending holes in them.
It was easy to deal with holes in the toe area -
re-knitting is fast and the rest of the sock is not
affected. It is a different story with holes under
the heel and in the back of the heel. Traditional
heel constructions do not solve the problem, as socks
wear out beyond the area where the heel can be partially
re-knitted as in peasant heel or afterthought heel.
The Achilles’ Heal [spelling intentional] sock is knitted
top down, the heel has a flap, and a gusset, and
it is re-knittable, since it is knitted after the
rest of the sock is completed. It is knitted in the
round, and covers area well beyond the traditional
heel construction, where the holes usually arise.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US
#1.5/2.5 mm needles for working in the
round One
spare circular needle of a similar size
to be used as stitch holder. US
C-2/2.75mm crochet hook
Notions yarn needle Waste
yarn for provisional cast on – approx 3 ft Stitch
markers
GAUGE
30 sts/42 rounds = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
36 sts/36 rounds = 4 inches in Chevron pattern
stitch
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Notes on Resizing:
This pattern comes in one size due to the unusual construction and the
large repeat for the pattern stitch. You can resize by working at
different yarn at a different gauge. A thicker yarn with appropriately
larger needles (e.g. a heavy fingering weight yarn that knits to 28 sts/4
inches) gives a larger size. A finer fingering weight yarn that knits to
32 sts/4 inches with appropriately smaller needles gives a smaller size.
(We do not recommend simply changing needle size to get a different gauge,
as a sock knit too loosely will wear out very quickly!)
M1R: Insert left needle, from back to front,
under the horizontal strand which lies between the stitch just
knit, and the following stitch; then knit into the front of this
loop. 1 stitch increased.
M1L: Insert left needle, from front to back,
under the horizontal strand which lies between the stitch just
knit, and the following stitch; then knit into the back of this
loop. 1 stitch increased.
Chevron Stitch Pattern – Worked in the Round. Over a multiple of 16 sts. Round 1: K1, M1R, k5,
k2tog, ssk, k5, m1L, k1. Round 2: Knit.
Chevron Stitch Pattern – Worked Flat. Over a multiple of 16 sts. Row 1 [RS]: K1, M1R,
k5, k2tog, ssk, k5, m1L, k1. Row 2 [WS]: Purl.
Instructions for the Crochet Chain Provisional Cast-on can
be found here.
DIRECTIONS
Cuff
CO 64 sts.
Distribute across needles as you prefer and join for working
in the round.
Ribbing round: [K1, p1] around.
Work Ribbing as set for 35 rounds total.
Knit one round plain.
Leg
Work in Chevron Stitch Pattern for 20
rounds.
As this point, you’ll work
only on the first half of the round. Slip the
32 sts of the second half of the round to the spare needle.
These 32 sts are the sole of the foot, and will be used later
to form the heel.
Foot
Work 31 rows in Chevron Stitch Pattern
(worked flat) on first 32 sts of the round to form the instep.
Using the crochet hook and waste yarn, CO 32 sts onto the unused
needle that was removed when you slipped
the sts to a holder. These stitches will
be the sole of the sock. Distribute
sts as you prefer and join for working
in the round with the instep stitches. Start of round
is at start of sole stitches.
Foot round: K 32 sts of sole; work in Chevron Stitch
Pattern (in the round) to end of round.
Work as set until sock measures 2 inches
short of full foot length, ending with Round 1 of Chevron Stitch
Pattern.
Final foot round, place markers: K sole sts, k6, place marker,
k to 6 sts before end of round, place second marker, k to end of round.
Toe shaping and toe decrease Round 1: K to 3 sts before
end of sole sts, k2tog, k to first
marker, k2tog, ssk, k5, m1L, k2, m1R,
k5, k2tog, ssk, k to end of round.
3 sts decreased.
Round 2: K1, ssk, k to end of round. 1 st decreased.
Round 3: K to first marker; k2tog, ssk, k5, m1L, k2,
m1R, k5, k2tog, ssk, k to end of round. 2 sts decreased.
Round 4: K to 3 sts before end of sole sts, k2tog,
k to end of round. 1 st decreased.
Round 5: K1, ssk, k to first marker, k2tog, ssk, k5,
m1L, k2, m1R, k5, k2tog, ssk, k to end
of round. 3 sts decreased.
Round 6: K around.
Round 7: K to 3 sts before end of sole sts, k2tog;
k to first marker, k2tog, ssk, k5, m1L,
k2, m1R, k5, k2tog, ssk, k to end of round. 3 sts decreased.
