Tag Archives: sock

Shoe Size Chart

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I’ve been meaning to put this together for a while now. These sizes were collected from various sites around the Internet.

International Shoe Sizes (9 - 9 3/8 in, 22.8 - 23.8 cm)

SystemGenderSize Chart
Europe3535 1/23637
U.K.Men's33 1/244 1/2
Women's2 1/233 1/24
AustraliaMen's33 1/244 1/2
Women's3 1/244 1/25
US & CanadaMen's3 1/244 1/25
Women's55 1/266 1/2
Inches99 1/89 1/49 3/8
Centimeters22.823.123.523.8

International Shoe Sizes (9 1/2 - 9 7/8 in, 24.1 - 25.1 cm)

SystemGenderSize Chart
Europe37 1/23838 1/239
U.K.Men's55 1/266 1/2
Women's4 1/255 1/26
AustraliaMen's55 1/266 1/2
Women's5 1/266 1/27
US & CanadaMen's5 1/266 1/27
Women's77 1/288 1/2
Inches9 1/29 5/89 3/49 7/8
Centimeters24.124.524.825.1

International Shoe Sizes (10 - 10 1/2 in, 25.4 - 26.7 cm)

SystemGenderSize Chart
Europe40414243
U.K.Men's77 1/288 1/2
Women's6 1/277 1/28
AustraliaMen's77 1/288 1/2
Women's7 1/288 1/29
US & CanadaMen's7 1/288 1/29
Women's99 1/21010 1/2
Inches1010 1/810 1/410 1/2
Centimeters25.425.72626.7

International Shoe Sizes (10 3/4 - 11 1/2 in, 27.3 - 29.2 cm)

SystemGenderSize Chart
Europe444546 1/248 1/2
U.K.Men's10111213 1/2
Women's9 1/210 1/211 1/213
AustraliaMen's10111213 1/2
Women's10 1/211 1/212 1/214
US & CanadaMen's10 1/211 1/212 1/214
Women's12131415 1/2
Inches10 3/41111 1/411 1/2
Centimeters27.327.928.629.2

Machine Knit Sock Heel – Cat Bordhi Style

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In my quest to knit the perfect sock heel on a knitting machine, I stumbled on Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato Heel. If you aren’t familiar with this type of heel or you’re simply interested in learning how to do this on your knitting machine, I’d suggest watching Cat’s video first.

Even if you don’t know how to hand knit, Cat does an excellent job of explaining what causes the gaps in a short row heel… and that’s the key to learning how to eliminate the gaps.

Intrigued? Here’s how you can knit a modified version of the Sweet Tomato Heel on a knitting machine, regardless of whether you knit your socks cuff-down or toe-up.

These instructions assume the heel will be knit on the main bed.

When knitting circular, the ribber knits right to left and the main bed knits left to right.

If you’re knitting your heel on the ribber or your carriages will knit in the opposite direction, you’ll need to flip these instructions around.

Preparing to knit the first wedge

  1. Begin by knitting up to the point where the heel begins.
  2. Knit on the ribber right to left and stop. Your carriage is on the left. This is where each wedge will begin.
  3. Set your ribber carriage to slip in both directions.
  4. Set your main carriage to knit and hold in both directions. Needles in HP will not knit.
If you’re knitting circular on a double-bed machine or knitting machine with ribber, the last carriage pass before starting your heel will always be on the bed opposite the heel. If the heel is knit on the main bed, the last circular pass must be on the ribber. If the heel is knit on the ribber, the last circular pass must be on the main bed.

If you’re knitting a seamed sock without a ribber, it doesn’t matter which side you start on. Just be sure to start each wedge from the same side.

Knitting the first wedge

  1. Set the ribber carriage to slip in both directions.
  2. Set the main carriage to knit and hold in both directions.
  3. Row 1
    • Pull the edge needle opposite the carriage (right) to hold.
    • Knit 1 row left to right.
    • Manually wrap the held needle.
    • Manually knit the next WP needle, pull it to hold and pull the yarn taut to tighten up the wrap.
  4. Row 2
    • Pull the edge needle opposite the carriage (left) to hold.
    • Knit 1 row right to left.
    • Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the left side — exactly the same way you did it on the right side.
  5. Now repeat rows 1 and 2 until the center 1/3 of your stitches remain in WP and your carriage is on the left.
  6. Push the held needles on the right to UWP.
  7. Knit 1 row left to right. Note that it may be a little harder to knit the needles in UWP because of the snug wraps.
  8. For circular socks with ribber:
    1. Use a transfer tool to carefully move the held stitches on the left to WP. Note that it may be a little harder to manipulate the stitches because of the snug wraps.
    2. Set the main carriage to slip in both directions.
    3. Set the ribber carriage to knit right to left.
    4. Knit 1 row right to left on the ribber.
    5. Pull the main bed needles left of 0 to UWP. Remember that these needles still contain the wraps and may be harder to knit. Pulling these needles back to UWP with the stitches behind the latches will help the stitches knit cleanly.
  9. For flat socks without ribber:
    1. Push the held needles on the left to UWP.
    2. Knit 1 row right to left.

One wedge is complete. Your carriage is on the left where it’s ready to knit another wedge or resume circular knitting.

Usually, you’ll want to knit 3 wedges for a nice round heel. You may find you need more or less to achieve a good fit. You can add or remove a 1/2 wedge by leaving more needles in WP.

You may find that the wedges create a slightly snugger heel. This may make the ankle stitches pull. To make the sock a little looser around the ankle, increase the number of stitches every 2 to 4 rows leading up to the heel and decrease back to the original number of stitches after you complete the heel.

A Neater Rib Cast-On For Japanese Knitting Machines

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I’m sure you’ve heard all of the White/Superba owners talk about the wonderful rib they create on their French knitting machines. I assure you, it’s all true… I almost always do my ribs on my 1602, even if I’m going to knit the rest of the garment on my Brother KH860.

But sometimes I want to do a quick pair of socks and I don’t want to go to all the trouble of swapping machines around just to knit a couple of ribbed cuffs… so this is how I do my rib cast-ons to produce a nice finished edge on the Japanese machines. Still not as nice as the Superba, but good ‘nuf.

Set up the needles for the zig-zag row. I generally prefer industrial rib, but this method should work for whatever your pattern calls for.

Run both carriages across the bed to align all the needles in working position. Position both carriages on the right.

Push all ribber needles to hold with latches open. Then use a ruler (or the flat side of your needle pusher) to push the ribber needles back down so the tops of the needle hooks are even with the gate pegs on the main bed.

Disconnect the main carriage from the ribber (leave ribber arm connected and ribber bed in upper position). Set the main carriage for the tightest possible tension and knit one row right to left with main carriage only. The yarn should now be caught in the needle hooks of the main bed and laying across the ribber needles between the hook and the latch. Carefully push the ribber needles back to working position, making sure the yarn is caught in the needle hooks. Hang the cast-on comb and weights.

Push all of the main bed needles to hold and set the main carriage to knit needles in hold at T1. Carefully knit one row left to right.

Connect the ribber carriage. Push all of the ribber needles to hold, set the main carriage to slip and ribber carriage to knit needles in hold at T1. Carefully knit one row right to left. This completes the circular row.

Set both carriages to knit at MT in both directions. Gently tug on the cast-on comb to make sure the top of the comb is below the needle hooks. Continue to knit the rest of the rib.

Industrial rib on Brother KH860 Lion Brand Sock-Ease at T5

Industrial rib on Brother KH860 Lion Brand Sock-Ease at T5