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Everything You Need To Know About The Fleegle Heel

Blog » Socks » Everything You Need To Know About The Fleegle Heel

Everything You Need To Know About The Fleegle Heel

Liat Gat - Founder

August 24, 2012

In December of 2006, a blogger known as Fleegle changed the knitting world when she published a no-holes toe-up heel formula on her blog. Since I discovered the Fleegle Heel, I've been making videos showing how to do it, writing patterns that use it, and helping the whole world learn to knit it.

A closeup of the Fleegle HeelIn December of 2006, a blogger known as Fleegle changed the knitting world when she published a toe-up sock formula on her blog.

The special thing about it was the heel. It was totally new. It was for toe-up socks. It was easy. And it had NO HOLES.

Since I discovered the Fleegle Heel, I’ve been making videos showing how to do it, writing patterns that use it, and trying to help the whole world learn to love it.

Because I’ve got so much information on this topic, I’ve created this page as a resource for you – a collection of all the tips, tricks, patterns, videos, and Q&A I’ve answered – all about the Fleegle Heel.

How The Fleegle Heel Works

I’ll give you the specific formula further down, but here are the basics:

The Fleegle Heel starts when your toe-up sock reaches the front of your ankle. At this point, with the stitches divided evenly in half between your instep and what will be the heel, you start to increase and make a gusset.

If you are using Magic Loop, you’ll divide the stitches onto the two needles, and designate one as the “heel needle.”

To do the gusset, increase one stitch on each side of the heel needle, every other round, until the heel needle has 2 fewer stitches than the total number of stitches you had on your sock before you started increasing.

Then it’s time to turn the heel. This is a kind of short-row heel, and you can review my post on short rows if you are new to them.

A Very Easy Short-Row Heel

This isn’t a heel where you have to think or count very much. You simply place a marker at the midpoint of the stitches, knit to two stitches past the marker, and start wrapping and turning, back and forth, until you have worked all but one heel stitch.

From there you go back to knitting in the round, and when you come back around to the heel, you work the very last decrease. You’ll be back to the same number of sock stitches you started with, so then it’s just a matter of working even for as long as you like your cuffs to be.

The Genius Trick That Makes This A No-Holes Heel

Most sock patterns leave a little hole in the corner of the heel because the heel is fully decreased back to the original number of stitches before you resume knitting in the round.

This is fine, but it makes the heel flap taller than the rest of the sock, usually by one or two rows, and it makes a little gap when you try to bring everything neatly back together.

If you’ve tried the Fleegle heel, you have probably noticed that you don’t quite finish the heel before it’s time to knit the instep.

Instead, you stop one row early and do the last decrease when you come back around. This makes the heel one row shorter, and everything lines up perfectly.

What makes the Fleegle Heel hole-less?
One round fewer! A heel that’s one row shorter has no holes.
Click To Tweet This Insight

Line Break

Video Class: Toe Up Socks And The Fleegle Heel

Because this technique is so popular, I made a full video demo of the entire process of toe-up socks, from cast-on to bind-off, including the Fleegle heel.

One Raveler was so excited about the course that she said…

Toe up socks fleegle heel Ravelry testimonial for KNITFreedom

Click Here To Try The Amazing Toe-Up Socks Knitting Video Class

The Big Question: When Do I Start The Fleegle Heel?

Fleegle describes the time to start increasing as “when the knitting reaches the front of your ankle.”

When to start your Fleegle Heel
This is the spot your knitting should reach when you start your Fleele heel increases.

It’s a little hard to find this (admittedly vague) spot on your foot, so here are some tips:

1) Flex your foot as much as you can – this helps the “front of the ankle” become more apparent.

2) Pull the sock onto your foot as snug as you’d like it to be when you’re wearing it. If the knitting reaches the crook in your ankle, you’re ready to start the Fleegle heel increases.

When to Start Your Fleegle Heel, Based On Shoe Size

Gold Gift BoxIf you like giving your Fleegle Heel socks as a gift or a surprise, you’ll know that needing the recipient’s foot to measure to the front of the ankle is a big stumbling block.

No longer! Now you can estimate when to start the heel based on the recipient’s shoe or foot size. I have calculated that you should start the heel at about 60% of the foot length. This may not be accurate for everyone’s foot, so when in doubt, ask them to measure.

