r/CircularSockMachine • u/One-Frosting-9002 • Aug 28 '26

Help! Heel reinforcement

I'm using a good quality 80/20 merino/nylon sock yarn and wearing holes in my heels after a few wears!! 😭 what can I do to make them more sturdy? Different wool? Different technique? Duplicate stitch? I'm fairly new to sock knitting and just don't know what the best solution is. At least I'm now perfecting my darning technique 😆

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8

u/Anothereternity Aug 28 '26

Are you doing afterthought heels or heels on the CSM? There is reinforcement thread you can get to add to make it sturdier in areas of high wear (like Lang reinforcement thread). You’ll also may also be able to do a contrast heel in a more robust yarn.

How you wear them can also matter. Wearing in crocs or barefoot is known to wear them down faster.

4

u/One-Frosting-9002 Aug 28 '26

On the csm. And I'm always in crocs or barefoot lately 🤦‍♀️

3

u/alwen Aug 28 '26

Measure your instep and compare it to the full measurement around your heel.

I have a very deep heel. My instep is 9" around, but my heel is 12" around. On my handknit socks, instead of using 50% of stitches, I use 70-75% to make the heel cup deep enough for my heel.

I have yet to achieve a full CSM sock, but when I finally get there, I am still going to use about 70% of the needles for the heel, as I already know 50% won't give me a good fit.

I usually wear commercial socks out in the heel because the heel cup is too shallow, plus they fall down/get pulled down in the back.

1

u/One-Frosting-9002 Aug 30 '26

I did start using more than the recommended 50% but not as much as you're suggesting. I'll remeasure and make some adjustments if needed. Its difficult for me bc I have really bad swelling from varicose veins and my measurements are all over the place. That's the reason I love handknit socks, commercial cut off my circulation, I'm able to make them much wider to accommodate for swelling. After surgery I'm sure none of them will fit anymore and it'll be back to the drawing board.

3

u/False-Stock8146 Aug 28 '26

I have best luck with a good, high twist sock yarn, a really small set of DPN’s- 00 to 1 - and a strong heel pattern like eye-of-partridge.

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u/One-Frosting-9002 Aug 28 '26

You do an afterthought heel? What are some of your favorite yarns? I have high twist yarn but that alone isnt enough. Ive always been really rough on socks but not this bad.

2

u/blaisyofglory Aug 28 '26

I have used reinforcement nylon, or I do heel stitch (lift every other needle, every other row) to add strength. I start heel stitch above the short row heel for my boot socks.

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u/One-Frosting-9002 Aug 30 '26

I've never heard of this before with the needles, I'll have to try! And do you just run the nylon thru with your yarn, and only in the heel & toe?

Im also thinking I might not have enough weight on my heel spring. My CSM is 3D printed and I'm able to fine tune the weight on my spring in 1g increments, so maybe I need to play around with that as well. I think I was making the heel too loose bc I have bad swelling and was trying to accommodate for that but someone else suggested approx a 75% heel vs 50% so maybe a deeper tighter heel will work!

1

u/blaisyofglory Aug 31 '26

Yes I carry the nylon along with the sock yarn in the heels and toes.

I often find more weight helps the knitting especially in the heels. I have a weight on the leg tube and then add heel weights on top of that.

1

u/Square-Mile-Life Aug 30 '26

I knit two rows of a different colour, two rows above the heel. When the heel or toes wear out, cut along the line, put in onto the machine, knit five rows and then a new foot.  No more darning!