Hmmmmm I rather like the heel flap, and find it satisfying to knit.....maybe now its time to try a short heel....ha ha...

I HATE knitting heel flaps. The most unpleasant part for me is picking up the stitches along the side of the flap. I agree that it's way too many steps. I think that they look ugly too. Short row heels are pretty and easy and quick and I'm never going back.

I love the heel flap. Mostly because, my short row heels look crappy. I just haven't mastered them yet but even then, I'm not sure I'll cross over.

Working a heel flap is kind of fiddly, but for some reason I really like it. Like, it's a nice break from round after round after round of whatever else I'm working on. And I LOVE slip-stitch patterning. So....

Plus, maybe I just have weird feet, but I hate the way short-row heel socks bunch at the front bend of my foot where it joins my leg. What's that area called anyway? The top of the ankle? Do ankles HAVE tops?

In any event, I'd knit some short-row heels if I could figure out a way to make them comfy. How do they hold up to extended wear, anyway?

heh! I am totally a short-row heel convert these days, too, thanks mostly to your tutorial. I don't like patterned heels either, I like plain stockinette heels! :)

I kind of like heel flaps myself - especially the eye of partridge ones. Since I started doing socks toe up I miss heel flaps a lot but not enough to go back to doing socks top down.

Personally, I like them all and use each for a different purpose. Suit the tool to the task.
Luckily there are no knitting gestapo to terrorize us for knitting the wrong kind of heel.

I like slipping stitches on a flap heel, makes me think it will last longer. Also I just don't get short rows, so I have resorted to trying the sherman heel instead. ;) I'd love to succeed short row heels though, even with the help of your tutorial, I still mess it up. Yet, I can't give up knitting socks! ;)

Since that's the only heel I know how to make, I can't appreciate your lack of appreciation, except that I do agree that there's a lot of stops and starts that way. I must learn this short row heel of which you speak!

I actually like knitting the heel flap. It's a nice break after all that stockinette (which is mostly how I knit my socks). I tried a short row heel on one sock and it just does not fit my foot. I do like the look of the short row but not the fit.

The first pair of socks I made was toe-up with a short row heel, and I've never tried a different heel method. Short row heels just make sense to me, plus I like the way they look. That sock yarn is *beautiful*, by the way.

I'm a new reader, I'm loving the blog!

I remember knitting my first sock and thinking how COOL that heel flap was. Then I discovered toe-ups and short row heels and now they (heel flaps) are just so clunky looking!

My one complaint with short row heels (maybe the more socks I do, the better it'll get) is that I have to devote 45 minutes STRAIGHT and UNINTERRUPTED to do it. No one can talk to me... and I can't set it down. The flap was at least easy to set down and pick up....

I'm with you all the way - in fact heel flaps were one of the things that put me off knitting socks for ages. Mind you, I still haven't found a short-rows heel that I'm entirely happy with either (picky, picky, picky!)

I SO hate heel flaps! I almost didn't do socks because of them. But the short heel? How do I love thee? So quick, so easy, no stitches to pick up and they FIT so much better!!!

Where is this short row tutorial of which Jess speaks?

I don't mind making the heel flap, I just hate the way it looks. Does one have to do toe up socks to make them? Does one have to knit a flat sock to make them? I'm a wee bit confused.

It's the purl thru the back loop that gets me with the short row heels

I love short row heels. Just about the time that I start to get bored with just knitting then there is this interesting little bit of heel to do and then back to knitting. I just love it!

I'll delurk to weigh in that I much, much, much prefer heel flaps. Something about an eye of partridge heel flap just looks beautiful to me, and my short row heels look crappy. To each his/her own, right?

I love the short row heel, too... unfortunately, my heel is really deep, and a regular short row heel doesn't fit. I've even done them over 60% of the stitches instead of 50%, and the stitches still pull across the ankle.

So, I found the eclectic heel... which has a mini heel flap (about 8 - 12 rows worth), the short row heel, and then a mini gusset. I love the way it fits! I'll be using this whenever I can, but not all yarns are going to work well with it.

I hate how the heel flap & gusset can mess up the patterning that you have going on on the leg. So, if a yarn is creating a distinct patterning, I'd probably do a different type of afterthought heel that I customized to my heel. Stripes also cause problems that way (I love the way I've seen you do heels with stripey yarn, btw... so professional). And, I won't do a short-row toe with stripey socks, because I think that it looks really odd with the top and bottom all different.

I'm with you. I don't mind a heel flap once it's finished, but I can't stand knitting them. I'm all for short row heels, they're much nicer looking.

I'm right there with you! I made my first short row heel a couple years ago now and there was no turning back! (No pun intended. Really!)
Only, I don't even like wearing heel flap socks anymore. They bunch up and ride up out of the backs of my shoes. Yuck.
Could somebody please explain why the heel flap heel is the norm for handknit socks. I don't get it. Of course, I don't really get why the norm here isn't Continental knitting either.
Oh well. To each their own, ultimately.

I only tried short rows once and wasn't too thrilled with their look. On the pair I'm knitting now, I tried an afterthought heel for the first time and, while it was fun to try something different, I don't think I'll be doing it again soon.
Why? I actually like the different steps because to me, it makes it seem like the heel has been specially engineered to fit a foot. It's a marvel to me.

I love heel flaps, but then again I have not yet tried the short row heel. The thing I particularly like about the flappy heel is how is sucks onto your heel like it was made just for it, with no shifting around or baggyness. As I have no experience with the short row heel, can you enlighten me as to how it feels? Is there also the sucking (in a good way!)? I may have to try one just to see :)

I've only tried socks with heel flaps. Can you suggest a good basic pattern for short row heels?

