Knitting Help - Reinforcing Sock Toes and Heels
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 พ.ค. 2012
- Whether you're in the process of knitting socks or you've already finished, here are two techniques showing how to get more wear out of the socks you knit.
Links to things you'll see in this video -
Beautiful violet-colored double pointed needles by Signature Needle Arts:
www.signatureneedlearts.com/
My "Cheaper than Therapy" sock knitting bag by dellaQ Knitting Bags and Cases:
www.dellaq.com/
The light green sock yarn that I'm using on my current sock project is by White Bear Fibers, sock yarn in color "Cedar":
www.whitebearfibers.com/
The pattern for the green sock is here:
knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTu...
My DPN needle holder tube can be found here:
www.woolworksbalt.com/shop/bag...
The cuff-down pink sock pattern is my Learn to Knit Socks tutorial:
verypink.com/2011/01/13/video-...
The toe-up tan sock is my Learn to Knit Toe-Up Socks tutorial:
verypink.com/2011/01/13/learn-...
The red spiral scarf I'm wearing is a free pattern and tutorial:
verypink.com/2012/06/27/learn-...
The pattern for the green scarf on the mannequin can be found here:
www.ravelry.com/patterns/libra...
The yarn for both the red spiral scarf and the green scarf is Hazel Knits DK Lively:
www.hazelknits.com/categories/... - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I came here thinking this would be some complicated type of stitch I'd have to learn...but no! Your solution is so simple, practical and effective! Thank you for this great tip!
I recommend you also send your relatives a small skein of the yarn with each pair of socks along with a link to a tutorial on darning. ;)
Jenny G. Lol! Now THAT'S smart thinking!
I absolutely love your videos. Thank you for all the time and money invested in these. I, for one, am very grateful.
Perfect timing. I'm knitting socks right now....thanks for another great tutorial. I always check your posts first when I log on to FB. I also love your Basenji updates. I just adopted 2 B girls a few months ago.
Thank you! especially for the 'after the fact' version. I've just finished the first sock from home spun wool and now realise I should be reinforcing them - they are 'payment in kind' for the fleece given to me so will be worn by a farmer. I'm guessing he'll wear through heels and toes as quickly as your Alaskan family do! Thanks - Katy in Scotland.
Thank you so much. I have a big hole in a pair of socks that I've only had for a short time. All that work with little return. I'm going to do this every pair. Love your videos!
I absolutely love the "after the fact" reinforcement, I just finished a pair of socks...on my way to stitch heels reinforcement! Thanks for tip!
Wow thank you! I knitted my first pair of socks and will reinforce them now before I put them in use. But I also realize I need to to this on the mittens I am currently working on! Imagine how much warmer my mittens will be if I use the reinforcement technique for the back of the hands. As I didn’t make them two colors that make extra yarn running inside I can still make them much warmer!
Wow what a super idea....thanks so much I'm definitely going to try this....I'm getting that special tread....asap! Love this simple but wonderful idea.
What great ideas! Love the bag too.
Thanks so much for the very helpful video. I also learned how to use the tube that you had your needles in. I have a couple and had no idea how to use them, except for storage. :-)
Staci, this is great. Just starting to seriously knit socks and the first color yarns I bought don’t contain nylon. But I’ll be doing this with all socks from now on. Can wear them hiking and on long walks and feel good about them.
Great tutorial. I have been looking everywhere on how to reinforce my toe up german short row heels and your solution is perfect. Now just need to find the reinforcing yarn you used here in Australia. Thank you so much for the great video
Oh wow i love those needles!
This is such a great idea! Thanks for all your great videos!
I used the wooly nylon but I stretched it as I knitted and it came out perfect! You can't even tell its there!
That's great. I must not have been stretching it enough. Thanks so much for the tip; I'll definitely give it a try.
