kitty: a happy heel

a happy heel! (top down socks)

I think I have finally come up with a heel on a sock that I am super happy with the end product. Socks have become my desperation knitting as of late. When all the other project way on my nerves and seem hopeless. The pile of ufo's are mounting up and I just haven't felt like posting about them. The reason I have been working on finding a perfect heel for me was the fact that a simple knit 14 row back, followed by a quick short row cup to fit your heel, pick up 13 stitches on each side, and then decrease to form a gusset just didn't ever seem to fit my heel. It was always baggier and for stretchy yarns it would start to slip around. Then I would get blisters from my socks and shoes. This is a variation that I have done based on the Nancy Bush Banded Heel Flap. Co 32sts. Sl1, k 31st to the end of the row. Turn work sl the first stitch, p31st. Repeat these 2 rows a total of 7 times counting the first repeat. Shape back of heel: Row 1: Sl1, K 10, K2tog, K 6, SSK, K 11 Row 2: Sl1, P to end Row 3: Sl1, K 9, K2tog, K6, SSK, K10 Row 4: Sl1, P to end Row 5: Sl1, K 8, K2tog, K6, SSK, K9 Row 6: Sl1, P to end Turn Heel: Row 7: Sl1, K 16, K2tog, K1, turn to back Row 8: Sl1, p 6, p2tog, p1 turn to front Row 9: SL1, k6, k2tog, k1 turn to back (Unlike the normal heel where the stitch that you are k2tog is over the space, here you are k2tog the stitch that you previously k2tog and the extra stitch that you k afterwards and slipped on the purl row. K2tog over the gap stitch always formed a row of holes for me, so this tightens up that gap and forms a solid bottom.) Row 10: Sl1, p6, p2tog, p1 turn to front Continue until you have 8 st on the needle Pick up 12 st on each side, and continue in pattern until it is time to decrease for the toe.