The heel in these socks is going to be an afterthought heel. There are three reasons for this:
(i) I need a contrast heel because I don't have enough handspun for full socks;
(ii) I don't want to interrupt the stripes/ variegation in the handspun; and
(iii) I get bored with knitting the leg.
When I knit toe up socks, I am always so anxious to finish after I turn the heel. I get bored of knitting the legs. So I thought rather than break the flow by turning the heel, I'd just knit a long tube - I'd be finished before I got bored! After I finished the first tube, I put it on some spare needles, and started on the second. Note that I didn't knit the cuff at that point - it made sense to leave the live stitches to check that the tubes were the same length before I did the cuffs.
Another nice thing about an afterthought heel is that the sock is flat. It makes it easier to check that both socks are the same length when you don't have some crazy heel sticking out the side. Once I knew they were the same length (well, half a round out and I wasn't going to fuss) I knit the cuffs on one sock then the other. Then just the heel to go!
3 comments:
at first glance I thought these were leg warmers and I wondered OMG what is she doing?!? but I love the stripey socks, you are so talented (and patient) to knit hats and socks, ie something harder than a scarf....
That colour combination is delicious! I love the subtle assymetry of the stripes too. Gorgeous!
I also get extremely bored after the heel is turned. I want to see how the afterthought heel is done. I just usually go toe up and do a heel flap for reinforcement.
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