To estimate based on the recipient’s shoe size or foot measurements, use the chart below:

When to Start Your Fleegle Heel, Based On Shoe Size

Women’s

Click to download Women’s chart

US Size

UK Size

Euro Size

Inches

CM

Start Fleegle Heel at… (inches)

Start Fleegle Heel at… (cm)

4

2

35

8 1/4''

21

5''

12.6

4.5

2.5

35

8 1/2''

21.6

5 1/8''

13

5

3

36

8 5/8''

21.9

5 1/8''

13.1

5.5

3.5

36

8 3/4''

22.2

5 1/4''

13.3

6

4

37

9''

22.9

5 3/8''

13.7

6.5

4.5

37

9 1/8''

23.2

5 1/2''

13.9

7

5

38

9 1/4''

23.5

5 5/8''

14.1

7.5

5.5

38

9 1/2''

24.1

5 3/4''

14.5

8

6

39

9 5/8''

24.4

5 3/4''

14.6

8.5

6.5

39

9 3/4''

24.8

5 7/8''

14.9

9

7

40

10''

25.4

6''

15.2

9.5

7.5

40

10 1/8''

25.7

6''

15.4

10

8

41

10 1/4''

26

6 1/8''

15.6

10.5

8.5

41

10 1/2''

26.7

6 1/4''

16

11

9

42

10 5/8''

27

6 3/8''

16.2

11.5

9.5

42

10 3/4''

27.3

6 1/2''

16.4

12

10

43

11''

27.9

6 5/8''

16.7

Men’s

Click to download Men’s chart

US Size

UK Size

Euro Size

Inches

CM

Start Fleegle Heel at… (inches)

Start Fleegle Heel at… (cm)

6

5

40

9 1/4''

23.5

5 1/2''

14.1

6.5

5.5

40

9 1/2''

24.1

5 5/8''

14.5

7

6

41

9 5/8''

24.4

5 3/4''

14.6

7.5

6.5

41

9 3/4''

24.8

5 7/8''

14.9

8

7

42

10''

25.4

6''

15.2

8.5

7.5

42

10 1/8''

25.7

6''

15.4

9

8

43

10 1/4''

26

6 1/8''

15.6

9.5

8.5

43

10 3/8''

26.7

6 1/4''

16

10

9

44

10 1/2''

27

6 3/8''

16.2

10.5

9.5

44

10 3/4''

27.3

6 1/2''

16.4

11

10

45

11''

27.9

6 1/2''

16.7

11.5

10.5

45

11 1/8''

28.3

6 5/8''

17

12

11

46

11 1/4''

28.6

6 3/4''

17.2

13

12

47

11 5/8''

29.4

7''

17.6

14

13

48

11 7/8''

30.2

7 1/8''

18.1

15

14

49

12 1/8''

31

7 3/8''

18.6

16

15

50

12 1/2''

31.8

7 1/2''

19.1

Children’s

Click to download Children’s chart

 

US Size

UK Size

Euro Size

Inches

CM

Start Fleegle Heel at… (inches)

Start Fleegle Heel at… (cm)

Age

Newborn

Infant

0

0

16

3''

7.6

1 7/8''

4.6

0-12

Months

1

0

16

3 3/8''

8.5

2''

13

2

1

17

3 5/8''

9.3

2 1/4''

5.6

3

2

18

4''

10.2

2 3/8''

6.1

3.5

2

18

4 1/8''

10.6

2 1/2''

6.3

Toddlers

4

3

19

4 3/8''

11

2 5/8''

6.6

1-4

Years

4.5

3

20

4 1/2''

11.4

2 3/4''

6.9

5

4

20

4 5/8''

11.9

2 7/8''

7.1

5.5

4

21

4 7/8''

12.3

3 1/8''

7.4

6

5

21

5''

12.7

3''

7.6

6.5

5

22

5 1/8''

13.1

3 1/8''

7.9

7

6

22

5 3/8''

13.5

3 1/4''

8.1

7.5

6

23

5 1/2''

14

3 3/8''

8.4

8

7

24

5 5/8''

14.4

3 3/8''

16

8.5

7

25

5 7/8''

14.8

3 1/2''

8.9

9

8

26

6''

15.2

3 5/8''

9.1

9.5

8

27

6 1/8''

15.7

3 3/4''

9.4

10

9

27

6 3/8''

16.1

3 7/8''

9.7

10.5

9

27

6 1/2''

16.5

3 7/8''

9.9

Little Kids

11

9.5

27.5

6 5/8''

16.9

4''

10.2

4-8

Years

11.5

10

28

6 7/8''

17.4

4 1/8''

10.4

12

10.5

28.5

7''

17.8

4 1/4''

10.7

12.5

11

29

7 1/8''

18.2

4 3/8''

10.9

13

11.5

30

7 3/8''

18.6

4 3/8''

11.2

13.5

12

30.5

7 1/2''

19.1

4 1/2''

11.4

1

12.5

31.5

7 5/8''

19.5

4 5/8''

11.7

1.5

13

32.5

7 7/8''

19.9

4 3/4''

11.9

2

13.5

33

8''

20.3

4 7/8''

12.2

2.5

1

33.5

8 1/8''

20.7

4 7/8''

12.4

3

1.5

34

8 3/8''

21.2

5''

12.7

Big Kids

3.5

2

35

8 1/2''

21.6

5 1/8''

13.0

8-12

Years

4

2.5

 

8 5/8''

22.0

5 1/4''

13.2

4.5

3

36

8 7/8''

22.4

5 3/8''

