Next attempt for socks for Smiler. So much trickier working out a recipe for him, with his splints and unusually shaped feet and ankles… and I know the red stripe looks a bit weird, but when the left and right socks are shaped differently because of the splints it’s less stressful to let everyone who might be putting on his socks know that the right sock has a red stripe than for me to get annoyed when they’re put on the wrong feet.

Yarn:

• Using Drops Fabel in Winter colourway, held double. Wears and washes reasonably well, and cheap - important quality while I’m still working on the pattern!
• Love the texture on these - with the yarn held double there’s a real mix of colours, and alternating the pattern rnd between p1k1 and k1p1 emphasises this - it kind of looks like gravel, or a rock face. Offsetting the yarn has done this - if it was held double at the same point in the rhythm it would be the stripes but thicker.

Changes from last time:

• Both socks reduced stitch count by 4 on leg section plus ribbing.
• Really ought to do anatomical toes…

Pattern for 4ply doubled, version 3:

• Cast on 8 stitches per needle, inc in usual rhythm to 52 on knitpro zing circs 3.5mm.
• Knit onto dpns. Switch yarn for right sock to Ruby Red (Fabel 113) doubled for 3 rnds to mark right/splint sock, before switching back to main colour for two/five even rnds before starting pattern.
• On middle plain knit rnd between pattern repeats 2 and 3, dec 4st by k2tog st 2 and 3 in relation to each marker.
• Knit in pattern for 40rnds before 1st increase, then use lifted increases to inc by 2 every other rnd for 26 rnds, 13 st per gusset plus an even rnd.
• Fleegle heel started at 2st past centre, decrease until each leg is 48st ♡ .
• Once count is 48st knit six rnds even in pattern, then inc 2 every other rnd til left count is 52 (4st inc), and right/red/splint is 60 (12st inc).
• Left sock - 52st, knit even for 22rnds (36rnds total since ♡ ) then start 2x2 ribbing, continuing for 12ish rnds. Right sock - 60st, knit even for 18rnds (40rnds total since ♡ ) then start 2x2 ribbing, continuing for 24 rnds.

Working notes:

• Increased at toe increases to 52 per sock (by adding in another 1/3 inc at the end), and just realised I’ll need to adjust the number of rounds before first gusset increase.
• Four rnds red, then one rnd winter before first k1p1 rnd.
• Decreased 4st on rnd 6(counted from after long toe) - hoping this will give Smiler’s toes that extra bit of width they need for his weird lumps.
• Plan was to dec another 4 in the middle of the next clear rnd, which would leave 44st, but since 44 was a bit on the snug side for Smiler I’m leaving it at 48 instead.
• Supposed to be 40rnds before 1st gusset inc - because of extra inc=longer toes, this 40 reduces by 2 for extra inc rnds, and another 1 for the extra red rnd. Replaced marker in red rnd to mark 1st of 40.
• Knitted 40 rnds on red sock but got carried away and knitted too many on the other, so ripped back. Rnd 40 on both was a patterned round, then first gusset inc on heel. Both socks are halfway through the second increase rnd. Pretty fast going bearing in mind I only cast on today!
• Gusset increases now complete on both socks, next step is the heels.
• Finished heel on left sock, then decreased one on each side on first proper round, which leaves me with 52st, so just ignoring the 6rnds in pattern bit before the increase to 52 as I’m already there! Got carried away however and have done 40rnds before switching to ribbing never mind! Ribbing finished (11rnds) because otherwise I would have needed to join new yarn during bind off, and that always ends up looking messy!
• Struggling to work out numbers for red sock increases. St count currently 52, but I don’t understand my own instructions about increasing 2st every other rnd - did I mean four every other rnd? If so, that means I need to inc 4 on next rnd, knit even, then inc another 4, then knit even, then knit 30rnds even before starting the 24 rnds of ribbing… I think I decided to inc more slowly to prevent the sudden inc in sock girth which is leading to them slipping down when Smiler’s shoes/splints are off for that hour or so before bed when he’s getting comfy. So, inc 2, knit even, inc 2, knit even, inc 2, knit even, inc 2, then knit even for 27rnds before starting ribbing. Or k even for 26rnds, then inc2/k/inc2/k/inc2/k/inc2/k then ribbing. Or inc2/k 9rnd/inc2/k 9rnd/inc2/k 9rnd/inc2/k 9rnd, then ribbing. Or k8rnd/inc2/k9rnd/inc2/k9rnd/inc2/k9rnd/inc2/k1rnd then ribbing. Make a decision Lucas.
• Made the decision to knit even then inc 4 on the last rnd or two before switching to ribbing!
• Rnd 39, inc total of 4 using lifted increases taken from opposite side to marker on 4th stitch from marker. Note - markers placed sectioning 28 heel side, 24 instep side.