DiamondHeel

I was inspired by Tanis Gray's  Gilmore girls - The official knitting book. The book doesn't include these woollen socks. But it includes the awesome Daily News Hat from which chart column 3 I copied the pattern for the leg part of these socks!

Aren't they fabulous! I used Nako's Purse Sock Plus yarn (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) in white and grey shades. I really don't know yet is this good yarn or not because the socks I've knit are for the Yule 2025.

I made my 1st ever Diamond Heel for these socks. I've seen many pics of pretty Diamond Heels but I wanted to see how does it work in a stronger and thicker heel. I used the similar knitting that I did in Dutch Heel No1 (trad.). It really doesn't work as a proper boot sock. Meaning if you want to use it in your boot's this is not your choice for the heel. But it works just fine as a warm sock at home during cold and chilly winter days.

Wedge Heel No2

I designed and knit another wedge heel knitted woollen sock. For the leg of the sock I used plant dyed AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool, 10% nylon)  (100g = 238m). The shades are from Surprise Webcap (Cortinarius semisanguineus), tea and fire weed. For the foot part I used dark brown Nako yarn (75 % wool, 25 % polyamide) (100g = 200m).

This differs from Wedge Heel No1 because this one has similar style heel knitting and stitches compared to Dutch Heel No1 (trad.). That's why this heel is stronger than the Wedge Heel No1. It also stays on better and perhaps creates a small healing compression on aching angles. But it is not -in my opinion- pretty at all in any way. It would look better if the rib stitch (knit 2 - purl 2) would reach all the way to the toes.

Wedge Heel No1

I designed and knit wedge heel knitted woollen socks. For the leg of the sock I used plant dyed AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool, 10% nylon)  (100g = 238m). The shades are from Surprise Webcap (Cortinarius semisanguineus) and tea. For the foot part I used dark brown Nako yarn (75 % wool, 25 % polyamide) (100g = 200m). I have never before used Nako yarn so I really have no idea will it be good or not.

This was the 1st time for me to knit this wedge heel. It is not suitable for boots and active use. But I see it very useful for the ones who stay mainly at home in a quiet life or bed at nursery home with swelled up angles and feet.

Tomato Heel

I designed and knit Tomato Heel woollen socks for a child. I used Kotikulta's Tuokio yarn (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) in red shade. The multicolored yarn in the stripes is the last left over yarn from Aurora socks. It is Novita 7 veljestä yarn (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) and its shade is Aurora.

If you ever made German Short Row Heel, for sure you can make this. You make the short rows only to the half way and repeat it three times to get 3 short row reducing points.

This was my 1st time to knit Tomato Heel. I kind of liked it. It is suitable for children socks and for the ones who mainly rest when wearing these woollen socks. The name comes from it that the heel looks like a half of tomato!

True Afterthought Heel

I designed and knit woollen socks with True Afterthought Heels. It is funny but the true shade of the white yarn is natural white but it looks like beige in the pictures. I took many pictures and it is always beige, never natural white!The white yarn I used is from my old collection I have inherit in 2010. It is Finnish 100% wool called Syreeni (50g = 150m). The pink yarn is Red Heart (100% acrylic, 50g = 185m). 

I was a bit worried if the natural white yarn can be seen proper in the pics but for sure you can! That is only good so we don't mind about the weird beige shade in the pics.

I used Single Cables to decorate the socks which otherwise are plain. The tiny cables are cute little decorations.

I knit True Afterthought Heels for the 1st time ever. You can see it in industrially manufactured socks. Despite it is the most common manufactured heel in socks it is not very durable. These are going to be night socks for someone who is not a sleep walker so these socks don't need to be able to bear stress on the heels.

Dutch Heel No4 (var.)

I designed and knit this pretty pair of woollen socks. It is inspired by my Ireland Erasmus+ journey 2025 with my students and the visit at the IrelandsEye Knitwear factory. For the socks I used Novita 7 veljestä yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) in green shade and AAW (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool, 10% nylon) (100g = 238m) which I plant dyed by fire weed. 

For the decorative knitting I used Single cable and mosaic stitch. In these socks you can find the mosaic stitches in the green stripes. To knit the mosaic stitches you use only the stripe shade so you knit by just one yarn (it is not Fair Isle). You knit the 1st row, then purl the 2nd. BUT you need just to slip the stitches between the stripes. It is very easy, just try it on.

For example in this version I knit on the 1st row "knit 4 - slip 2" and on the 2nd row "purl 4 - slip 2". 

I knit Dutch heel variation with seed stitch. Seed stitch is very easy and pretty. It is suitable for the beginners who want to learn to knit something else than just plain. You can use seed stitch just a little bit, only for few rows. Or you can do even double seed stitch for bigger surfaces. 

To get the seed stitch surface you just need to purl every stitch and knit every purl stitch:

1. knit-purl-knit
2. purl- knit-purl

German Short Row Heel

I knit these woollen socks. It's a variation from Kerstin Balk's SoxxBook Family & Friends by Stine & Stitch but not exactly from her design. I used Kotikulta's Tuokio yarn (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) in white and red shades.

