January 23: Cast on with US5 needles. Knitting with US2 (2.75mm). Following cleverknits mods as described here.

Following LooseEnds notes here.

I did a 2 color long tail CO 30sts with US 5 needles. To begin you tie a knot using both yarns. Just leave a short tail, just enough to weave in both yarns later. At the end of the cast on, you will continue knitting with the main color and break the CC yarn. At this point break the CC so at least a 12” tail. You will need this to cast on 12 sts later.

Slip the first st of every row after the first knit row so as to make picking up sts easier later on (this is a tip other knitters have mentioned many times in their projects). All sts are slipped purlwise.

Increase Row - did k5 instead of k11. Total 36 sts (instead of 48 sts) after increase row.

Heel Flap - This is worked on the middle 12 sts for 12 rows. We will count 12 rows starting here.
R1- sl1, k23, turn.
R2 - sl1, p11, turn.
R3 - sl1, k11, turn.
Repeat R2 and R3 for 8 more rows ending with a RS row. Work R2 for one last time. This is in all 12 rows of knitting the middle flap of 12 sts.

At this point there are 12 held sts on either side of the middle 12 sts. Total 12 x 3 = 36 sts.

Picking Up Stitches - Row 13 (RS) - sl1, k11, pick up & knit 6 sts evenly from the side of the heel flap. Knit 1st held stitch, pass the last picked-up stitch over. Turn. This tightens the corners.
Row 14 (WS): p18 (no slipping 1st st), pick up & purl 6 sts evenly from the side of the heel flap. Next, purl 1st stitch of held stitches, pass the last picked-up stitch over.
Turn.

(At this point there are 11 held sts + 24 middle sts +11 held sts = 46 sts total sts on the needle). The 11 sts on either side are still being held as is; they will be worked next.

Then, starting with the right side:

A: Slip one, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk; turn.
B: Slip one, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog; turn.
2A: Slip one, knit to 1 stitch before gap, sssk; turn. 2B: Slip one, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p3tog; turn.

Attention - Note the extra decrease in rows 2A and 2B.

Work AB. Then work ABCD intil 1 held stitch remains. End with AB.

24 stitches are now on the needle and all 22 held stitches have been incorporated. End of Section 5.

Cast On Instep - sl1, k11. This is the new beginning of round. If working with circular needles and magic loop, divide sts here. Pull up back needle and start working in magic loop.

k12, pick up 7, pick up 3, use the working yarn and the contrast color tail to do a tw-color long tail CO on 12 sts, join gap and pick up 3, break for magic loop by pulling working needle, pick up last 7 sts. Pull working needle and knit to the end of round. At BOR put 28 sts on front needle and another 28 on the back needle. 56 sts total.

Once I came to the beginning of round, this is what I did for 3 rounds:
k19, p18, divide sts for magic loop, k19. This is because I prefer to do the purls on one needle and divide for magic loop in between the purl sts.
On the 4th row all sts are knit sts. Divide appropriately for magic loop so that each needle has 28 sts. BOR at the back of the heel.

Then just knit around. On the 10th knit row (from the first knit round as mentioned above) I decreased by 2 sts as follows:
k7, k2tog, k until 9 sts remain, k2tog, k7, EOR. I now have 54 sts.

This sock is to fit US size 6.5-7, EU37. Started new color after knitting 4” from the heel. The motif is with duplicate stitch.

Started toe decreases after knitting 6.5” from the heel.

Toe Decreases - Row 41 - k11, k2tog, k1, pm, k13, pull needle for magic loop, k11, k2tog, k1, pm, k13.

Then I followed toe decreases as per pattern starting with the usual alternate row 4 stitch decrease starting from the 42nd row until 15 sts remained on each needle. Then did every row decreases until 7 sts remained on each needle. Kitchener close.