Walking the path

My Our Paths Cross socks are zipping along really well.  I’ve meant to share them with you many times this week, but I always think “wait until tomorrow when you’ll have so much more done.”  I finally stopped to take a few pictures this morning. It’s pretty hard to photograph my own feet and hold the yarn out of the way at the same time, so these photos aren’t great.  Look at the top of the sock where the first crossing is – isn’t that so cool?!??

It is even more difficult to photograph the back of a sock you are wearing, but after several blind attempts, this is the view you get:

I have never done a heel construction quite like this.  It is a toe-up heel flap, but it is deeper than usual.  You pick up the gusset stitches and then, instead of decreasing every second row on either side, you decrease every third row and only in the pyramid heel section at the back.  The pyramid part is in eye-of-partridge stitch, which looks really cool next to the stockinette. If you want this pattern, you have to buy the Spring 2012 issue of Sockupied.  It’s available in PC, Mac, and iPad formats – plenty of options.  The pdf patterns are in the issue, so you can save/print those separately if you don’t want to view them on your screen.  Lorilee offers an excellent video tutorial of how to work the vertical climbing strands – it’s in the magazine.  The issue is only $4.99 and includes 6 patterns, including Our Paths Cross.  What a bargain!  Sometimes Interweave offers sales and you can get the issue for even less (get on their mailing list if you are interested). 

I found another video related to this pattern that is freely available, thanks to Interweave.  First, see the mini-interview with Lorilee about this pattern on the Knitting Daily blog.  Then, watch the video - it shows how to make the center-pull butterfly with the climbing strand yarn.  It is very helpful – I wish I’d known this was here earlier.  I’ve been fudging a bit on the butterflies and now I will know how to create them more effectively and efficiently.