Sock it to Me

I have knit since the early 1960s. I have made many items. I have designed many items. I have knit socks. Lots of socks. Usually toe up using the same general formula and a heel I have memorized. Or at least I thought so.

I have now ripped out the current heel 3 times. There may be a 4th time, I don't know because I just finished ripping it out again and I'm about to knit it again. Why in the world am I having so much trouble? I think it's because this sock was feeling ignored and wanted some extra time with me. I started knitting it in December according to my Ravelry projects. Normally it takes less than a month to knit a pair of socks, depending on what other projects are going on. This sock got halfway up the foot and went into time out. I liked the yarn, the color, and I was using one of my standard "I know it feels good on my foot" patterns. So, why it ended up sitting around for over 2 months - I have no clue.

But last night I pulled it out to give it a little love. Got to the heel and checked my notes I have on my iTouch for the shaping numbers. I've written a little not to myself just to remind me of the numbers in case my brain is tired. I turned the heel and started the back side of the heel. Things were very much not even. I had way too many stitches on one side. Rip out #1.

I rechecked my note and I was doing things right.Knit again counting very careful - still wrong Rip out #2.

Go back to the note and turn on the computer to check my original pattern. HAH! I had typed 57 instead of 47 for one of the numbers. I corrected that and started knitting up again. I was whipping along the back of the heel - slip stitches flying by and I noticed when I was almost done I had 5 stitches left to pick up on one side and a lot more on the other side. Rip out #3.

While ripping out I went back to the original pattern to see if I wrote anything else wrong on the note. Yes and no. On my note for the heel turn I wrote to "P22, Kfp, K1, w&t. Work down to 10 sts" I forgot to mention it was working down in even numbers (p22 - k20 - p18........) I knit going down 1 st each row (p22 - k21 - p20....) So, I ended up with a lot more sts at the end of the turning and well - another rip out.

I just got back to the heel turn and I really hope I manage to get to puppy right this time. I getting sick of the heel and know if I put it in time out again I'll be finishing this sock in the next decade.

Wish me luck!

Update: 1 hour later - we have a turned heel and an even heel flap. Guess the sock decided it's had enough Jill time for tonight. Hope it's partner behaves better!