:Kalliope Lane

Heels will be the death of me.

So when I started this new pair of Badcaul socks, I went down a needle size because my first pair were a bit loose on size 2’s. I’ve been very happy with the snug fit this time around and was happily proceeding to the heel. I put in my first Sherman heel and realized that there was no way that it would comfortably and attractively rejoin in the round over my somewhat high instep. So on sock #2 I am trying the Eclectic Heel. It seems easy enough, but things are complicated by the fact that I’m knitting both socks on one magic loop, so I really can’t rearrange stitches very easily once I pick up gusset stitches.

For the moment, I have the stitches picked up after the heel on the heel needle and those picked up after the instep on the instep needle, to even out the number of stitches on the two needles. I’m not sure what this means for my gusset decreases, but we’ll see how it works out. I have to finish the other heel first before I start working rounds again. (Hmm…after searching the web I found great recommendations in the comments here, and also here[pdf].)

Thank goodness for the lifelines!

In happier news, I have a lot of new sock yarn:

Knitpicks Gloss in Cocoa, Koigu #323 (teal/grey) and #852(crazy multi-color).
I was sort of disappointed in the Cocoa color. While it’s nice, it isn’t a very sophisticated brown, if that makes any sense.

Shelridge Farms Soft Touch Heather in Loganberry (above) and Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Charcoal

Opal Unisolid, #713 (Heathered Brown)
Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch: Softcolor 502
Lang Jawoll Superwash, #67-Dark Chocolate Brown

Manos in Granite colorway (#108) and Schaefer Anne in “Denim” (The Manos obviously isn’t for socks! It’s being used for a scarf I’m making and will post pics of soon.)
Don’t they look great together? The Anne picks up the steely blue in the Manos.

And finally:

Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Midnight Sapphire (above) and Moose Creek (below)

(I posted a pic of the Midnight Sapphire before, actually. Sorry. Repeat.)

There’s a lot of man-yarn here, with all of the soft browns and charcoals. There are dad and boyfriend socks in the near future.