So when I said “Tomorrow, the gussett!” what I meant was “Friday, the gussett!” I can see how you would be confused.
Here’s what you do:
**Added 4/22/2006: You can print out the complete HayStack Socks pattern here!**
Gussett
K across the 7 sts on needle one. Pick up and knit 21 sts along the heel flap. Work across the instep sts on needle two. Pick up and knit 21 sts along the heel flap and knit the 7 sts on needle three. (28-36-28 sts on the needles)
If you want to continue the pattern on the instep, work round 9 as:
K5, *(P1 wrapping needle twice) twice, K4 rep from star to last 5 sts, K5
Then slip the purl sts as usual for rounds 10-14.
Decreasing on the Gussett
Round 1
Needle 1: K all sts
Needle 2: Work across needle
Needle 3: K all sts
Round 2
Needle 1: K to the last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
Needle 2: Work across needle
Needle 3: K1, SSK, K to the end of needle
Repeat these two rows until a total of 72 sts remains on needles (18-36-18). According to my math, this should be 12 repetitions.
Now as a tiny note: This doesn’t seem like enough decreases to me, but I made the heel flap 2.5 inches long for crying out loud so it should be fine. Maybe it has something to do with the Dutch Heel.
Incidentally, Lene (my yarn buddy) has this to add about heels:
PS: On socks – “Dutch heel” (or German, as it is know as in Europe) – was what I learned from my grandmother and what she learned from her grandmother… so on. I think it fits great, but if you have experienced that the heel didnt fit right in stockinette, have you tried to make it larger? Most often the problem is a shallow heel or a too-short foot, OR a too-large instep. If the heel slips away and you find yourself walking on the side of the heel, try using 60% of the sock stitches for the heel instead of 50%, and still knit a square for the heel flap. Especially usefull is this trick if you are knitting a pattern on the heel that will pull in, like your reinforced heel, which will make the heel smaller in the width. Phew what a long PS.. sorry, but once I get started…
Then she mentioned (in another email that was really about licorice):
If you have very broad heels, try to knit the square and just pick up stitches from the side of it instead of knitting the bottom of the heel. The gusset would be much longer, but the side of the heel would be shorter, evening it all out. I have very small heels, and as such do not use this technique, but for men with large heels this is a godsend method (Do not use it, however, with any yarn thicker than sock weight, because it may create a bit more bulk).
Did I tell you what Salmiak is? Klaus (Mr. Intrepid, wearer of Cool Socks) looked everything up in his German-English dictionary (“Glukosesirup” is “grape syrup”) and translated “Salmiak” into it’s chemical name. Then Lene wrote that “7,99% Salmiak” is the maximum amount of licorice flavoring allowed by law! Which doesn’t surprise me, that is some Potent Candy.
P.S. OHOHOH I am going to Maryland Sheep and Wool! KT invited me up (her reasoning was that MD isn’t that much farther than Atlanta – heh) and who would pass up a chance to meet one of their Best Blogging Buddies? Not me – I hate to miss a chance to hug a neck in person! So M and I are going (Great Gran expressed Dismay that I was ready to hop on a plane to meet a stranger I met on the internet – to be fair, that is the kind of thing cable news lives for – hence the Traveling Companion). Joy!