13.5

5

3.5

37

9''

22.9

5 3/8''

13.7

5.5

4

 

9 1/8''

23.3

5 1/2''

14.0

6

4.5

 

9 3/8''

23.7

5 5/8''

14.2

Foot Measurements Source: Shoe Size Calculator, Shoe Size Source: Shoe Size Charts

Videos: The Fleegle Heel, Plus Increasing For Dummies

Here are two key videos to watch if you’re going to try the Fleegle heel:

[KnitFreedom] Socks | Heels - No-Holes Fleegle Heel for Toe-Up Socks
[KnitFreedom] Socks | Heels - No-Holes Fleegle Heel for Toe-Up Socks


KNITFreedom - Troubleshooting Toe-Up Heel: Forgetting To Increase
KNITFreedom - Troubleshooting Toe-Up Heel: Forgetting To Increase


[KnitFreedom] Toe Up Socks: When To Start Increases For Fleegle Heel
[KnitFreedom] Toe Up Socks: When To Start Increases For Fleegle Heel

Find these videos helpful? These are just two of the more than ten you’ll learn from in the Toe-Up Socks video e-book – click here to learn more.

Add It To Any Sock: The Basic Fleegle Heel Formula

You can use this formula on any toe-up sock in any weight of yarn.

1) Knit Foot, Increase For Heel
Work even until the sock reaches the front of your ankle. Increase 2 stitches every other round, only on the heel needle. Stop when the heel stitches number two less than the total number of stitches you had for both the heel and instep combined.

2) Turn Heel
Place a marker at the midpoint of your heel stitches. Knit to 2 sts beyond the marker.
K2tog, K1, turn (you won’t yet be at the end of the row). Sl 1, P to 2 sts beyond the marker. P2tog, p1, turn. You may remove the marker.

Continue turning the heel by working up to the visible gap, decreasing, working 1 more, and then turning your work. You are done turning the heel when the K1 after the decrease is the last of the heel stitches.

3) Work The Final Decrease
Knit once across the instep and do a final decrease on the right-hand side of the heel. You should be back to your original number of stitches.

Free Patterns: Toe-Up Socks With The Fleegle Heel

Click the thumbnails below to learn more about and download each sock pattern.

Pink striped fingering-weight socks Blue ShiBui worsted-weight toe-up socks Pink bulky toe-up socks Blue super-bulky-weight socks

Ask A Question – Browse Discussions on the Fleegle Heel

Everyone helps everyone in our forum on Ravelry. Here are the most active discussions about the Fleegle heel:

Need knitting help? Start your own thread in the forum.

When Fleegle Falls Short: Heel Stitches And High Insteps

The Fleegle heel is actually not perfect for every type of sock. If you want contrasting heels, textured heels, or to adjust for a high instep, this section will tell you what to do.

Eye-of-Partridge-HeelFun heel stitches: Because the Fleegle heel is a full short-row heel, you can’t add the optional and stitch patterns that you find in top-down socks, which normally have a heel flap.

High insteps: People with high insteps (and there are many of them) often find regular short-row heels, including the Fleegle heel, too tight over their insteps, and hard to adjust.

To solve both the heel-stitch and high-instep problem, I designed a free toe-up sock pattern with a faux “heel-flap.” It works like a heel flap in that you can add stitch patterns and make it taller for a high instep, but it’s faux in that there’s no “flap” and no picking up stitches – it’s all seamless. Get the toe-up heel flap sock pattern here.

Contrasting colors: Because in the Fleegle heel the gusset and the heel are one piece, it’s impossible to make a sock with a separate-color heel. To do that, you’ll want to use a pure short-row heel on your socks instead.

Pretty swirly divider embellishment

Resources: This resource was made possible by the original Fleegle heel blog post.

Your Opinion: Have You Tried The Fleegle Heel?

What do you think of the Fleegle heel? Has it helped you become a toe-up convert?
Is it just one of many heels you’ll go back to again and again? Or if you haven’t tried socks, does it give you the inspiration to try? Let me know by posting a comment below!

Top Ten 10 Mistakes All Self Taught Knitters Make 3D Book Cover 10 2 21 fully transparent 5 cropped mid 2

Stop making these common mistakes and knit with confidence

125 thoughts on “Everything You Need To Know About The Fleegle Heel”

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  1. If you use kfb (knit front and back) to do your heel increases, the new stitch (b) you make by knitting through the back loop of the kfb is always to the left of the stitch in which you work the kfb (kf). The (kf) part of the stitch looks like a regular knitted stitch (because it is), but the (b) part is smaller and shaped slightly different. If you go for symmetry in the pattern — (k2, kfb, k until 3 sts left on needle, kfb, k2) with 2 knit stitches at the beginning and end of your increases — that creates a tiny asymmetry in the work on the right side: (k)(k)(b)(kf)(k) . . . .(k)(b)(kf)(k)(k) — the (kf)(k)(k) on the right side looks like three knit stitches preceding the smaller back loop stitch (b), but on the left side it looks like two knit stitches following the (b). This effect is not noticeable if you use yarn overs for increases and knit them through the back loop

  2. Our knitting group is learning toe up, 2 at a time on circs with the fleegle heel from a woman who’s knit tons of socks this way. So excited!!!

