Ribbing or Hung Hem
I’ve made a LOT of socks over the years. Both hand-knit or cranked on my circular sock knitting machine. I always have to decide if the cuffs will be made with ribbing or hung hem.
Which Do You Prefer – Ribbing or Hung Hem?
When I first got my circular sock knitting machine (CSM), being able to make ribbing at the top cuff of the sock was an important function. I wanted my socks to look as good as commercial socks. My standard CSM sock was a 1×1 ribbed top with a 3×1 ribbed cuff and top of foot (like the left photo in the feature photo today).
Honestly, I was never very good at hand-knitting a ribbed cuff that wouldn’t slouch after a while of wearing it.
After a while, I figured out ways of knitting a tighter ribbing that wouldn’t slouch.
But I also realized that I could make a fold-over hem at the top of a CSM, non-ribbed sock that didn’t slouch. And the hemmed-top sock also stays up for my hand-knit socks.
Speaking with a friend who has a CSM and also hand-knits socks, he says most people prefer the hemmed socks.
Honestly, it’s a lot easier both on the machine and hand-knit to make hemmed socks. You’ll see below, that’s what I ended up doing with my current pair.
Current Knitting
I was able to finish the first sock of the pair and start the second sock.
The third photo above shows the fold-over hem before I sewed it inside.
Working the second sock will be a lot faster now that I’ve sorted the stitch numbers, the needle size and how the heel will be turned. Can’t wait to wear this pair of socks.
Wait! What?! I have been knitting for 35 years, how have I never heard of a hemmed cuff? 🤦♀️ it makes a lot of sense. So I guess I can’t really weigh in on which I prefer but I really dislike knitting ribbing, and I think it looks cheesy, I just didn’t realize there is an alternative, so the socks I’m working on now will definitely be my first pair of hemmed. Any good YouTubes I should watch?
I couldn’t find any hemmed cuff tutorials that do it like I do. But there is a version of my cuff that’s almost exactly the same that has a picot edging at the top.
In the video below, instead of the row where you K2Tog and YO to create a fold-over row that looks like a picot edge, I just do a purl row which gives you a fold-round with no picots.
https://youtu.be/NFjCIhmPrLU?si=-1QCDrid03ysDFz1
I’ve also never used a hemmed cuff on the many socks I’ve knit. It does look neatly professional. As LauraRose, I’ll do just that when I get back to the pair of TAAT Toe-Ups currently in time-out while other projects take precedence. By the by, am I alone in admiring the sexy leg photos? You go, Joe!
I had never heard of a hung hem. So far, I haven’t had a problem with slouching ribbing on my socks.
As much as I don’t enjoy knitting rib, I think I dislike sewing more….We will see if I give it a try.
Your socks look fantastic! Best wishes.
I’m with you, Mike, on our mutual dislike of sewing (mostly because I’m rotten at it), but I’m willing to give it a go.
Sewing is not easy for these because you sew it onto reverse stockinette which I find very difficult to stay on the same row. Hung hem, is a knitting machine term…it’s just a plain fold-over hem using a purl round to create a fold-line.
Every pair of the (many) socks I have made for myself or others are top-down 2×2 ribbing down to the heel. I don’t mind ribbing and I do not want slouchy socks. Apparently all the folks who get socks I make find this to be ok.
I like them both but, prefer ribbing. Absolutely hate socks falling down. I do hem necklines, sleeves and bottom of summer cotton sweaters. I drop to a smaller needle for the purl row and continue in stockinette for 5-6 rows. p.s. sewing the hem is so easy doing a duplicate stitch on the back.