June 21, 2022: I was in Germany on vacation this summer and purchased the Regia yarn there. These socks bring back many sweet memories from an amazing trip. For this sock I have chosen to make the German Heel and a Start Toe of 4 points.

This pattern is from Weldon’s Practical Sock Knitting First Series. See here for a brief description and some useful links.

A short description of these vintage heel patterns may be found in Vicki Square’s article in Piecework magazine. A description of some of the toes in these vintage patterns can be found here in Elizabeth Prose’s PW article.

Nancy Bush’s Yarrow Ribbed Sock in the book Knitting Vintage Socks features a German Heel and a French Toe and is worked on 66 stitches.

Weldon’s Practical Stocking Knitter First Series provides instructions for making this heel on page 7.

Long Thread Media, publisher for Piecework and Spin Off magazine has compiled an ebook of the Weldon’s Practical Stocking Knitter First and Second Series and can be purchased here.

My Sock
German Twisted CO 68 sts with US 2 (2.75mm) needles. Used US #1, 2.25mm dpns for the entire sock.

For the cuff I am using Jawoll Superwash 75/25 in orange as a CC. These Jawoll skeins come with a bobbin of matching reinforcement yarn. I held the reinforcement yarn with the CC for the initial CO but not for the rest of the cuff. I will use the reinforcement yarn again for the CC heels and toes.

For the cuff, I held this transparent elastic knitting thread by Prym with the Jawoll CC yarn to add some additional elasticity to the cuff. I am still tinkering with the appropriate tension/stretch of the elastic thread. It will take some practice.

Cuff: CC and elastic thread held tog, 16 rows of 1x1 ribbing followed by one stockinette row.
Leg: With MC, 52 rows.

German Heel
Let the total number of sts in your sock be X. A German Heel is worked on (X+9) sts, where the middle st is a seam stitch. I don’t like the look of a seam st. Therefore, I will not knit a seam st and do the heel on (X+8) sts. The gap between the middle two sts will be used as the seam stitch.

Then you work the heel as follows:
Row 1: Starting at the BOR (this gap between the 1st of the round and the last st of the round will substitute the seam st), knit to one quarter of the sts (X/4), then p2, k2. Turn.
Row 2: Sl1, purl to the BOR gap (mark this gap with a sm), then purl another (X/4 + 4) sts. Turn.

Row 3: Sl1, k1, p2, knit to the last 4 sts, p2, k2. Turn.
Row 4: Sl1, p to end.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 till the flap is X/2 rows total, creating X/4 “V” selvedge sts.
For this sock of 68 sts I have 17 selvedges.

I followed instructions for the heel turn and gusset from Nancy Bush’s Yarrow socks.

On the last heel row, reduce 4 sts. 16 sts on each needle, total 64 sts.

Star Toe of 4 Points
The Weldon’s instructions are for 80 sts. Here is Roxanne Richardson’s Video adjusting it for a 64 st sock.
Starting with 64 sts.
Round 1: k15, p1, around.
Rounds 2-5: knit around.
Round 6: P2tog, k11, p2tog, k1, repeat.
Rounds 7-10: knit around.
Round 11: k1, p2tog, k7, p2tog, k2, repeat
Rounds 12-15: Knit around.
Round 16: K2, p2tog, k3, p2tog, k3, repeat
Rounds 17-20: knit around
Round 21: K3, p3tog, k4, repeat
32 sts remaining.
Round 22: K2, p3tog, k3, repeat
Round 23: k1, p3tog, k2, repeat
Round 24: P3tog, k1, repeat
8 sts remaining
Round 25: p2tog around.
Close the remaining 4 sts like a hat top.

Measurements
Unblocked
Cuff to beginning of heel: 11.5cm
Cuff to bottom of heel: 19cm
Back of the heel to beg of toe: 19cm
Back of the heel to end of toe: 23.5cm
Length of Toe: 4.5cm

Measurements after blocking:
Cuff to beginning of heel flap: 11.2cm
Cuff to bottom of the heel: 19cm
Back of the heel to the tip of the toe: 22.7cm
Ankle (diagonal): 11.5
Width-leg: 9.3cm
Width-ball of the foot: 9.3cm

Comments
July 15: I like the fit of the heel a lot. I will make it again. The Star Toe of 4 points are well shaped. However, I do not like them in the Regia sock yarn as p2togs and p3togs feel gritty and bumpy on the toe. It’s not the most comfortable.