Thanks

I will continue to visit enjoyed the reading thanks

I feel the same as you, but in reverse. I love heel flaps and just can't get to grips with short row heels - whenever I try one I just end up messing it up and hating the sock. Must try harder...

i have you to thank for getting me hooked on short row heels and toes...
i'm hopelessly addicted.....

When I first started making socks I thought heel flaps looked kind of funny, but now I love them! I like slipping and picking stitches up, but what I really love is the gusset shaping--it looks more elegant to me. But I'm not too picky; I'll knit short row heels once in a while.

Alison, funny cause i love the eye of the partridge like Hilary does.. and i do toe up socks too... and still do my heel flaps.. causeas i mentioned to Hilary in her blog.. i get bigger holes on the bottom of my feet instead of the top..
Karola
happy weekend..

I vote for the heel flap.The first sock I knitted was made that way and although I have knitted short row heels since, I much prefer the flap. Well it would be boring if we were all the same!

I prefer the flap. I can stop at any time, whereas with the short-row heel I have to sit there until the whole thing's done. I also feel like the slip-stitch flaps are more durable. I like short-row heels on cotton/elastic socks, but wool socks are flaps for me.

Flappers Unite!
I tried counting the preferences and I think we have 18 flaps, 11 short-rows and 2 no pref. Add me and we are at 19!
I love the flap, all the steps, and I even call the heel turn "the magic." I did knit a short-row heel once and can't do it to save me life. I like the look and feel of the flap.

I think heel flaps are bulky and are only good for socks that are not worn in shoes. I really like the fit of the short row heel.

I'm a 'flapper', too. Short row heels make my head hurt. I've tried them many times, but the only ones I've liked are the garter stitch ones that I put on my pal's socks!!

Short row heels equal holes, gaps, frustration. Heel flaps equal love *G*. Plus I dislike binding off toe up socks with a passion - ten times worse than kitchner stitching a toe any day.

Isn't it funny how we all like and hate different things?? Luckily there's room for us all at the knitting table. Pass the wine!

I used to hate making flap heels, but I've fallen in love with the Eye of Partridge heel - it's really cool-looking and a bit more interesting than the usual. I'm still more of a fan of the short-row heel for my socks, it just fits better, but I've learned to like the flap heel.

I just knit a heel that way...you describe it perfectly. I must try the short row heel!

I LOVE knitting heel flaps &, most especially, turning heels. It is probably because of all the Victorian children's books I read as a little girl - I distinctly remember reading about someone's aunt or mother or grandma turning heels. Somehow it just always sounded kind of magical & difficult to me. That's probably why I didn't even think of trying so cks until * had been knitting for over 30 years. Now I love to knit them & the heel is my favorite part. Short row heels seem more fiddly to me than heel flaps altho I suppose I should try them because they do look better on self patterning yarn socks.

Amen. Short row heels, for me, are the only way to go!

I haven't mastered short rows either. I don't mind the heel flap, it's sort of Zen, but if I am sleepy I can't focus on it. So I had my mother's socks put aside until I was ready to deal with the heel flap pickup.

Thank you. I am totally a short-row girl.

as much as I dont' care for knittting flaps myself they do stand up ALOT better then any short heel. They last alot long and less wear too.. So as much as we dont' care for them there neccesary. DOn't have to like it but love my socks to much not to do them.....weigh it out pros? cons? hmm you decide...;o)

I agree. I much prefer the short row heel, but I think it's a matter of what you're used to. I've done a lot more flaps, so I find them easier than short row heels, and it's likely the other way for you. Remember, you're supposed to be enjoying yourself!

I once took an evening socknitting workshop, wherein we learned the standard sock-construction method (top down, heel flap and gusset, kitchener toe) by knitting a miniature sock. That was the first and only heel flap I ever knit: I didn't like the way it looked, so I tried peasant heels, which I liked but which involved grafting, and eventually migrated to short rows. Mwahaha, I'll never graft again! (Well, OK, maybe I will, but only if I *want* to.)

Reading these posts reminds me that I'm a sock amateur--I've only knit top down with heel gusset socks. I'm in training for Sock Wars 2006, so maybe I'd better explore these other methods, too!

I can't find your tutorial anywhere.... can you direct me? I would love some of your guidance with my toe up heel. nancy

Wow, this has been so cool hearing everyone's thoughts on heels!

I really do like wearing heel flaps and can totally understand all you flappers out there. I think the big difference with me is that I LOVE knitting stockinette stitch and so where most of you enjoy the break from all that boring knitting, I resent the heel flap for breaking up my boring knitting. ;0)

In case some of you want to try short-rows, my little tutorial is here. You can also find it by going to my free patterns page and my ankle socks pattern. There are several different short-row techniques and lots of other great tutorials online, so if this one doesn't work for you, try another!

Oh, and what exactly is the Eye of Partridge heel??

Other than the picking up the stitches I was glad when I got to the heel flap because I could finally do something other than knitting in the stinking round!
BUT this was my first sock (first of many apparently since I know have a sock load of sock yarn - oh, not to mention how fabulous a handknit sock feels on!!) so I didn't even know there was another way to knit a heel.
Hmmmm
I will have to explore my patterns and try out the other variation sometime.

I agree- rip out that contrasting heel. But I hate contrasting yarns in socks. BUT I have only made 1 so what do I know? ;-P

Well I have to say you have been turning my head away from the flap. I like the feel of both, but knitting the short row heel is easier and quicker.

Amen.