Any sock knitters here? What do you do when...
 

Hi all,
Wondering what you sock knitters do when a heel gets blown out? Do you just cut off the foot and pick up stitches above the start of the heel gusset and start over? Dh has this issue with one of his socks. I know years ago there (so I'm told ;) there was a pattern around that had replacable heels-I'm thinking this person told me it was the Red Cross pattern? I use a generic, four needle, top down pattern.

Thanks in advance.

Best,
deb in Maine

I love to knit socks on four needles from the top down like Whigrose does. However I never heard of the pattern to replace the heel when it wears out. Instead I just knit a new pair.

I have never replaced a heel, I just darn them, but I did replace the palm on a pair of mittens. The palms were so bad, they were beyond darning. They were a beautiful pair of mittens made with an old sweater with a fleece lining.
I made a whole new palm starting with about 5 stitches with heavy yarn on small needles. Made a nice heavy palm. I increased the 5 stitches each row until it was as wide as the mitten. I knitted down to the base of the thumb and then cast off about 2/3 of the stitches and continued up the thumb until it was long enough. The end was decreased and knit together at the tip of the thumb. Then I hand sewed it on. When I made the second one, I had to put the thumb extension on the other side. They looked really cool. My granddaughter and her mother really like them. The granddaughter is 16 years old.

So you could cut out the heel, probably sew the cut edges at the sides, pick up stitches where the sock is still good, and knit until you come to the good part. There you can weave the stitches together. If you cast off and sew these ends together, there would be a lump which you wouldn't like in your shoe. I hope you know how to weave stitches.

Never thought of knitters still making socks. I totally admire that.

You can do as you suggest and pickup stitches and reknit or you can darn the hole...a lot of youtube videos about darning...that's what i did. I love to knit socks. I have been quilting for 30+ years and only knitting socks for about two years, but really like making socks.

I love making socks too. They are so fast to do. If I start to get a bit bored I just start another pair in a different color and alternating between the two pairs keeps it interesting for me. I planning on making a pair of knee socks for myself one day. Just hope I can do it so they stay up ok. I love the washable wool yarn.
I don't know what to do about your heel problem though. Would making your DH tube socks help keep the heel from wearing out too fast because tube sock heels rotate?

I don't knit socks, but I sure do darn them! I find it relaxing to say nothing of economical since my husband need special socks...

My DH's ankles get cold in the winter and his sock/slippers were too short. I bought a skein on yarn, picked up stitches around the top and knitted on about 8 inches. They work perfectly. He is a happy clam.

I have knitted socks and found that adding a nylon yarn to the other yarn as I knitted the heels kept it from wearing out so fast. You will be knitting with two yarns. Also might help to add it in again when you get to the toe area. After the hole shows up, maybe you could just pickup the stitches from the outside and knit a 'patch' for the heel area and hand stitch it down where it would join the sock.