  3. Although I’m an experienced knitter, I’m new to socks. My Mum is 87 and needs bedsocks these days – it’s great to be able to custom knit them for her. Her favourite pattern uses a German short row heel & no gusset so I end up having to knit them a bit big to be comfortable on the instep. I love your clear explanations and videos and the ‘recipe’ – I’m now confident I can adapt my Mum’s favourite pattern to the Fleegle heel! Thank you so much.

  4. Hello Liat, you wrote that one cannot knit the Fleegle in a contrasting color, and yet I’ve done it. I could send you a picture. Staci Perry of Very Pink Knits has done it as has The Chilly Dog and perhaps others. I would like to understand why you say it can’t be done.

    Thank you,
    Lindy

  5. Liat, Fleegle heel has been my go-to since a friend introduced me to it. If it works to do fewer increases, would it also work for high insteps to begin increases earlier and do more of them?

    Thanks for your blog.
    Frances

    1. Elias - KnitFreedom Customer Happiness

      Hi Frances,

      I’m going to be passing your question along to Liat, but I want to let you know that she is currently on maternity leave (she is expecting her baby very soon) and will be taking up to 1-2 weeks to answer.

      Thanks so much for your patience and understanding!

      Best,
      Elias

    2. Hi Frances,

      Yes, actually another knitter recently commented and said that it works great for high insteps as well, just start the increases sooner and do more of them! If you try it please let us know how it goes :)

      Liat

      1. Thanks Liat. I actually am trying it now. I took back my 2 at a time socks 5 cm (It hurt) and have a few increases done beginning about an inch before the usual starting place. I also am trying the hint from your reader to do a yarn over increase and knit into the back of it on the next row. I like it very much as keeping track was a bit of a chore. No more!

        Frances

  6. I tried the fleegle heel and for the first time I was not intimidated by doing the heel! My toe up socks fit & I finally found success.

  7. Liat,
    I am knitting your 2 at a time toe up sock, but I cast on 22 stitches per needle because I thought that 16 was going to be to tight.
    How many stitches would I need to increase for the gusset?
    Thanks,
    Robin

    1. Hi Robi,

      Can you email [email protected] to get more help? Just let me know the exact pattern you are using and the size you would like to make. Unless your gauge is quite different from what is called for in the pattern, large changes like the one you mention are not usually necessary. The number of stitches you cast on influences the numbers for the whole sock.

      The reason I can’t answer you here is because although you tell me you cast on 22 sts for the sock, I don’t know how many increases you did for the toe and therefore I don’t know how many stitches your sock is all the way around. That’s the number you’ll need to use to calculate how many stitches you want for the gusset.

      I hope this helps!

  8. Thanks for all this information! I prefer the look of the fleegle heel, but I keep getting saggy ankles when I knit it toe up (top down it’s fine). After reading your post and the comments, I think I will try using less increases and see how that works for me. Thank you!

  9. Liat, I have really learned a lot from your website. I’m making golf club covers for my husband and thinking of them as very big socks, so I’m going to use the Fleegle heel for the club head. Thanks for all your help.

  10. Liar, I just discovered the Fleegle Heel! Love it!! If you’re making socks for someone else and their foot is not available, knowing total foot length, where would you start the gusset on their sock?? Thanks!!

    1. Hi Cate,

      I had not heard of the Cuban heel, but this seems quite interesting! It seems similar to the Fleegle heel in that there is no flap and no picking up stitches. I will research this for a potential future blog post. Thanks!

  11. Keeping socks on your baby’s feet is no simple task. One little kick, a tug at the toes and they’re off. And of course it’s always one sock from every pair that gets lost!*

    The latest write-up provided by our very own internet page
    <,http://www.prettygoddess.com/

  12. Dear Liat,
    I was wondering if the changes being discussed on the Raverly page have been added to you pattern on the website. If so can you give me the link to the pattern. Thanks!!!

  13. I’m interested in learning to do toe-up socks however all the patterns seem to call for magic loop which means trying to learn the new cast-on while learning magic loop. Can’t I doe toe-up without using magic loop?

    1. Yep! You can definitely do toe-up without learning Magic Loop. After you cast on to two DPNs, use a third needle to knit the first round, and then distribute the stitches evenly around three or four needles. Just make sure to mark the beginning of your round.

  14. Wow. Liat, you are amazing. Putting everything about the heel and sock patterns together is wonderful. I have been using your patterns for over a year and have made three pair with fingering, one with worsted and about 10 with bulky for friends. We all love how they fit. I add stitch patterns to the instep and ankle, so have learned alot about different stitches in the process. Thank you for all the wonderful videos and information that you share.

