Ok, so, forethought heel was out because I'd trash yards and yards of yarn.
Next up, I considered short row. That's tons of wrapping, twisting, picking up the wrap. I did that in my Chevvy Sock. ravel them here. Mustang Sally, a gorgeous colorway indeed, is much more forgiving when it comes to striping. She's not a WILD MULTI!
Then, while googling on the computer when I should've been cleaning the house, I came across this heel. Priscilla Wild's No Muss No Fuss Short Row Heel. Ingenious! This was a spectacular heel. No counting, no markers, no heel flap counting the rows, no wrapping stitches. You know what else? It can be used toe up or top down. I tried it. I knew I might not get the results I'd get with a forethought heel but I wouldn't mess up the stripes as badly as I would with a heel flap heel. Check it out.
See that. Nice, hah? And, it fits great, not bulky, doesn't bulge. It's like custom made!
There is a small hole where I rejoined to work in the round. I clipped out a small piece of the brown to realign my socks with each other so that I would end the same at the toe. I'll have to stitch that closed.
Here's the front view. See, you get stripes around the bottom of the heel. Lovely. Easy. It is only a short time knitting and boom, you're onto the foot of your sock. You'll sail right through the heel while watching TV. Hardly even have to think.
Because I have been making socks for the kids, I can get two pairs out of a skein. I am going to start knitting them toe up and it was advantageous for me to learn this heel. Now, just gotta try a toe up pattern and I'll be on my way. That's on my list of new techniques and will be at the top very soon.
Ok, I think you're sold. Now, what's the catch, you ask? Of course, there isn't any gusset, so you're knitting the foot for a long, long time! That's not really a disadvantage, I like knitting the foot, some people might get bored with miles of feet to do as some hubbies have size 13 feet! There isn't a heel flap and it isn't reinforced. I like heel stitch and I like eye of partridge. ravel them here for a close-up of the eye of partridge heel. The thickness is comfortable and it's also a place where I wear out my socks. I wear out my shoes there, too. Yes, I put holes right through the backs of my shoes because of the bone in my ankle. So, I prefer heel flap socks if they're for me. Make that, heel flap socks, reinforced with woolly nylon. I think that the heel flap looks prettier but that's a matter of personal preference. A nice solid ribbed sock with a decorative Eye of Partridge heel is truly a sight to behold as far as socks go. My teal Shibui is destined for that heel.
It's late morning, a day off, 22 degrees out (I guess we're having a heat wave?) and for once, it's NOT snowing. I don't think that I'll have enough time to finish these today as there is housework to be done, I must clear out my office, get on the treadmill, do the wii fit, go food shopping. I also plan on spinning for awhile today or tonight. I have to empty some bobbins so I can start spinning something on or before Wednesday's guild meeting. I get so excited over spinning and I haven't had a chance to spin in a few weeks. My baby girl DD has been hogging my wheel. She's the best spinner in the house...she's five.....
She did that entire bobbin by herself. I just assist when it breaks or she needs help drafting. She has made two bobbins of this and today we may ply it together. It's really even, too!
I've shown her how to do the knit stitch and how to crochet a chain. She prefers spinning over knitting and doesn't really want to learn to crochet just yet. She is fascinated by the orifice hook, for some reason.
Yes, she's a fiber head! She smells yarn, she cuddles yarn and she is in her glory in a yarn shop. That picture on the right was taken when we were visiting the Saratoga Needle Arts yarn shop this past August. You can see her expressions of glee, as well as her mosquito bites...LOL.
She walked into that store and said, "Mom, is it OK if I sniff the yarn?"
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