I'm finishing up my first pair of socks and they are a little wonky especially in the heels. I stumbled upon your video and I am soooo happy that I did. I will reinforce my finished wonky heels and then use reinforcement thread on the next pair I knit for my toes and heels. Thank you!!!!
love the after knit fix and the in process fix --super
Excellent idea and hopefully I won't need to keep mending the socks ---- ! Thank you so very much !
I see you produced this video 11 years ago! Just to let you know it's still proving useful! Just about to do an after-thought reinforcement on a gift pair of socks for my sister thanks to your tips.
Yes! I keep putting out new videos and my library keeps growing, knitting techniques don't age! I'm glad you're finding my channel useful. :)
@@verypinkknits Thanks for all your hard work producing these videos. Very much enjoying them from over here in the UK ❤.
This is exactly what I need. Thank you 😊
Thank you, very helpful. Love your videos 😀
Fantastic tutorial! Thank you!!!
You're welcome - thank you for the nice note! :)
Excellent!! Thank you!!
I was taught to do this on my first pair, and didn't realize everyone didn't do this for years.
That 'adding' yarn later was called "RUNNING THE HEELS" in a Louisa M. Alcott novel "8 Cousins". It was standard practice for all purchased socks, done by a housekeeper, wife, or daughter. before the socks were ever worn.. I've started doing that on the few socks I purchase, and it REALLY helps heels hang in. Some venders now include 'darning yarn'! If you have that reinforcement done, automatic structure is there for future darning. I like the idea of a 'surprise' contrast!! You have some great looking socks there.
When you reinforce purchased socks, do you need to tie the reinforcing yarn to the sock yarn before you weave it through?
great tutorial, thank you !
Great video ... you explained these techniques so well and so clearly ... exactly what I've been looking for. I knit a pair of socks for each member of my family for their birthday each year ... I'm up to nine per year. One question: What do you do with the tails of the reinforcing yarn?
Ah, I wish I knew this before I wore out my first pair of socks, will be doing this now.
Hello from Alaska!
Wow thats awsome thank you so much
Wonderful ! Can't wait to start knitting socks. I wonder, after 5 years of doing this now, did you measure the efficiency of the techniques ? For fun, do you know how much longer the socks survive ? Sorry for my English.
Elizabeth Zimmerman used wooly nylon server thread. I'm m going to try it to strengthen cashmere.
You have the BEST tutorials--thank you! So my question is may I use lace weight yarn for my reinforcing? Seemed like such a good method of using up leftovers!
A Moore - you can use lace weight yarn for reinforcing sock toes and heels, provided it's a sturdy yarn. Well, even a soft yarn will provide some reinforcement, but the sturdier the better.
I'm not familiar with Wolly Nylon, but you can really use any thinner yarn or thread for this technique.
I tried using wooly nylon thread to reinforce my sock heels, but it looked HORRIBLE. The thread got all fluffy and poofy and stuck out of the sock, rather than blending in with the yarn. I found some of this Lang Jawoll on Amazon and am going to give it a try. Thanks so much for the suggestion!
Wonderful! You didn't mention that sometimes the thread can be found inside the skein of Jawoll sock yarn. And yes, avdpierre, Basenjis rule!
oh wow I like that holder you put over the knitting project that also holds the spare knitting needles. Its genius. How can I find one?
So thankful for your videos. Thanks for your contribution to all us knitters out here. Could you please give me any link to the JaWool wool/nylon reinforcing thread. I currently live in Florida, but would prefer a company that ships. Appreciate your time.
nice video! I'm going to buy some new pair of double point needles and what do you recommend to use of the lengths 15 cm or 20 cm for knitting socks? And what types do you recommend to use of karbonz or wood cubics?
greeting Niclas 13 years old from Oslo! :)
my socks all wear through on the _bottom_ of the heel (and ball of foot) so I'm assuming I could do that after-sock-is-fully-knit technique except do it only on the bottom. Do you think that might work for me?
And yep i have socks in progress all the time too lol lot of alpaca blends & it’s -2 F right now.
