With lots of work (and lots of TiVo), I have passed the gusset on Graduation Sock No. 1.

I am using stitch pattern 45 in The New Knitting Stitch Library for the legs. It’s a manly, vertical diamond. The yarn is one of my Sockly Favorites: Lang’s JaWoll Superwash. JaWoll Superwash comes with it’s own reinforcing yarn stuffed into the middle of the skein. It’s like a little treat!

I tend to make up my sock patterns based on the gauge I get using whatever needles and yarn I’ve picked. I get a gauge of 8 sts per inch with the Superwash, so I cast on 72, found a stitch pattern with an eight stitch repetition (Betty has mutilated my copy – her new trick is chewing up paper), and went on down to the heel. I made the heel flap 2.5 inches, turned the heel (k19, ssk, k1, TURN/ p5, p2tog, p1, TURN) and worked the gusset (about 20 sts each side). Now I get to knit around and around for hours (the kid wears an 11 1/2 shoe!). Sigh. As an added bonus, Betty chewed on the cord of my circulars. Now it has little rough places where the yarn catches. I am going to have to do a quick repair with a nail file.