If at first you don't succeed...

...you are going to be knitting that sucker over.

I tried. I really did try.

After my whining last week about my same old socks, I decided to strike out and try something different. I tried to not knit the same old sock. Unfortunately, I was not completely successful on the first try, or even the second.

When the latest issue of Interweave Knits arrived [Does anyone need that many shrugs? "I don't know," she says with a subtle lift of her shoulders.], I was attracted to the 'Go With the Flow' socks on page 96.

Aha! There it was, the sign that I should break out of my rather comfortable sock knitting rut in favor of an adventure in socky variety.

The pattern calls for Cherry Tree Hill Supersock merino--which I know from experience is not entirely different from Koigu--and I just happened to have some Koigu destined to become socks anyway in a most springy colorway. Serendipity, I thought.

The pattern also calls for US1 sock needles. Perfect, that's what I use for knitting socks all the time anyway.

Cast on 60 stitches. Oh oh, the first twinge of doubt. I usually cast on 80 for socks that fit. Hmm, the pattern says this is a very stretchy stitch pattern. Ooookaaaay, I guess I'll just knit on and everything will be fine.

Bzzzt!! Wrong answer.

Although the socks knit up beautifully and I proved that I am indeed proficient at turning a heel, there is a problem. The cast on is too tight. Although they stretch enough to fit my foot, and presumably, my ankle, they do not stretch enough to fit over my heel. [See the sock on the left].

Let us pause here and take a closer look at the cool ribbing [Click on the thumbnail for the extreme close-up].

Oh well, after a sigh and a small (unknitted) shrug I determined to try, try again. This time I cast on 60 stitches on US2 needles. [Is there a size available between US1 and US2, 2.5mm perhaps? I could really use a set of those].

Ugh, I hate knitting socks on 2s; the stitches are so flabby. I like my socks to be knit at a nice taut, perky gauge.

And sure enough, after turning the heel on this sock [and beautifully so, I might add], I determined that the gauge was just too loose. [See the sock on the right]. These sock would fit, but they would not wear well. The bottom of the heel would likely wear through in no time. Moreover, I reaffirmed that although I turn a lovely heel, I don't really like turned heels and I don't like how they fit on my foot. I have a short row heel foot.

So, what am I to do? I like the stitch pattern and the idea of having something different than my usual sock. However, I know that the same old sock will fit and wear the way I like.

Things I am considering:

1. Giving up and knitting the same old socks yet again.


2. Casting on more than 60 stitches on to 1s, knitting in the new stitch pattern, and doing a shortrow heel.


3. Casting on 60 stitches and knitting the ribbing on 2s and knitting the rest of the sock on 1s with either a short row or turned heel.


4. Some other combination or permutation of the above alternatives.

Any thoughts?