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.
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