Round 8: K1, ssk, k to end of round. 1 st decreased.
Round 9: K around.
Round 10: K to 3 sts before
end of sole sts, k2tog, k1, ssk; k
to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog,
k1. 3 sts decreased.
Round 11: K1, ssk, k to end
of round. 1 st decreased.
Repeat Rounds 10-11 3 more times.
Round 18: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of sole sts,
k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of instep sts, k2tog,
k1. 4 sts decreased.
Repeat Round 18 5 more times until 10 sts rem. Round 24: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of sole sts, k2tog,
k1. STOP HERE.
Redistribute stitches so that each needle
has 2 sts from the sole and 2 sts from the instep. Graft toe
closed.
Heel flap, sole and gusset
Transfer the 32 stitches from the holder
to working needle(s). These are the heel flap stitches.
Carefully unravel the crochet chain of the provisional cast-on
and return those sts to the work needle(s),
ensuring you have 31 sts. These are the sole stitches.
Setup round: With RS facing, rejoin yarn and knit across
the heel flap stitches. Pickup and knit 31 sts along the first
side of the instep; k across 31 sts on the sole needle; pickup
and knit 31 sts on the other side of the instep. 125 sts.
Round 1, place markers and redistribute stitches:
K1, pm, [sl 1, k1] 15 times, pm, ssk,
k15. This is the end of the heel flap stitches. K15,
ssk, k27, k2tog, pm, k15. This is the new start of round.
3 sts decreased; 122 sts total: 63
sts on heel flap; 59 sts on sole.
Round 2: K to 2 sts before first marker, k2tog, k to
end of round. 121 sts; 62 on heel flap; 59 on sole.
Round 3: K to 2 sts before st marker, k2tog, [sl1,
k1] 15 times, ssk, k to end of heel stitches;
k15, ssk, k to the last 2 sts before st marker, k2tog, k15. 4
sts decreased.
Round 4: Knit.
Rep Rounds 3 and 4 9 more times and work Round
3 once
more. 77
sts rem.
Round 24: K to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, k30, ssk,
k to end of round. 2 sts decreased. Round 25: K to 2 sts before
st marker, k2tog, [sl1, k1] 15 times,
ssk, k to end of heel stitches; k15,
ssk, k to the last 2 sts before st
marker, k2tog, k15. 4 sts decreased. 71 sts rem, 36 sts on heel flap, 35 sts on sole.
The area under the heel will now be knitted flat in short rows
on the 35 sts on the sole.
Continuing on the sole sts, work as follows: Short row 1 [RS]: K20,
w&t. Short row 2 [WS]: P6,
w&t Short row 3 [RS]: K6
work wrapped stitch together with its
wrap, k1, w&t. Short row 4 [WS]: P8,
work wrapped stitch together with its
wrap, p1, w&t. Short row 5 [RS]: K10, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
k1, w&t. Short row 6 [WS]: P12, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
p1, w&t. Short row 7 [RS]: K14, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
k1, w&t. Short row 8 [WS]: P16, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
p1, w&t. Short row 9 [RS]: K18, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
k1, w&t. Short row 10 [WS]: P20, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
p1, w&t. Short row 11 [RS]: K22, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
k1, w&t. Short row 12 [WS]: P24, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
p1, w&t. Short row 13 [RS]: K26, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
k1, w&t. Short row 14 [WS]: P28, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
p1, w&t. Short row 15 [RS]: K30, work
wrapped stitch together with its wrap,
k2tog. 34 sts on sole.
Heel shaping
The heel is finished in the round. 68 sts total; 34 on
heel, 34 on sole.
Round 1: K2tog, [sl1,
k1] 15 times, ssk; k1, work wrapped
sts together with its wrap, k29
(to last 3 sts), k2tog, k1. 3
sts decreased.
Round 2: K1, ssk, k to the last 3 sts of heel,
k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to the last 3 sts
of instep, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.
Round 3: Heel needle: k1,
ssk, [k1, sl1] rep to the last 3 sts,
k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to the last 3
sts of instep, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.
Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 4 more times and work Round
2 once more. 21
sts rem.
Rearrange the needles so that each needle has 2 sts from the
sole and 2 sts from the heel sides of the sock. Graft heel close.
FINISHING
Weave in ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Lucia is a long-time knitter and knits
in Toronto, and whenever she is not skiing
or hiking or kayaking around Toronto on
weekends with her husband and friends.
She learned knitting from her grandmother
in Russia at the age of 5-6.