  15. sonja archer I go by archer

    I just finished me first toe up fleegle heel sock. Watching your video first was a great help. I have determined that I must have a very long heel, as I usually add about an inch to the heel flap on cuff down socks. I did have to add an inch to the fleegle heel by doing two short rows between rounds. This amounted to eight short rows total. It was easy to figure this out on the fleegle heel. I am dyslexic and numbers are my biggest problem as well as spelling so please forgive any mistakes. I find your bloggs and wideos very helpful. Please keep giveing us such clear information. Thank you. archer.

  16. I had just finished my first pair of toe-up socks that use the Fleegle heel when I got you email about them. Life is good! I have always loved knitting socks, even though I live in Florida, but flap heels socks are a little clunky and slower to knit. You are not only generous with your enthusiasm, you are very talented! Thank you for your wonderful website and video lessons.

  17. Way before I learned Fleegle, I was doing the Strong heel (named after its inventor) which is very similar, one of the differences being you increase to 4 less than the total number rather than 2 – which probably makes for a narrower heel.

    And I of course had holes even with this one, which I took care of by picking up the running thread in the gap and knitting it with one of the other stitches either side of the hole.

    I think the genius part of the Fleegle is the stopping one round short and continuing around – a very elegant solution to the hole problem.

  18. I love to knit socks – but that darn hole at the join has bugged me for years – can’t wait to try this – THANK-YOU so much for all your posts!!!

  19. This has me inspired to try toe up socks again. I made one and ripped it out because although it fit my AA size foot, it did not fit over my ankle. I was put off by the holes in the heels of the typical toe up sock and don’t quite trust the after thought heel to hold up for very long. Will definitely give the Fleegle heel a try for the next pair.

  20. I have resisted making socks until this Spring. I had learned how to do Magic Loop knitting this past year ( knitting with double pointed needles is like knitting with a porcupine). So I now had no reason not to knit socks. I am now on my 6th and 7th pairs using the Magic Loop and Fleegle methods and love it. Thanks for everything. I have only been knitting for the past 9 or so years and just celebrated my 72nd birthday. So I have no tolerance for people who tell me they are too old to learn.
    P S I also learned how to spin wool 10 years ago. I love my retirement. Good thing too as I am so busy I don’t have time to work.

  21. Lain Kawaii Riley

    Liat, I love all your patterns. I love your site and you make it a pure joy to watch your videos. Your comments and (i love your bloopers video too, reminds me of myself hehe) instruction has no comparison… So I want to thank you for getting me back into knitting and learning things I couldn’t do on my own in the past. I just finished your worsted toe up sock with heel flap (loved it), and was wondering if you will be making a similar pattern for fingering weight too? I’m attempting to do that on my own right now but only half way and wonder if I’ll mess it up hehe. Take care and thanks again! <3

  22. Liat, I love the pattern for socks toe up! Having said that, I have never knitted socks yet. Your encouragement and all the work you do has inspired me since I took up knitting again about 5 years ago. I knew how to knit but I learned so much more from you through your instructional videos. Thank you, thank you… I will try these socks soon.

  23. I can’t wait to try the Feegle Heel, looks easier than the Sweet Tomato Heel!!! I’m so thankful for your freebie patterns that incorporate this heel. Can’t wait to try it an fall in love with it! Thanks again :)

  24. Hi Liat, I have always used the Fleegle heel since I found your fab tutorials. Just one question….in your video for turning the heel, you slip slip knit to cover the gap which I’ve always done but in the email you say to k2 tog.

    “Place a marker at the midpoint of your heel stitches. Knit to 2 sts beyond the marker.
    K2tog, K1, turn (you won’t yet be at the end of the row). Sl 1, P to 2 sts beyond the marker. P2tog, p1, turn. You may remove the marker.”

    Which would be the best way? Thanks.

  25. Thanks so much Liat for sharing the Fleegle heel. Have been knitting socks for about 8 months, picking up the needles after 7 years never having knitted in the round before (on to my 26th pair – I know, I’m addicted!) and I love it!. After trying with wrapping stitches, making loads of holes this is a godsend. I like the heelflap technique but for fingering weight socks I wanted something finer that works… and this is it! I have used this technique on my last three pairs and I’m trying the picot edge to my current pair. I am eagerly waiting for your next blog. Thanks again.