Hi, that is very good education sock skill. 🎉! The needle you used is very helpful, I wonder where I can buy the needle ? Please. Many thanks❤
Tried reinforcing with yarn after finishing the socks today on a pair of gift knits. After doing the heel half way it felt a bit rough to the touch. Like every purl bump were raised more from the reinforcement yarn so I just ripped it out. Has anyone else encountered this? Will it soften up after blocking/washing/wearing?
Would the technique you used to reinforce after knitting be as effective as duplicate stitching over those spots? I hate duplicate stitching and this seems to much easier! I have a ton of socks that are juuuuust starting to get worn out at the ball of the foot that have to be strengthened. Thank you!
I'd like to reinforce the toes of my store bought socks. Do you need to tie the reinforcing yarn to the sock yarn before you start weaving it through?
I wish my husband wore out that part of the heels, his wear out on the ball of the foot and the bottom of the heel. I assume this will work for those areas as well. I am off to see if I can find that thread.
Where can I get the dpn cases you use? They are so nifty.
Can I use Woolly nylon used for sergers for this?
I also live in Alaska, the struggle is real!
where can i order that bag whee you put your knittingpens in?and the yarn for de heels.......here i can't find it (Netherlands)
haha -yes i just started sox and i realize my 2nd pair 's heels are spacey so i will reinforce them now . thx !! G_d bless you . --- now why havent you used the afterthought heel ? it looks like a lot of work to me to replace ?
WELL DONE AND AGAIN THANK YOU SOOO MUCH BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN ALASKA ALSO .
I do have a sock pattern that uses the afterthought heel:
verypink.com/2016/02/24/socks-on-9-circulars/
Thanks for this tutorial! I've been listening to the podcast and heard about the tutorial and had to check it out. Is crochet thread an okay substitute for the Jawoll thread? Jawoll seems to be available online only and I'd love to finish this pair of socks! :)
You can really use any poly thread, or even embroidery thread.
Oh Stacy, you're really the best!
Very cool, thanks! I actually am curious about your needle holder you had your work hidden in, not the needles but the holder; I need a holder like that! Did it come with the needles?
Helga Markus you can buy them from knit picks, they are just cardboard.
It's almost like darning, except you go with the grain instead of across it to close a hole.
What I've been looking for is a simple way to incorporate a method for the entire sole whilst making the sock.
One method involved measuring the yarn, and hooking the loop onto both ends. This seems less bothersome but then you'd have many ends with the entire sole. Seems to me that they could be irritating. Although, you'd still have a bunch of loops that could end up rubbing inside a shoe. I wish there was an easier method.
I'd love to see a tutorial of reinforcing the whole heal after knitting. It's so hard to figure out which stitches to pick going round the heal and in the heel flap (especially if it is a slip stitch heel.
A reinforced stitch will definitely heal your heel...:-))
LOVE your videos. Thank you. Instead of buying many colors of special sock darning thread, which could be a little expensive, I bought a spool of colorless, nylon thread. It's like fishing line, but thinner. I could hold the colorless, nylon thread along with the yarn, just like you say. QUESTION: Do you have any tips on how to make that nylon thread stay put? It isn't elastic; it wouldn't give & take with the knitted fabric. I don't know about making a knot with it? I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you. :)))
Sorry, I've never used the colorless thread you're describing, I don't have any advice on that specifically.
@@verypinkknits Thank you for your time. Maybe a new video on it?
Can you recommend the type of merino wool nylon yarn that you use for your families socks?? I am from the Pacific NW and live in wool socks...which are increasingly hard to find without that horrible padded stuff. So I am forced to make my own. I love the fit of your basic sock pattern which I purchased and did in a worsted wool ease and am now making your basic cuff down magic loop version. I need a heavier wool percentage that will work for 9 months of the year of wet feet.
Knit Picks (www.knitpicks.com) sells nice wool, in all different weights, at reasonable prices.
