Toe-Up, Strong-Heel Sock Pattern

[treeskin]

Please note: I'm typing this from memory, before finishing my first caffeine of the day. Errors are entirely the fault of the keyboard.

The "Strong" heel is named for the person who first published this type of heel pattern, back in the 40's or 50's, I think.

I do this pattern on 5, Brittany #2 sock needles, with various sock yarns. My gauge is 7 sts and 9 rows per inch in stockingette stitch, and I wear 7 1/2 or 8 shoes. Adjust as necessary.

Figure-8 cast-on 24 sts (12 loops on each needle). Knit two rounds.

Begin toe increases: pick up 2 sts along the side, putting one st on the previous needle, and the next on a new needle, k 6 sts, k 6 on new needle, pick up 2 sts along the side, putting one st on this needle, and the next on a new needle, k 6, k 7. You should have 28 sts, divided onto 4 needles. Mark the beginning of the round.

Rnd 4: K
Rnd 5: Needle 1--K 1, m 1(right-slanted), k across. Needle 2--K to last st, m 1 (left-slanted), k 1. Needle 3--as for needle 1. Needle 4--as for needle 2.

You should have 30 sts after rnd 5.

Rep rnds 4 & 5 until you have 52 sts, or 13 on each needle. classics_cat, you'll probably want 56 sts.

After you hit your target number of sts, k evenly until the foot is 2 1/2" less than the total length of your foot. I aim for 7 1/2" for myself, 8" for socks for By, just as examples.

Gusset increases:
Rnd 1: K
Rnd 2: Needle 1--K 1, m 1 (right-slanted), k across. Needle 2--K across to last st, m 1 (left-slanted), k 1. Needles 3 & 4--k.

Needles 1 & 2 are the heel, needles 3 & 4 are the top of the foot.

Repeat rnds 1 & 2 until you have 24 sts each on needles 1 & 2, or a total of 74 sts. classics_cat, I haven't tried this, but I'd guess for a 56-st sock, you'd want 78 sts in your gusset, so 26 sts on each needle.

K 1 rnd more after last increase round.

Heel:
K across needle 1. K 2 sts on needle 2, k 2 tog, k 1, wrap next st, turn.
Sl 1, p 5, p 2 tog, p 1, wrap next st, turn.
Sl 1, k 6, k 2 tog (pull the wrap up off this st and k it in, so the short row doesn't make a hole), k 1, wrap next st, turn.
As a marker way to judge if your count is right, on these k rows, the block of k sts should be evenly split between
needles 1 and . For the row above, you should have 3 k sts on each, then the k 2 tog, etc. If it's not split this way,
your count will be off at the end.
Sl 1, p 7, p 2 tog, p 1, wrap next st, turn.
Sl 1, k 8, k 2 tog, k 1, wrap next st, turn.
Rep in pattern until you're back to 13 sts on needles 1 and 2 (or 14 sts, if you're doing a 56-st sock).
Heel finished!

Knit the leg however you please, then do another sock to match.

Ribbing, texture sts, etc are easy to plug in....just remember which needles will be the sole of the foot, because cables or something nubbly on the bottom would be uncomfortable. I haven't done this pattern with cables yet. I'd guess for cables you'd want to watch how much the cable pulls in horizontally, and add sts as necessary to accomodate that.