  26. Liat, I love the full email post! Now, about knitting socks, I laugh when I think about this. I was too new to know I should be nervous about knitting socks, or that they might be difficult. I found your videos, and bought materials, decided to learn two-at-a-time magic loop toe up since you recommended it. I had no problems what so ever, and I was using a left over baby yarn for soft bed socks. You are awesome! I have always been a crochet-er and only knitted a few things, because I found it difficult to fix mistakes. But, after your blog and videos, not true anymore. I even have made American Girl Doll color work sweaters for my great-niece. And I changed how the pattern was, since it said to make the sweater as a tube, then steek(cut) out where the armholes should be. Steeking was not something that sounded fun to me, and I did not have access to a sewing machine, so I just did the sweater is if the arm holes were there since I had it on magic loop anyway. Oh, that’s right, the pattern was not written for magic loop either, but no worries there, I knew what to do because of you!!! You really have met your calling. This is what you are supposed to do with your life. I love you and send anyone I can to your sites. Love, Rae (oftenknitting” Ravelry name)

  27. I have not knitted my first pair of socks….yet. However, I did pick up some sock yarn on Friday and a set of bamboo dp needles. I look forward to using your helpful video and written material to complete a pair of socks. The toe to heel approach seems best for me since I have a large foot and long legs…thanks again.

  28. The Fleegle Heel is my go-to heel. It’s easy to memorize and always works! I looked and looked for something different than short row heels for toe up socks, and this is great! Now I am going to try the faux heel flap. Thanks!

  29. Thankyou for your concise but easy to follow instructions. As a long time crocheter I have taken the plunge into the world of knitting. Your videos have helped me enormously to get my head around the different terminology and how to put it into practise. I am about to try knitting my first pair of socks as I hear they are so much better than store bought ones. Your instructions and links will help make this process easier- I hope!

  30. This is the best pattern ever! I never thought I could knit socks, but would you believe, I have knitted two pair and have started my third. Your videos are the best.
    Thanks, and keep the patterns coming. I am knitting socks for all my family.

  31. I wear a size 10.5 triple A width shoe. With the fleegle I’m able to easily adjust the length and width of the sock without lots of math. As a newbie sock knitter, both the process and the videos have been awesome!

  32. I use the Fleegle heel all the time! I’d never heard of it until I found your blog, and it was your pattern using this heel method that resulted in me finally mastering how to knit a sock. :)

  33. I have knitted toe up socks in the past but they never fit well because I have a very high arch. Too difficult to get on & way too tight. I have a pattern I use for cuff down with a reinforced heel that fits much better around my ankle/foot and practically jump on my feet by themselves! All that said I am tempted to try a your toe up with the adjustments for “very high arches” to see if it will fit. I like the idea of being able to just knit until the yarn runs out, leaving no little bits of leftovers to figure out how to use up!

  34. The fleegle heel is perfect for that on the go knitting project–no need to carry a pattern or instruction sheet. My first pair of fleegle heel socks was a generic sock for a little girl.

    1. Exactly – I love that there’s no thinking involved – you don’t have to say, “Oh, damn, now I’m on the heel and I left my instructions at home.”

  35. Without your videos and descriptions, I would never have attempted magic loop, toe up or fleegle heel. Just reading the instructions is overwhelming but after watching your videos I get it and it’s really not that complicated. Thanks!

    1. Beth, it’s true that these instructions are overwhelming to read. It’s much more advisable to download one of the patterns and work through it – THEN you’ll really feel that it’s not too complicated. But the first time I read Fleegle’s original blog post, I was like, “Uhhhhh… what?” :)

  36. I made your bulky socks with the Fleegle Heel in just two days…awesome pattern!
    I love the results and will be trying to apply that heel to all my socks now, it’s simple, easy and fits…what more can a girl ask for! Thank you so much for making my life easier and more fun!

  37. I’m not up to knitting socks yet, but when I do, I’ll definitely use the Fleegle Heel. Sounds fabulous. Thank you.

    1. Thanks for your comment! The Fleegle heel really is fabulous, and will make your first foray into socks so much easier. You’ll wonder why you waited!

      PS – when you are ready, I recommend that you do your first pair of socks together with me. I’ll show you every step of the way, plus walk you through any mistakes you might make.

  38. I LOVE this heel for toe up socks. It is so easy to turn and doesn’t add bulk that you get with a heel flap, nor does it require wrapping stitches. Don’t get me wrong, heel flaps have their place, and it’s a good place, but sometimes you just want an easy turn and go up the leg. Thank you for demystifying this for us. You’re so professional, creative and so generous. I look forward to your emails and your ebooks. Keep up the good work.

  39. I haven’t mastered sock knitting yet, but this info looks very helpful. So nice of you to put it all together in one place. I’ll certainly be trying socks again real soon. Thanks.

  40. I have been knitting and crochetting since my Grandma taught me at age 7, and I am 67 now. I love learning new ways to knit or crochet, and your blog and videos are so helpful and well done. Keep up the good work,

  41. I have been a big fan of yours for several years, I learned how to knit and crochet by watching youtube videos when I first saw one of your videos I was flabbergasted, I had never seen a video done so well, You make learning to knit so easy and explain everything in terms that anyone can understand, I purchased your “Become a knitting superstar” ebook,and have been a very happy knitter, I go to my ebook almost every time I’m knitting. I know if there’s ever something I’m stuck on I can go right to you, and find the answer. Thank you for being such a great teacher. I now knit socks two at a time toe up, and the women in my knitting group think it’s awsome that I can knit toe up socks, and do it well enough to give them as gifts. I Love you Liat…….

