Wee Feet- An Afterthought Heel Tutorial

Wee Feet: An Afterthought Heel Tutorial by Julia Swart

What is Being Made

Wee Feet is a beginner-friendly knitting pattern designed to teach the afterthought heel technique while creating small decorative socks. These miniature socks are versatile finished projects that can be used as Christmas ornaments, garland decorations, gift card holders, or—when the foot is extended by 1 inch (2.5 cm)—as newborn socks. The pattern is ideal for knitters looking to practice a specific heel construction method while using up leftover yarn from larger projects.

Techniques Used

The primary focus of this pattern is mastering the afterthought heel technique, a method where the heel is picked up and knitted after the main sock body is complete, rather than being worked during the initial construction. This approach allows knitters to add contrast colors to the heel without planning ahead during the body of the sock. The pattern accommodates two common small-circumference knitting methods: magic loop on circular needles or double-pointed needles (DPNs), giving knitters flexibility in their preferred technique.

Stitches Used

While the PDF excerpt does not detail specific stitch abbreviations or row-by-row instructions, the pattern is structured for beginners and involves fundamental knitting stitches appropriate for sock construction. The afterthought heel technique typically incorporates basic knit and purl stitches, with the heel being worked from picked-up stitches after the main body is complete.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern provides guidance for two yarn weight options:

• Fingering weight version: US 2 (2.75 mm) needles, 24 inch (61 cm) circular needles for magic loop or DPNs. The example uses MadelineTosh Twist Light yarn in a speckled blue colorway, with a contrasting mini skein for the heel detail.
• DK weight version: US 4 (3.5 mm) needles, 24 inch (61 cm) circular needles for magic loop or DPNs. This version requires 2 skeins of yarn.

The pattern encourages using scrap yarn in a highly contrasting color for the heel, making it an excellent stash-busting project. Mini-skeins work particularly well for adding contrast colors to the heel, toe, and cuff without requiring large quantities of additional yarn.

Pattern Notes

This free downloadable PDF tutorial is designed as a practice project for knitters seeking to develop their afterthought heel skills. The designer, Julia Swart, recommends her full-size follow-up pattern, Pin Striped Socks, also available free in the WeeSheepKnits Ravelry Store, for knitters ready to apply the learned technique to larger projects.