Socks!

I picked up a sock this weekend.  It gave a break to my hands, and to my brain.

I didn't really have much of a plan for this other than a plain sock.  The last few days, I have been knitting on it after working on the granny squares for the current blanket.  Row by row, a bit each day and here we are, almost magically.

As I neared the point of the heel, I debated what I was going to do.  I have been a bit unhappy with sock in general lately.  I wear socks out right before the heel section on the bottom of my feet, where I usually double the strands of yarn.  This has helped but the worst of the wear is 5 to 10 rows before the heel begins.  Besides this trouble, my feet size has changed.  After my medical issues were resolved and my edema issues sorted themselves out, I no longer have kanckles, I have honest to goodness ankles.  I am now knitting a 64 stitch sock, whereas before, I was usually knitting 68 or even 72.  And my feet are about a half inch shorter.  It is like discovering a whole new set of feet so far as knitting socks are concerned.     

The best way to knit a longer double stranded section is to do a heel flap heel.  Because I knit toe up socks, I use the instructions following the toe up gusseted heel tutorial from the Maia Spins blog.  This is a long quiet blog, but her post from 16 years ago is still the best toe up gusseted heel or heel flap heel on the internet.  It teaches you how to figure out what you need for your own feet.  It puts you in the drivers seat and teaches you to understand how to think about a heel and I like that.

 I am going to knit longer socks this time too.  I have gone with a maximum 4 inch cuff for a very long time, but I seem to be wearing all my longer pairs more than the shorties.  I have lots of yarn on this generous ball of Opal so long cuffs it is.

I haven't done a heel flap in ages, so it was kind of fun. And more fun is on the horizon.  Sock two awaits.