Fish Lips Kiss Heel....

     

I always detested the (sl 1, k1) heel technique.  Picking up sts along the gusset and the forever count down back to your original sts count.   It's long and it's boring, at least to me and I find it easy to say good riddance!!

I'm on a sock kick right now (I've knit 3 pairs already in the last month)  trying to hone my sock skills and learn some new techniques.  I came across this Fish Lips Kiss Heel pattern in the Ravelry forums in a post called something like "best patterns worth paying for."  This pattern was mentioned quite a bit, so, I went to check it out.  It's a BUCK.  Yes, only $1 and it's the best dollar I've spent recently.


I know there are quite a few heel turning options out there and I have only tried a few.  However, I am not sure I'll ever try them after learning this technique.  No counting, no holes, uses less yarn, less time, easy to remember and perfect every time.  It also works for all toe up socks or top down socks.  Really, what more can you ask for?

So, run to ravelry  not walk and look up the FLKH and buy it now.  It's worth every penny.

House Socks

This weekend I decided to make a pair of house socks for hubby, after all he has been so patient with my knitting mess.  I enjoy knitting for him but I wish he liked another color other than black.   Black is just boring.  How about gray or blue? Nope!  So, I told him that I am thinking about adding a strip of color in his next pair of socks to break up the monotony.  He was not so pleased with my suggestion of hot pink.  lol.

Since I am relatively new to knitting socks, I chose a pair with a new way of turning a heel and a new toe technique.  The heel was knit in garter stitch and turned using short rows.  I have turned heels with short rows but the pattern seemed to be written in a new way which, at first was confusing.  Thankfully, I only had to frog it once.

 It went like this

Garter Stitch Heel

Knit 19 sts w&t
Knit 18 sts w&t
Knit 17 sts w&t
And so on

I prefer,

Knit to 2nd sts w&t
Purl to 2nd sts w&t
Knit to 3rd sts w&t
Purl to 3rd sts w&t

It's really the same heel, other than working it in garter sts, but I managed to over complicate it!

The toe I method really didn't like.

k2, K2tog
rows 2-7 knit
row8 K2, K2tog etc...
then gather the last 6 sts, thread yarn through and pull tight.

Uh not for me.  Honestly, it felt really weird when I had the sock on.  It felt gathered at the toe.  However, I am really glad that I gave this method a go because I learned something.  I learned that I didn't like it & therefore time well spent!  So, now I know when a sock calls for this method of toe shaping to ignore it and use my preferred method.


Ravelry Pattern Link:   Here

Pattern Details:
Quickie Socks by Susan Lawrence which can also be found in "The Joy of Sox"