Blue Lagoon Socks

I've started a new pair of socks using the color Lagoon from my hand dyed yarns from Saffron Dyeworks. I'm using a pattern from the stitch dictionary from "Sensational Knitted Socks". Charlene calls if "Welt Fantastic" it's one of the stitches in her self striping yarn chapter. I wanted to add a ribbing to the top so I started with 6 rows of k2p2 rib and then garter ridges rnds  1 and 3 knit  rnds 2 and 4 purl then repeated the 6 rows of rib and the 4 rows of garter starts the beginning of the welt fantastic pattern that has a 12 row repeat. I'm going to work this pattern down the leg and then change to just the lace/welts with no garter ridges on the top of the foot. I don't want the ridges on the foot section.

I'm still working out what I want for the heel flap. There is a heel in this book called the "eye of the partridge" that looks interesting. I'm also looking at heels in "Folk Socks"there is a wonderful section on heels and toes in Nancy's book. The one of many things that I like about Sensational Socks is the fact that she has patterns written for 2 cirs or 4 or 5 dps and the charts for sizing and gauge are great so you can measure your foot, knit a gauge swatch with your yarn and then pick out stitches that you like and just build a design of your own easily. Try this rib, with this pattern, and this heel, with this toe etc. Design as you go. I'm actually writing down what I'm doing this time so if it works out I'll post the pattern here when I'm done. The stitch dictionary is great because you don't have to convert your pattern into knitting in the round directions because she has already done that for you. I've done this before with many patterns out of Barbara Walkers stitch dictionaries and she explains how to do it but it's nice to have some stitches that you like already converted. So while on the subject of designing socks. I just purchased " New Pathways for Sock Knitters" by Cat Bordhi this is book one in a series that I think will be 3 in total. Wow! She has come up with some really interesting concepts and the new sock architectures are amazing. I haven't had a chance to try any of the small sample socks yet. I'll keep you posted on sock trials as I get them done. Really interesting book so far.