# Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

So, I am working on socks for Christmas gifts, and was pondering the heel options.

I watched [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRc3309JUyc&feature"]Cat Bordhi's video[/ame] about the Sweet Tomato heel again, and decided to give it a shot. 

WOW is it ever easy!

You don't have to do any increasing or decreasing ... knit the leg of the sock so it'll fit the person, do the heel, then knit the foot ... same number of stitches all the way through. No counting! Even the heel is done 'visually', so you don't have to keep track of any numbers (well, to make the two match you need to write down how many stitches you used for 2/3, if it isn't exact, and how many pairs of stitches you had on each side, but that is IT).










You can also do the same thing with the [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXPCmhWb2Yk&feature=channel&list=UL"]padded heel[/ame] (s1, k1) ... I watched that video when I woke up at 5 am today. 

I love this. I want to do a pair of bulky slipper socks, and I figure if I do the toe up construction (Judy's Magic Cast On with about 8 stitches) then just increase until the foot is "big enough to fit", I can just knit away and not worry!

No pattern! Hey Forerunner, if you could wrap those big mitts of yours around tiny needles, you could make socks without having to look at patterns!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I have done those Sweet Tomato heels twice now.

It is a nifty trick, no doubt.

Here are the ones I did w/ the slip-stitch version of the heel.










Honestly, I like the heelflap and gusset method better though. 
They just fit me nicer. Maybe because I have a higher instep?
I feel like the heel starts up too high, like on the back of my ankle? 
It isnt tight enough around the ankles. 
When I pull my shoe on, the heel 'cup' will actually bulge out above the back of my shoes. And the socks arent too long either.
They fit me weird, and I am not doing them that way ever again. :shrug:


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## Caren (Aug 4, 2005)

Truthfully it is the only heel I know how to do!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

When I'm ready for socks, I've got just the pattern I want, all picked out....... and I won't be knitting with toothpicks


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I'll have to let you know how they fit on me ... these are for Dad who has big feet, but narrow. I'm keeping the top of the foot and the entire leg in ribbing, so we'll see how they are when done.

I don't like the way the heel flap heels fit on me, they seem to have the heel stuff all in the wrong spot, and they feel bulked up in the wrong places. Might be my skinny feet, I dunno. I'm going to keep trying these out and see what works ... the nice thing is because it is so visual, you can adjust it easily: work fewer wedges (or only partial wedges) to make the heel not so long, or work it over fewer stitches to make it not as wide.

I shall experiment and report back. 

FR, are you gonna knit giant Sasquatch boots?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Not the first go 'round, anyway...... boots oughttuh be leather and fur, anyhow.
But I am thinking about three, maybe four strands on 15s......


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

If you folks with skinny feet are having a difficult time getting the sweet tomato heel to fit, maybe it's just the thing for me. One foot is 1 inch wider around than the other, thanks to the surgery I had last year.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

FR what do you think wool is if it isn't fur? Knit a pair of giant socks, felt them down, sew a piece of leather on the bottom, and you got some boots. Fur and leather, simple as that :thumb:


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

For multiple ways to fit multiple feet, check out Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters.

You can do the arch expansion over the top of the foot, along the underside, up the sides ... there are lots of different approaches and each fits a little differently. All are easy to do, and the book comes with master tables that let you figure out gauge / size / etc for ANY foot in ANY yarn. There is also an adjustment for high or low insteps.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Marchwind said:


> FR what do you think wool is if it isn't fur? Knit a pair of giant socks, felt them down, sew a piece of leather on the bottom, and you got some boots. Fur and leather, simple as that :thumb:



No, silly...........:indif:


This.........

Authentic Suede Coach Black Boots 8B 8 w Fur Andi Leather LN Knee Zipper | eBay


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Well those are just for looks and wouldn't hold up in a real winter, IMHO!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I refuse to stress my fine woolens in the form of an honest-to-Pete boot. 

*folds arms defiantly*

Leather has it's place, and I intend to see it utilized.

Now, I haven't let ya'll in on this, yet, but I _have_ crafted two pairs of boot toppers that would make some of you blush. 

One in browns, to go _with_ leather, the other in oatmeal/natural tones, to go with sweaters of the same .



:whistlin:



I need a studio for this. :indif:


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