Every knitter has an opinion about the best sock heel, but fit really depends on the shape of an ankle and foot. This post knits the same basic toe-up sock five times, changing only the heel construction, to compare fit, comfort, and style side by side. Follow along to see which heel might be the right fit for a different pair of feet.
![A ball of Universal Yarn Zesty Sock and KNITTER'S PRIDE Karbonz 32″ [80cm] Fixed Circular Knitting Needle US1 [2.25mm] resting on five completed socks using five different heels: a heel flap but no gusset, W&T short rows heel sock, Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato, Fleegle heel, and the Fish Lips Kiss heel.](https://knitmuch.com/wp-content/uploads/image005-mg-39.jpg)
A collection of completed socks using 5 different heels: a heel flap but no gusset, W&T short rows heel sock, Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato, Fleegle heel, and the Fish Lips Kiss heel.
materials
- sock yarn in a solid or subtly variegated colorway, fingering weight, a superwash wool and nylon blend
- 1 – 32” [80cm] fixed circular knitting needle, US 1 [2.25mm]
- a free basic toe-up sock pattern
- stitch markers
- a length of contrasting scrap yarn, for marking rows
Knit the baseline toe and heel flap
Every sock in this comparison starts the same way. Cast on with a magic cast-on method, then increase the toe until 60 stitches sit on the needles, 30 for the sole and 30 for the instep. Knit the foot in the round until it measures 7½” [19.1cm], the point where the foot meets the ankle.
The first heel to try is a classic heel flap with no gusset. Work the flap back and forth over half the stitches, turn the heel with a standard heel-turn shaping, then pick the gusset stitches back up and continue evenly up the leg. Finish with a ribbed cuff and a stretchy bind-off.
This baseline sock fits well overall but sits rather tight around the ankle, which gives a useful comparison point for the four heels still to come.
Completed toe, 60 stitches
Try a wrap-and-turn short row heel
The second sock swaps the heel flap for a wrap and turn short row heel, a classic method that suits both toe-up and cuff-down socks equally well. Knit the foot to the same 7½” [19.1cm] length, then set 30 stitches, half the total, aside for the heel.
Work short rows across those stitches, wrapping and turning at the end of every row, until only about a third of them, 10 stitches, remain unworked in the center. Then reverse direction and knit back out, working each wrapped stitch together with its wrap, until the heel is complete and regular rounds resume.
This heel produces a shorter foot and a snugger fit around the ankle. It suits a narrower ankle nicely, though it feels a bit tight overall.
Finished W&T short rows heel sock
Test a smooth short row heel with wedges
The third sock builds its heel from short row wedges instead of wraps. This construction uses about two-thirds of the total stitch count, 40 stitches here, by shifting 10 stitches from each side of the instep onto the heel needle.
Knit and purl short rows across the heel stitches, leaving one more stitch unworked at the edge with every pass, until only 12 stitches remain between the gaps. Next, knit a round that closes each gap by lifting the stitch below it and knitting it together with its neighbor. Repeat the whole wedge two more times to complete the heel.
The resulting sock has a wide, deep heel and a roomy, comfortable ankle, perfect for a cozy pair of socks to wear around the house.
The first wedge of the Sweet Tomato Heel
Sweet Tomato heel sock finished
Knit a gusset heel
The fourth sock takes a different approach and adds a gusset. Cast on just 24 stitches for the toe, 12 for the sole and 12 for the instep, then increase up to the usual 60 stitches and knit the foot to the same 7½” [19.1cm] length.
Increase two stitches every round on the heel needle until it holds 58 stitches, just two short of the full count, to build the gusset. Mark the center of the heel stitches, then work a short row heel turn, closing the gap a little more with each row until only one stitch remains beyond it on either side. Close the remaining gaps and decrease back down to the original stitch count before finishing the leg and cuff.
This heel turns out elegant and sleek, with just enough room around the ankle and no extra fabric bunching up. It ends up being the best-fitting sock of the whole quest for a wider ankle.
Completed toe-up Fleegle heel sock.
Finish with a twin stitch short row heel
The fifth and final sock uses a short row heel built around a twin stitch technique, another option that suits both toe-up and cuff-down socks. Work this heel over the usual 30 heel stitches, decreasing with short rows until 10 stitches, about a third of the total, remain in the center.
Reverse course and increase back out, working the twin stitch technique at each turn, until all 60 stitches are back in play and regular rounds can resume. Knit the leg to 6” [15.2cm], then work a 2×2 ribbed cuff for 2” [5.1cm] before finishing with a stretchy bind-off.
This heel gives the narrowest, most fitted result of the five, making it a strong choice for slim feet and ankles.
Five heels, one pattern, and five distinctly different socks. The classic heel flap and the gusseted heel land in the middle, the wrap and turn and twin stitch heels suit narrower ankles best, and the wedge heel wins for wide, comfortable ankles. Try a few of these constructions on the next pair of socks to find the one that fits best.
Toe-up Fish Lips Kiss heel sock finished.