This pair has German Short Row heels. It is the most common heel in all the commercial socks you can buy. But it is not the most durable one. Excellent choice for the woollen socks you are going to wear at home, school or work if you are not going to walk a lot.

German Short Row heel is called also Hourglass or Boomerang heel.

French Heel

I designed and made these woollen socks but was strongly inspired by Kersin Balke's book SoxxBook Family + Friends by Stine & Stitch. I used Kotikulta's Tuokio yarn (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) in white and red shades.

These socks have French heels. It is quite similar to DutchHeel NoO (plain) but differs at the casting offs and the side edge of the heel.

Dutch Heel NoO (plain)

I designed and knit a traditional style woollen socks with the traditional style heel in toddler size. I used hand dyed no logo 100% merino wool which I received as a gift from a friend. 

Notice that this heel is exactly the basic plain & original Dutch Heel. This is not as durable as Dutch Heel No 1 (trad.), Dutch Heel No2 (var.) and Dutch Heel No3 (var.).

 The heel is made: 

every 2nd row - knit

every 2nd row - purl

always slip the 1st stitch

Dutch Heel No3 (var.)

I have designed and knit one more pair of socks. This is a variation of traditional Dutch Heel No1 (trad.) woollen sock. I use this style especially for the hard use woollen socks. The difference is the sole part. The stronger knitting continues from the heel to the toes. It makes the sole warmer and more durable. I used different shades of Novita 7 veljestä yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) also for this pair.

Dutch Heel No2 (var.)

I designed and knit a traditional style woollen socks with the variation of the traditional style heel. I used Kotikulta's Tuokio yarn (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) for the basic red shade. For the purple stripes I used left over Novita 7 veljestä yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m). And for the light purple shades I used left over Lankava's Alli yarn (75% wool and 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m). Alli yarn is from the disappointing trial of seeking new woollen sock yarn. By the way, since that it still has not happen. The heels last, when you have a proper yarn for it! Alli socks are the 1st and so far the last pair of which the heel has not last in daily use!

These socks have a variation of the traditional Dutch Heel. It is as strong as the original version but creates a bit different look. 

In this variation of The Dutch Heel (trad.) you make it all just a different rhythm in the following difference:

    1. row: purl

    2. row: slip 1st one, knit-slip-knit until knit the last one

    3. row - purl

    4. row: slip 1 st one, slip-knit-slip until knit the last one

    repeat 1-4 rows

Dutch Heel No1 (trad.)

I designed and knit a traditional style woollen socks with the traditional style heel. I used different shades of Novita 7 veljestä yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m).

Notice that this heel is not exactly the basic plain Dutch Heel. This is the thicker and stronger version of it and how we traditionally make it here up in the North. This version lasts in a hard use also. It is made like the Dutch Heel but in the following difference: 

1. every 2nd row - purl
2. every 2nd row slip-knit-slip until there is just 1 left and that one you always knit

MeditationSet No2

Earlier this autumn I designed and knit MeditationSet No1. It is for a friend far away. Now I have designed and knit MeditationSet No2 for myself. The set no2 includes mittens instead of hand warmers because of my arctic location to keep me warm during the winter meditation moments.

I used white Novita`s 7 veljestä yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) and different shade of blue Kaupunkilanka yarn (75 % wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) than I used in the set no1.

This set differs a bit from the set no1. In addition to the mittens this has single cable decorations. Both sets have snow balls to remind us all about the importance to save the vulnerable arctic nature.

Pretty For Me!

This week I've been knitting Long & Romantic woollen socks for Me&MySelf. They are my own design. Last Spring I knit BubbleSocks and now I have these to wait for the next autumn. It is fabulous to wear brand new woollen socks when it gets cold after the summer and you didn't knit them at first! What a luxury!

I used very old Novita's 7 veljestä yarn. (75% wool, 25% polyamide) (100g = 200m) They still sell it but the quality has gone down -unfortunately. Many people are complaining about the poor quality nowadays. The problem seems to be the quality varies a lot. Years ago you could be sure the quality is standard and good. This old quality behind the years feels so much different in your hands and lasts much longer.

These yarn balls are from the collection I inherit from my grandmother. I really am very seriously considering to change the yarn I use. The difference is so remarkable what they have done to the yarn during these years. Novita seems to pay more attention on shades nowadays than the quality. Sad, so sad.

Last January I knit ForMe woollen socks for daily use. It was extremely infuriating to notice after only 3 wearing times that the socks had piled quite badly. (I am very happy I knit also BubbleSocks because I've been using them then.) After a long time I had bought ball of original Novita 7 veljestä yarn and this was the result with socks ForMe. For a long time I have used Novita's old quality yarn storage I have inherit from my grandmothers.

I had 2 yarn balls of this type: 1 white and 1 cream. I knit the legs to be as long as 100g allowed me to. I decorate the socks with SingleCables.

For the 1st time I knit this type on heel. It looks different and perhaps a bit more romantic but should be as lasting as the original styled one I always before have knit. The structure is similar at the end; it just varies a bit. I reaally hope, wish and believe this socks will be good quality. I saved the last balls of the yarns for Me&MySelf just in case.