Been shopping there for years BUT for hats, shawls. When I went to search for a good worsted wool there was such mixed reviews and many complaining about "growing" socks after made or other complaints. Having had a recent issue with a HUGE sock with a sock yarn, I was hoping to get a good recommendation for a worsted weight.
Stacy, could you please tell me the kind of sockneedle-holder you use, if possible, its brand? I live in Switzerland; to get hold of good knitting needles is not easy here, let alone knitting-aid material. Thank you.
I use a sock needle tube from Knit Picks, and I don't think they ship internationally. You should be able to find a retailer of a similar product by googling "sock needle tube".
Hi Staci, I was wondering if you would need to reinforce DK or worsted weight socks?
+Kathryn Ross - all socks eventually wear out, and any weight of socks can benefit from reinforcing the heels and toes.
OK, that works for flap-style heels, but what about short-row heels with gusset? Do you have any help for them?
Thanks for any thoughts on this.
tdorminey1 - I don't think I've ever knit short row heels with a gusset. If that heel is knit entirely in-the-round, you'll probably want to use the "reactive" reinforcement I demonstrate in the video, using a tapestry needle and adding the reinforcement after the sock is finished.
hi i have found the place for the reinforcing from the soks,now i have to find the therapybag were i can put my knitting in......please where can i find this???
You will always see links to everything you see in my videos in the video description field, just below the video. dellaq.com/search?q=cheaper+than+therapy
Hi Staci. Can silk thread be used to reinforce wool socks? I want to stay with all natural fibers.
Yes, I think that would be a very good choice.
OH I AM USING sirdar dk weight for my sox with 40 % nylon 30 % wool and 30 % acrylic . i hope it softens after washing ! my ques. is as i am new to sox what needle should use ?they sat usa 6 but that would be too loose for sox . i am trying size 1 / 2 1/4 mm . i hope they wont be too tight . with arthritis every st. is a labor of love . --i too hope to knit sox for my family . i am trying to decide on what heel method is best ? for wear also . do you know ? have you experimented with your family ? THX IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME !! MY DEAR
I recommend following a pattern that uses DK weight yarn, and using the needle size suggested for the pattern. I have a few sock tutorials that use DK weight yarn, including this one: verypink.com/2015/03/11/toe-up-socks-using-german-short-rows/
thx very much -i have every possible mistake , lol , on learning socks . i am 60yrs old thx
Perhaps time to get a sock knitting machine! lol Make a pair of socks in 40 minutes that would take a week by hand! BTW it might be a good idea to try mohair instead of nylon or anything synthetic and befriend the planet since synthetic of any kind - even superwash wool that is coated with the same plastic as synthetics - contributes the plastic particles to the waterways with every wash and destroys water life.
Mohair on the other hand, is a natural fiber 4x warmer than wool and is considered to be stronger than steel. Thanks for the reinforcing tips. I have been looking for one that looks like an X on the heel of a pair of baby socks but cannot find the stitch anywhere.
Would the second method work to reinforce elbows in sweaters? This always seems to be a weak point as time goes by, and I end up with a hole or stretched out elbows. Thanks.
I need reinforcement on the UNDERside of the heel, not at the back of it. Is there any way I can still do the reinforcing while I knit or am I limited to after-the-fact reinforcement?
I noticed the pink sock didn't have the holes, we all dread in the gusset/heed intersection. What is the pattern and yarn you used? Thanks so much.
Here is my video on correcting gaps in socks: th-cam.com/video/uS8xRMvLzfg/w-d-xo.html
is linen thread a good idea? commercially reinforced socks often say linen
+Laura Ayars - linen is a strong thread that should work really well.
thank you, the ssk stitches I work for the toe decreases always loosen up 😭what can I do to avoid it ? 🤗
Just make sure you're keeping really tight tension on those stitches specifically. They can't loosen up if the yarn isn't there to allow them to become loose!
