Since I’ve always used dpns for making socks, I figured I could make these on dpns as well. hah! The leg was no problem, but the gusset really does work better on 2 circs because of the Centered Double Decrease (CDD). See the photo above for my attempt using dpns. It took 5 needles to hold the sts - one of them a short dpn for the sts at the bottom of the heel flap. Just way too awkward, so I ordered a pair of ChiaoGoo 24”-long US 1 (2.25 mm) needles from Morehouse Farm.

This is my first project using 2 circs to knit in the round, and it’s working OK, although I am not enamored with the technique, wondering if my gauge will be off. Once the gusset is done, I’ll probably go back to knitting this with dpns.

While the socks that inspired me to make Squircles was made with Left Over Sock Yarn (LOSY), I’m using this rather boring striped Kroy.

Leg
With US 2, cast on 72 sts and work in k2/p2 rib until 7 inches long (73 rds).

Note: After the gusset was a couple inches along, I realized that the leg could have been an inch shorter due to the gusset shaping. Good thing I bought 3 balls of yarn!

Knit 1 rd.
Rd 2: P 6, k to end.
Rd 3: Knit.
Rd 4: P 6, k to end.

Garter heel strap
Calculations:
1/4 of st count less 3 sts = 72/4 - 3 = 15.
Number of sts usually picked up along regular sock heel flap: 19.

15 + 19 = 34 (Even tho’ 34 calculated, 33 would have worked better, I think.) 34 X 2 = 68 So-called magic number is the number of rows to be knit for heel strap, or 34 Garter St ridges.

Row 1: With US 1, slip 1, k 5. Turn. Rep until 68 rows (34 GS ridges) worked.

Slip 1, k 2. Center of the strap is new beg/end of rounds.

Gusset, Part 1:
With first circ, k 3. Place first heel marker.
Pick up 1 st in each valley of the GS strap. 34 sts
Mark the next st, which will be the center st of the CDD.
Including the marked CDD st, k half of rem sts from leg.

With 2nd circ, k the other rem half of the leg sts, marking the last of them for the CDD.
Along 2nd side of strap, pick up 34 sts.
Place 2nd heel marker, k 3.

2 sts will be inc’d between the heel markers EOR, and at the same time there will be 2 CDDs will be worked 2 out of 3 rds.

Do this until there are 2 sts more than 1/4 of original st number (20 sts) between the heel markers.

May 24, 2021
OK, so once Part 1 of the Gusset was done, I could go back to dpns for the rest of the Gusset and sock, which I did. I was concerned about ladders in the sock where the circs joined, and where I started using them the sts are a little wonky. Once I figured out how best to place the old needle when starting the new, the sts are more even. Of course, by that time, I could go back to dpns.

Given a choice, I think I still prefer knitting socks on dpns - no dangling needles! However, the ChiaoGoo bamboo circs are nice. The join between the plastic-coated metal cable and the bamboo points is nice and smooth, much more pleasant to work with than the join in Clover bamboo circs. Also, the metal cable does not kink like the plastic Clover one. BUT, the ChiaoGoo bamboo is noticeably harder because it has a resin coating. I’ve used ChiaoGoo metal circs for sweaters and also noticed that the stainless steel points seem harder than Inox or Addi chrome-plated brass. Food for thought.