    1. I love you too, Kathleen! Oh, you make my heart fill up with happiness with your comment! It IS awesome that you knit toe-up socks – you rock!! Students always make a huge leap in their knitting ability when they do the Knitting Superstar course. I am so proud of you and will do my best to keep teaching you new and wonderful things! {{{hugs}}}

  42. I was glad to find your blog featuring the Fleegle heel, along with lots of info and variations, and am happy to endorse it. I agree that it’s a wonderful heel. Before I found Fleegle (perhaps through you; I don’t remember), the go-to short-row heel I had settled on was nice, but it required lots of counting and concentration to do, and I found myself tight and sore afterwards. But since I found Fleegle, every part of sock knitting — yes even the heel — is a pleasure. The beauty of the Fleegle heel is that there’s very little counting, it’s a pleasure to knit, and it produces a nice heel. I’ve knit probably 10 pairs of socks since learning that heel. She ought to get paid for that invention! Liat, I will further explore your videos with the variations, etc. Thank you!

  43. I love doing toe up socks. You need very little tools…great for on-the-go knitting . I like to use a yarn over for my increases in the toe and heel then “ktbl” on the next round. Thanks for sharing these great techniques!

  44. Since learning about the fleegle heel, I have used nothing else, ever! It is so logical, so easy, and gives me a perfect fit in the heel and ankle. I especially love how, when knitting TAAT, you don’t have to take one sock off to holding needles, just work one heel, slide it to the right hand needle, and work the second heel! thank you for the Resource page!

  45. I had made socks many years ago, using DPN. Finish one then do another – no way – I love making socks with Liat’s 2 at a time magic loop. I love the toe up and I love having them done together. I did do kit sock from the cuff down – and – one at a time. Never again.I love Liat’s classes and the way she explains and the videos . You are great Liat keep it coming!!

  46. Thank you, Liat! I really enjoy getting your “how-to” emails and look forward to them.

    I will try the Fleegle heel on my next pair of socks. I thought the “Sweet Tomato” heel would be the ultimate heel, but they still leave holes for me. I’m hopeful the Fleegle will be the answer. I like making socks, but so far, the heels have always disappointed me.

    Thanks again for the mail,

    –Jay

    1. Hi Jay,

      Oh, do try this heel. Let us know how it goes! Remember, though, knitted fabric will always have small holes when you stretch it apart and look carefully – after all, it’s not one big solid mass. If you are getting one large-ish hole, right in the corner of your heel, that is definitely something the Fleegle hole will fix. And please come back and let us know if it worked!

  47. Love your website and tutorials, Liat!

    I’ve been doing the Fleegle from my first pair, and it’s great. If I want a separate color on the heel, is there a reason I couldn’t do the gusset and heel in that color? I could change colors each time I hit the 2 stitches before the increase, then drop it on the other side.

    1. Hey Rochelle, since you’re knitting in the round, it’s a little harder to do just one part in a different color. Remember, if you drop the yarn on the other side, how are you going to have it to knit with when you come back around? If you find a solution to this, comment and let us know! But you can always use my Faux Heel-Flap pattern to do contrasting heels as well (it has no holes, either).

  48. Patricia Garrett

    Liat, I really like receiving your full blog through email and the entire resource page for the Fleegle Heel is great. Thank you.

    1. Yay! I’ll be sure to tell Sharon, who worked on the email version of the resource page for hours yesterday. I told her you guys were going to love i!

  49. Your tutorials are SO helpful and informative! I love this new sock heel. It might encourage me to make my first toe up sock ever! Thanks. :)

  50. Liat, I can’t thank you enough for putting your talent for teaching out there for us! I love the your ebook courses and refer to you so often. I have been doing toe up two at a time on magic loop! I have now learned to add another circular needle to do the heel which has opened my options.
    Today, I’m starting the Fair Isle felted bag! I’m so excited to finally try your pattern. I’m doing mine in chocolate brown and soft pink. You are truly an amazing lady…your video work is suburb and your instructions are so clear. I love to follow along as I knit with you sitting right beside me where ever I might be, at home, in the car, while waiting for an appointment, at the airport or my favorite place on vacation.
    Your my knitting “Superstar”!
    Suzanne
    Sunset Beach, CA

    1. Suzanne, you make me so happy! Oh, your bag is going to come out SO beautifully – the chocolate brown and pink sounds like a great combination. Please post some pics on Ravelry and on the KNITFreedom Facebook page when you are done! And ps – I’m working right now on an amazing desktop and mobile KNITFreedom app that’s going to make it so much easier to watch the courses wherever you are. You are going to love it! Sending you big hugs.

  51. I have tried the heel and I like the fact that I don’t have to figure out some formula of how many to increase or decrease. I have found that I don’t do as many increases in lighter weight yarn. I like a snug fitting heel. If I do th full increase I find the heel a bit saggy. Usually I go 4 stitches less and find that the fit is perfect.

