Learning to knit can sometimes also feel like learning an entirely new language. I’ve written before about all the funny abbreviations we use while knitting, but sometimes there are vocabulary words that are specific to a particular knit item, too.
In today’s blog post, we’re taking a look at some key words and concepts that will help you better understand what sock knitters (and sock knitting patterns!) are talking about. Want even more info? My Sock Knitting Starter Kit has a diagram illustrating the anatomy of a sock, a helpful list of tools I recommend to every sock knitter, links to in-depth resources for troubleshooting, and a free pattern for a worsted-weight sock.
Ball of Foot
The ball of your foot is the soft, fleshy part on the bottom of your foot that’s next to the base of your toes. This is where you’ll generally want to measure your foot’s circumference to make sure your sock will fit. Many people confuse this with the bottom of your heel because that’s shaped more like a ball.
Cuff
The cuff is the opening of your sock where you first slide your foot in. Usually it has some ribbing or other element to help the sock stay up on your leg. A cuff can be very close to the heel (if you’ve knit shortie socks) or very far from the heel (if you’ve knit knee socks). It can be narrow or very thick.
Gusset
A gusset is an extra piece of fabric inserted into a shape to allow for ease of movement. Ever bought a sweater with a diamond-shaped insert in the underarms or worn a pair of tights with a similar shaped piece of fabric where the legs join? Those are gussets, too!
In sock knitting, we use gussets to add extra room around the ankle. Not all socks have gussets, though. Gussets are usually placed on either side of the foot, but sometimes are placed on the sole.
Heel flap
The heel flap is a piece of the sock that extends downward from the leg. It is knit flat and will cover the heel when it’s done. Not all socks have heel flaps, so it’ll depend on what kind of heel construction your pattern uses.
Heel turn
The heel turn, also sometimes called the heel cup, is created when you use short rows to curve the bottom of the heel flap. This allows it to cradle the underside of the wearer’s heel and ensures a nice, snug fit.
Instep
The instep is the top of your sock. Sometimes it is specifically referring to the top part of your foot just below the ankle, but many sock knitting patterns will refer to “instep stitches and sole stitches.” In that case, the instep stitches are the stitches that will go across the top of the foot.
Laddering
Laddering is a tension issue that is particularly common with sock knitters because of the finer yarn and small needles. It happens where you move from one needle to another and have a lose stitch at that point. The loose stitch, if it’s repeated every round, ends up looking like the rungs of a ladder going up the side or top of your sock.
Negative Ease
Negative ease is where the finished knit garment is smaller than the body part it’s meant to fit on. This means it will be tight and will stretch over that body part. Socks should have 1-2″ (2.5-5 cm) of negative ease. Loose socks will twist on the foot while being worn, bunch up inside the shoe, or fall down.
Second Sock Syndrome
Second Sock Syndrome is a painful and sometimes embarrassing condition where, no matter what they try, a knitter just can’t bring themself to finish knitting the second sock in a pair. There’s no need to feel shame about it, though! Second Sock Syndrome can have a lot of causes, but the two most frequent solutions seem to be either changing your sock knitting method (say, switching from DPNs to Magic Loop) or knitting socks two-at-a-time.
Sock Blank
A sock blank is a piece of knit fabric that is dyed. The knitter then unravels it and uses the yarn from the knit fabric to knit a pair of socks. Some sock knitters like sock blanks because you can get dye effects that are harder to achieve when a sock yarn is dyed in more traditional formats. I’ve written a whole post about how to use a sock blank if you’re curious to try one.
Sole
Although in some contexts a sole can be a fish, here, the sole is the bottom of your foot or the bottom of your sock (the part that comes between your foot and the floor).
TAAT
This is an abbreviation that means “two at a time.” It’s common among sock knitters who like to knit two socks at once to avoid the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome (see above).
Toe Box
The toe box is the part of the sock that surrounds your toes. It can come in lots of shapes and depths, so knowing how and where to adjust your toe box can be really important in giving yourself a more comfortable fit.
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