Tartan Socks: I Got Sole

This picture is actually a lie.

After I finished working the heel shaping I realized I hadn't picked up an even number of stitches along both sides of the instep. The sock was crooked. I had to frog it and start over.

I think the crookedness is even apparent in this picture. I had more stitches on the left than I did on the right (as they appear in the picture).

I did not struggle with this decision for as long as you might imagine. I looked at for a minute or two and thought, "Yep. It's got to go."

I know Elizabeth Zimmerman says right there in the text for the Moccasin Socks that knitting isn't an exact science, but I couldn't take the chance that it would actually even out.

I thought it would be better to rip it out now, while it is still small, than to finish the entire sock and be like "Oh, that sucks."

The socks is, however, already back to this condition. Only it is all freshly picked up and evenly balanced.

And a Toe
But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Before I was able to pick up the sole stitches I had to finish the instep and toe. Which you see to the right.

I don't know how well you can make out the toe shaping. I see the sock curled on me a bit when I was taking it. You can see the one decrease line. EZ has you decrease at two points on either side of the center. I get the impression the stitches on the sides will curl under to the bottom of the foot.

When I was done that knitting, I held this sock up to a Pirate Arrgyle Sock (as you remember, I'm using them as a guide), and the Tartan Sock seemed longer.

I had a moment of panic, since the gauge and row count were the same. If Hubby noticed me sitting on the couch attempting to wrap a bit of knit fabric around my foot, he didn't comment. Well, once I go the stitches that will grow into the heel lined up, and stretched the instep around my foot, it did all seem to suck up into place. I'm going to solider forth in faith that it will work out in the end.

To the Sole
Then it was a matter of flipping the sock over and picking up for the sole. You go down one side, knit the stitches that will be the heel foundation, up the other side, and knit the live toe stitches.

Then you start your new round, knitting down the side to the heel. At which point you stop and work the heel. It sort of reminds me of a Cuban Heel to a degree, because it is triangular. It is the little black bit nestled into the last red diamond there in the top picture. I suppose maybe I should have done that bit in red, but oh well and why over complicate things?

I'm actually working with six double points. As you can see, I'm using my 7" clovers for this. Not a lot of flexibility there. I ended up getting out a 5" Brittany Birch when I was working the heel. Much easier to have them confined to their own needle, rather than trying to flex them over the long needles which had the side stitches, or rearranging everything.

When I decided to start the heel over, I actually used my 24" US1 Addi Turbo to pick up and knit down the first side. I thought I'd be able to get all the way around, but the needle part was too long and it got awkward after the heel. I ended up doing the second side on a DPN. Then I as I knit the first round I transferred all the stitches back to DPNs from the Addi.

Of course, EZ says to work the sole on a 16" circ. I don't own one. I don't usually have any trouble doing my small circumference knitting on DPNs. But I can kind of see her point in this case.

Rotation
The sock did not get any attention last night.

I have three projects on the go at the moment. The Tartan Socks, the Stella Top (of which you have not heard), and a new pair of Scrappy Socks.

I've decided the best bet is to rotate them so they all get attention. Last night was Stella's turn. I'll be back to the Tartans tonight. The Scrappy Socks...well, the Scrappy Socks just have to suck it up and wait their turn.