Plan Your Cast-On for Seamless Socks

• When casting on, leave a long tail. This tail can be used for seaming your sock, avoiding the need for extra yarn later.
• Think ahead about yarn colors and heel construction to minimize extra yarn ends.

Working the Heel Without Extra Yarn Ends

When your heel is the same color as the sock body and you are instructed to knit the heel on the opposite side from the carriage, note that your working yarn won’t be in position. Rather than cutting the yarn, try this:

• Un-knit one row on the needles that will be put into hold.
• Position the working yarn next to the heel area, ready to knit.
• This allows you to knit the heel without creating an extra yarn end.

Knitting a Contrast Color Heel

• Remove the main color yarn and secure it.
• Do a free pass across to the heel side with all needles in working position, using slip setting.
• Put needles into hold as instructed and thread the contrast color for heel shaping.
• Use your thumb or a weight to keep stitches in place while short-rowing.
• When the heel is complete, free pass again to position the carriage next to the working yarn and continue knitting.

You can knit socks!

Knitting socks on a knitting machine is a fast, fun project that allows for lots of creativity. Keep someone's toes warm with your own designs.
They aren't hard and don't have to be intimidating.

Knit it Now Sock patterns

• Basic Socks
• Fancy Socks
• Swan Socks

Any yarn, any gauge, any machine

Preventing Holes During Short-Row Shaping

• Manual wrapping: When short-rowing, wrap the working yarn around the needle next to the last stitch before putting it into hold. This prevents holes from forming.
• Automatic wrapping: Put the needle next to the carriage into hold position. This achieves the same wrap automatically without manual intervention.

Managing Sloppy Edge Stitches

• At the end of heel shaping, pick up the heel of the first stitch from the row below and hang it on the needle. This tightens up loose edge stitches and improves the look of your sock.

Final Notes

• Use weights and your fingers as needed to keep stitches forming properly, especially in the center area where knitting builds up during heels and toes.
• When all needles are back in work, continue knitting, ensuring all stitches are even and neat for a finished sock you'll be proud of!

Frequently Asked Questions

When knitting a contrast color heel, why do I need to free pass before starting?

Free passing positions the carriage correctly next to your working yarn. It ensures you don’t accidentally knit with the wrong color while setting up the heel section.

How do I avoid extra yarn tails when working the heel?

By un-knitting one row and repositioning the working yarn, you avoid breaking the yarn and creating unnecessary ends. This keeps your sock cleaner and reduces finishing work.

What’s the difference between manual and automatic wrapping during short rows?

Manual wrapping means physically wrapping the yarn around the needle. Automatic wrapping happens when you place the needle into hold position next to the carriage—it naturally wraps without extra steps.

What can I do about sloppy edge stitches after knitting the heel?

Pick up the heel of the stitch from the row below and hang it on the needle. This tightens the edge, creating a neat, professional finish.

Why use weights while knitting heels and toes?

The fabric builds up in the middle during short-row shaping, causing stitches to jump off or form unevenly. Using weights or manually holding stitches helps keep tension consistent.