First I want to thank you for your video. Secondly, I have a question. Oh, I am from Alaska too and I know what you mean. I am from Kodiak. Years ago, in Anchorage, a lady that owned the knit shop I went to told me not to reinforce the heels and toes of my hand knit socks. She told me that my socks would actually wear out faster because the yarn would be rubbing against the reinforcement yarn/thread instead of the other yarn in the sock. Is this true?
+Laura Moore - I'm from Kodiak, too! Anyway, to answer your question - I have never heard of such a thing. I suppose it could be true if the reinforcement thread is really rough, and the yarn is really delicate? But we use blended yarns all of the time, like merino/nylon (common sock yarn combo), and the nylon doesn't cannibalize the merino.
+VeryPink Knits Thank you for straightening out that for me. It seem to make sense to me at the time. I don't remember why. I left Kodiak in 1972. I am a lot older than you are. My little sister wound up in College Station, Texas!
What have been the results for sock longevity for the two methods ?
Gosh, I couldn't tell you. I haven't done a side-by-side comparison...any reinforcement is going to make a major difference, tho.
I live in Alaska.
In the "reinforce as you knit" portion, you do not address what to do with the extra thread after knitting across the heel and continue in the round for the rest of that round. If you just drop it, then when you knit back around to the heel, your reinforcing threat is on the wrong side of the heel. How do you handle this issue?
tdorminey1 - when you knit the heel of a sock (toe-up or cuff-down) you stop knitting in-the-round, and just work back and forth across the heel stitches. That is when you add the reinforcement thread, which means that the reinforcement isn't all the way around the sock, but just in the heel stitches.
Can you tell me the brand of the pink yarn?
This video is a few years old, I believe it's Cascade 220. All of the information about everything else in the video is in the video description field, just below the video.
Where did you get the DPN tubes?
They are available at several different retailers, you can google "dpn tubes" to see what you get, I have tubes from Knit Picks and Knitter's Pride: www.yarn.com/products/knitters-pride-dpn-tubes
Hi Laurie, love this method. I usually do the slip 1 knit 1 method; makes it bulkier.
I am an avid beader and use fishing line, 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10 lb. Could I use either the 2 or 4 lb. weight for this job? THANKS FOR THIS METHOD.
I've heard that this kind of thread will "cut through" the yarn. What do you think?
I suppose it is possible, but I've never had that happen.
@@verypinkknits Great! Thank you!
What does that do to the size if anything?
Lisabeth Olson - knitting with the second strand of yarn may change your gauge a tiny bit, but since it's just on the heel and toe sections, it should not change the size of the sock at all.
the link for orde the knitting bag is not working..it gives error.....
It is working fine for me...here is a link directly to the bag:
dellaq.com/search?q=cheaper+than+therapy
Do you have any tutorials for beginners to learn how to knit socks?
Yes, lots of sock tutorials. You can see all of them here: verypink.com/category/socks/
I recommend starting with my Toe-Up Socks Using German Short Rows pattern: verypink.com/2015/03/11/toe-up-socks-using-german-short-rows/
The toe up german short row socks are what I used for my first pair and I love them
I looked at a lot of sock patterns and then decided to just take the way of knitting a portion of a sock that I liked from several different patterns. I choose the toe, foot, and heel from 3 different patterns and made my own pattern. It's worked out fantastic ! Simple and enjoyable pattern. For the ribbing I just do knit/purl ribbing that divides evenly into the number of stitches I have in my needles. I use a total of 42 stitches for #4 yarn, so I do a knit 3, purl 3 ribbing.
Hi, I've been grateful for your videos for over two years now and was just wondering if you provide a link somewhere to more info about the knit items you ware in each video. I really want to know more about this burgundy ruffle scarf you are wearing in this one. Thanks, I guess seven years is a long time later for me to ask this :-0
Found the pattern at www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/learn-to-knit-a-spiral-scarf. Didn't know you were a designer until I went to your website for the first time today!