Sock Heel Calculator
Heel flap, turn and gusset numbers for a classic top-down sock.
Result
Heel flap: work 32 rows on 32 sts
Hold the other 32 sts for the instep. Slip the first stitch of every flap row to make the pick-up edge.
Turn the heel
Short-row the heel stitches: work just past the centre, decrease (ssk/k2tog), work 1 more st, turn. Each row after, slip 1, work to one st before the gap from the last turn, decrease across the gap (ssk on RS/right-side rows, p2tog on WS/wrong-side rows), work 1 more st, turn. Repeat until the outer stitches are used up; 18 sts stay live in the centre for the heel cup.
Gusset: pick up 17 sts each side
One per slipped selvedge chain, plus 1 in the corner gap. That makes 84 sts: decrease 1 st each side every other round, 10 times, back to 64 sts.
Calculated at fibercalc.site/sock-heel — free knitting & crochet calculators.
How to use
- Enter your sock stitch count — the number of stitches around the leg.
- Read the heel flap: work it flat on half your stitches (the heel), holding the other half for the instep.
- Turn the heel with short rows, then pick up the gusset stitches shown along each side of the flap.
- Decrease the gusset back down to your original stitch count and carry on to the toe with the Sock Toe Calculator.
Good to know
- The heel is worked on half the round; the flap is worked square (about as many rows as heel stitches), slipping the first stitch of each row so you have a neat chain to pick up along.
- You pick up one gusset stitch per slipped selvedge chain — the flap rows divided by two — plus one more in the corner gap where the flap meets the instep, on each side.
- The heel turn is a short-row technique, not a single number: work past the centre, decrease, turn and repeat until the flap stitches are used up.
- Worked example: a 60-stitch sock puts 30 stitches on the heel, works a 30-row flap, and turns to 16 stitches at the base. Pick up 16 stitches on each side of the flap, then decrease the gusset over 9 rounds back to 60 stitches.
FAQ
- How many rows is the heel flap?
- A classic flap is worked square — about the same number of rows as heel stitches — so it is roughly as tall as it is wide. This calculator gives that row count from your stitch count.
- How many gusset stitches do I pick up?
- One for each slipped selvedge chain along the flap edge — the flap rows divided by two — plus one stitch picked up in the corner gap to close the hole there. The calculator gives the number for each side; you then decrease the gusset away.
- Which heel is this for?
- The classic top-down heel-flap-and-gusset heel, the most common and hard-wearing sock heel. Short-row and afterthought heels are worked differently.
- How do I finish the toe after the heel?
- Decrease it with the Sock Toe Calculator, which gives the exact round count and grafting stitches for your stitch count — a wedge toe closed with Kitchener stitch.
- Does this work for crochet?
- No — this heel-flap-and-gusset shape (a short-row heel turn, then picked-up gusset stitches) is a knitting technique. A crochet sock heel is usually turned with short rows of single crochet instead, which is worked differently and is not covered by this calculator.