12-17-2020 - notes on gauge and circumference

Now that I have a full repeat of the instep pattern knit, I can see that my gauge has shifted from 30st x 32 rows to 32st x 32 rows. I’m quite happy with the circumference (note: I am knitting with very firm tension on 3mm needles).
As can be seen in the photos, It measures 4” across unstretched and fits the 9” circumference of the ball of my foot comfortably. The fit is still ‘slipper loose’ but not floppy. The fabric is thick and bouncy but not stiff.
As my row gauge matches the pattern gauge, I’m going to start the gusset increases here. My foot is appx. 9.5” long and I usually make a 9” sock for a snug fit.

12-23-2020 turning the heel and ankle length

Well…my row gauge on the striped part was different yet again from the gauge on the patterned part. Undaunted, I continued ahead without changing my needle size and stopped when I had 50 heel stitches rather than 56.
For the heel turn I knit 28 (rather than 31) and then proceeded as per the pattern. That meant I had to stop the decreases early as well. I stopped them at 30 and then picked up a stitch as I knit a full round.

I wanted a higher ankle and wanted the foot pattern to stop in a more visually pleasing place rather than abruptly, mid-star. I weighed my yarn (especially the blue) and realised I was in good shape - still 30g on the ball!
Reassured, I continued the ankle (star pattern on front, stripes on back) for another inch until I got to the top of the second full center star before switching back to color A and proceeding with the top as written (again, I did not change needle size, I just kept my yarn tension tight).
Finished the first slipper and find that the fit is quite nice. I could have not bothered to pick up the extra two stitches and decreased down to 28/29 stitches across the back as the ankle would not have been too tight either way.