Don't always believe substitution suggestions....

 I had two balls of Sandnes Kos.  Did not know what to do with them.   I did a search and found a pattern from Laine that was done with two strands of Sandnes Borstet Alpakka.   The designer said that a strand of Kos could be substituted for one strand of the Alpakka.   I ordered the Borstet Alpakka.

When the yarn arrived, I swatched.   To get the actual gauge, my swatch was stiff.  The swatch bloomed enough when I washed it so...off I went.  One inch in...I changed my mind...ripped out....upped the needle size, decreased the stitch count (from 72 to 64) and started again.   Last night I played yarn chicken and won.    

I should have been suspicious with a visual comparison of the two yarns...    Like a trusting soul, I kept at it.  The fabric is very dense, but did bloom after steaming.   Would I mix these yarns again.  I would not.    

The finished hat will be perfect for this morning's -7 F wind chill....and will be worn as the recipient goes outside to shovel.

The pattern itself is great.   I was initially not enthused with the crown shaping but found it came out nicely though I had to use a crochet hook for the row that contained knit 3 together.....

I am going to try it again with two strands of Borstet Alpakka...which I have.

There is a lone ball of Kos...what to do?

Sometimes you just have to change the needles.....

Short row heels...they give me a lot of trouble.   When I found the no wrap short row heel demonstrated by Charlotte Stone, I was delighted!

On a good day, I can do this in one try.   The last time I did this heel, it was not a good day...or stretch of days.   The yarn for the sock is West Yorkshire Spinners...one of their holiday yarns....and I do love the sparkle.   

The needles I knit the cuff and leg with are an off brand version of flexi-flips.....which I do like using as they seem to be easier to hold than the 9" circulars and less likely to fall out of the stitches than double pointed needles.    

I am not sure why...but I could not get the heel to work well.  Finally, I switched to using two 20" circulars...and success if not perfection.

My thought is that I was worried enough about stitches falling off the needle (sense a theme?) that I did not tension or pay enough attention to what I was doing.   I am hoping the heel on the second sock is...less painful.

Yes...it would be  MUCH easier just to do a heel flap and gusset....but I did not want to.