Whatta heel

My self-stripey sock adventure has hit a milestone and never fear, I have documented it! But first: heel flap.

 

I've knit this pair's heel flaps as I always do, but I'm thinking now that I could have a harder-wearing heel if I slip every other stitch, every other row. Next time! when I'm trying out the very thin Malabrigo Sock (which is in fact very thin - light fingering, as opposed to fingering, which I normally use.) 

 

Gosh I love these shots of matchy-uppy stripes. I did offset the layers a bit so it wouldn't be boring but you know, with hand-dyed yarn you can never be quite sure both socks will match perfectly. And in fact they don't ever, completely... I always end with one toe having a few stitches of a different colour, and sometimes as much as two rounds of it.

But back to the slipped stitch technique: I can work that stitch along the entire sole of the foot to resist wear... a bit of a nuisance, and it'd use up a lot more yarn, too, so I'm pondering the best design approach to incorporating a second yarn as there's only so much in one skein. Not sure just subbing in a contrast heel and toe would be enough for somebody who takes a size 7 shoe, or larger!

Okay: time for a look at the first heel turn on this pair.

This is typical, with a colour change partway along, in this case a little green bleeding into turquoise stripe, but more notably, a ton of that turquoise getting knit before the short rows for the heel shaping. You can see it there on the left of the centre 'triangle'. Every sock I've ever knit with this yarn has done that. 

Now take a look at the second heel turn.

P E R F E C T I O N ! ! ! !

I almost want to frame it, and never wear it, ha!

With this sock, the purple strip started at the very last row of the heel flap, so that the entire turn is perfectly balanced. It was such a lovely surprise! I may never notice it once I'm wearing this pair into the ground, but just now while I'm knitting them, it feels very special.

Special enough for its very own Hug? I vote yes. It's too nice a day to spend inside, even to celebrate a beautiful sock in progress.

So thanks for dropping in to share the moment with me, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the weekend! 

See you next Saturday, possibly for Sewing Talk, because I have an idea for a super glam evening skirt I might be ready to articulate by then. Or not, ha!