    1. Pat, that’s a great point. I find that I have to make some adjustments based on the yarn as well. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s just because a lot of sock yarn these days is this tightly-plied, very stretchy Merino, that just seems to stretch and stretch… yarn like Koigu and Malabrigo sock don’t seem to fit snugly unless I take out at least four increases.

  52. Thanks Liat:

    I love making socks but always had holes in my heels when making toe up.

    I look forward to making my next pair of socks using the Fleegle Heel.

    Nancy

  53. Stunning amount of info – as usual, Liat! TY!!!
    I’m pulling out needles & Cascade 220 in Shaded Spruce as I type….

  54. I’ve always made socks from the top down- but after your worsted-weight toe-up pattern, I may never do them any other way! I did the worsted ones as written first, then another pair on #5 DPNs, casting on 10, increasing to 42, then heel/”flap” and increased the cuff stitches to 44 for a K2,P2 8″ cuff- they are thick, sturdy- perfect barn socks! Thank you so much for all the great info!

    1. Woohoo! I love hearing that my students are using these patterns and tweaking them until they work just perfectly. That ribbed cuff sounds so snug and sturdy!

  55. You’ve done it again! Created something so useful everyone should love it! Consolidating the info to one spot is genius!

    1. Aw, Billi, you are so sweet. I didn’t even realize that I had all these resources until I started pulling them all together for this post. I had fun working on it, and it was a nice challenge to fill it with reference information but still make it highly readable. I hope I succeeded! :)

  56. I took up knitting again last year after a twenty year absence. A self-taught knitter in my early teens, I would read instructions, try and re-try the stitch until the end result looked the way I thought it should according to the picture “in the pattern book.”
    Well, I happened on Liat by chance last year and couldn’t believe the world of knitting I had been missing out on! The myriad of videos on technique, stitches, needles and yarn I didn’t know existed have given me a excitement for knitting I thought I’d never get back. Magic loop, free instructional videos, an answer for every possible question at my fingertips. It’s like living in a LYS with access to a personal trainer.
    Love your website, videos and clear, calm manner of instructing.
    Thanks Liat!

    Carmen

    1. Oh, Carmen, you’re making me go all misty! To know that I’ve helped you love knitting again and that you’ve used my tutorials and videos to forge ahead with new techniques makes me feel so satisfied and happy in my heart. I am sending you big hugs, and keep up the wonderful work!!

  57. Thank you so much for sharing so much of your knitting expertise with us. I’m relatively new to knitting and appreciate the clarity of your explanations and demonstrations. I’ve tried the Fleegle heel and found it so easy. Thanks!

    1. Gwen I’m so glad you found my site! You are going to have a huge head start as you embark on your lifelong journey of knitting. And you are right about the Fleegle heel – it’s a great find. Thanks for commenting!

  58. Every time I think I’m stuck with no way out, Liat to the rescue! You cleared up something I was doing wrong on a current project. You are the perfect teacher, I’m glued to the iPad when you post. I absorb every word and then run and grab my stash to practice! You are the best, thank you!

    A happy knitter

  59. Thank You Liat,

    You started by helping me knit my first socks; two at a time, toe-up with the magic loop technique and it doesn’t hurt. It is actually easy! In your tutorials, you break down the elements into steps that are easy to follow and to repeat immediately.

    Your videos are useful for many reasons: High quality of the image, close up of the stitches, vocal description supporting the visual, all techniques demonstrated while holding the yarn in the left hand, then in the right hand, slow enough pace when demonstrating & repetitions to let the information sink in.

    When looking for information on a new technique, I always refer to you. I have been receiving your updates for a while now but never took the time to thank you for being there, for us knitters and for me more particularly. I hope (egoistically) that you will be around for a very long time!

    A very grateful knitter,
    Esther

    1. Oh, Esther, it means so much to me that as a longtime fan you’ve come and commented and told me of the progress you’ve made. Students like you keep me going!

      And don’t worry – I don’t plan on going anywhere for a long time – on the contrary – I’m planning and working on so many amazing improvements to KNITFreedom that in 5 years, the entire knitting world is going to wonder how they ever lived without me! Haha, well that’s my dream, anyway. And I hope you will help me spread the word! :)

    1. Hi Fleegle – wow, what a lovely surprise! I’m so glad you liked the post, and I do hope you like the “Faux-Heel Flap” pattern. I will definitely try your short-rows technique!

      PS – I know you were one of the first posters, so you should come back and see how much love your Fleegle Heel has gotten today since you commented. ;)

        1. Hi Pam,

          Theoretically if you are comfortable with the heel, you could just work backward and do the Fleegle heel on top-down socks!

          Anything is possible with knitting, and this shouldn’t be too hard.

          Let us know how it works for you and send pics!

          Happy Knitting
          Hugs
          Candy (KnitFreedom Customer Happiness Guru)

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