I didn’t want to throw the lovely stripes completely to the wind, so I thought I’d do something different for the heel.  Now I hate short row heels, they just don’t fit my feet.  I needed to keep the heel flap/gusset structure.  The gist of the plan was ‘keep working in the round in pattern.  On every other round, toss an extra purl stitch in at the beginning and end of the needles that hold the heel stitches.’  Turns out it works, though I haven’t quite decided how many rows of the flap/increases I’ll need.  It seems like it will fit, but there will have to be a lot of trying on before I’m sure.  I’ll turn the heel like usual, then work back and forth taking up one of the extra stitches on each row.

In theory, this approach will do three nifty things.  First, it will let me hold a reinforcing thread as I do the back and forth bit and have it come all the way down my heel (as opposed to just the 12 rows or so that you normally work back and forth for the heel turn).  Second, it lets me avoid that lighting bolt look that some striping yarns get during the gusset (at least so far).  Finally, it lets me carry the pattern all the way down the heel without having to figure out how to do teeny tiny twisted cables while working back and forth.

I’m pleased.  I’m also sure I’m not the first to think of this.  Does anyone know what it’s called?  Failing that, does anyone have a clever idea for what it should be called?

On a side note, I’m loving this yarn.  It’s Sheep Shop Sheep Feet in Lime.  So much for my plan to only use yarn with nylon.  It’s discontinued (alas), but I’ve bought it in several different colors (and may well be getting a bit more).  It’s super thick and the stitch definition is perfect.

On a further, and completely unrelated note, Popped (in both its free and paid formats) is going on sabbatical.  It will eventually be back in a different incarnation, but if you’re just itching to make it and haven’t grabbed the pattern, this would be the time.  I’m probably taking it down some time next week.