Fiber Arts Friday: New Normal Socks, part 6

Now that the tubes are done, it's time to make the Inserted Heel.

So I picked up the stitches at the two lifelines I left in place previously, and removed the scrap pink yarn.

After following the instructions for the alternative SSK in the second video I shared  in Part 2 and Kitchener'ed the heels closed... I now have my first-ever pair of Inserted/Peasant Heels.

I love how they turned out!

At this point, I have gone from six, to five, to four, to now three active projects, which is a much better number. ;-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: New Normal Socks, part 5

Since last time, I finished both cuffs and did Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-off in pattern at the top of the 2x2 rib cuff with the supplemental black yarn.

Next up is the Inserted Heel at those two pink lines of scrap yarn.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: New Normal Socks, part 4

Last time I was finishing up the New Normal yarn.  

I have since finished the tubes and topped both with the supplemental black yarn and began working on the cuffs.

Both black balls are close to a full skein, so they were a bit challenging to work with at two-at-a-time.  Therefore I decided to put the socks on separate needles, which is allowing the cuffs to move more quickly.

I think such long socks need a good, long cuff, so I'm aiming for 3 inches of 2x2 rib.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: New Normal Socks, part 3

Since last time I am down to the last few yards of New Normal Yarn.

Once these two balls are finished, I will knit a few rows of black, then a ribbed cuff.

THEN, I'll make the inserted heels.

Getting close!

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: New Normal Socks, part 2

Apparently I have not posted progress on my New Normal Socks since this initial post almost two years ago.

I did find some in-progress photos from about October 2020...

Toes/feet complete. Ready to begin the gusset.

Gusset is finished.

Then right about the time our move got into full swing, I realized the thicker yarn meant fewer stitches.  Which meant I did not have enough stitches to complete the heel in typical fashion.  I set this project aside to think about it... until about July of this year (2022).

Not only is winter coming and I would love to have a pair of thick/warm/hand-knit socks, but I also want to use these US3 needles for another project... So I sought to learn how to do an Afterthought Heel.

What I learned is these are called "Inserted Heels."  The ones I found are called Afterthought, Forethought, and Peasant.

Resources:

Louise Tilbrook - Afterthought Heel

Interweave - Inserted Heels; Afterthought and Peasant Heels

Peasant Heel Videos:

I really like the technique described in the second video...

Armed with the information above, I found some left-over black Cascade220 for the heels.  While it's not the same make of yarn, it is the same gauge and should look nice with my existing New Normal yarn.

I removed the gusset stitches and partial heel.  Fortunately I already had lifelines in place, so this part was easy.

Then I checked the length of the foot part of the sock against my ankle bone, using Louise Tilbrook's instructions above.  I needed to add ~2.5 inches.

With the extra ~2.5 inches, lifelines,

and and one row of pink waste yarn on the heel-side.

I will continue knitting the "tubes" until I run out of New Normal yarn, and then make the heels later.

I'm feeling much better now that this problem has a solution.  :-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

The Shining

Yesterday I was talking with a hotel clerk about Colorado and how beautiful it is. He & some friends want to visit, but have never been.  So I pulled out my trusty iPhone to show some pictures of Estes Park and the Big Thompson canyon. Both are close to my home and in my opinion the most beautiful part of Colorado.

As he looked at the pictures, he said they reminded him of The Shining. I thought that was interesting since the Shining is said to have been written at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

I've never read/seen it because I have been way too chicken. But since this is the second time it's come up recently and it's part of the local history, I feel must give it a shot.

I'm going to update my Netflix queue now.