Tabi No Monogatari Part 4

One sock is finally done and here's what the completed sock looks like:

For the record, here's the complete instruction for my toe-up sock:
Hubby's right foot measures 23 cm (in circumference) = 9"
=> 9" * 8 stitches/inch = 72 => 72 - (72 * 10%) = 64.8 => a total of 64 stitches
His ankle is 22 cm (in circumference) = 8"
=> 8" - 1" = 7" * 8 stitches/inch = =56 => 56 - (56 * 10%) = 50.4 => a total of 50 stitches

1. Using a Knitter's Pride Karboniz  US 0 40" fixed circular needles, cast on 16 stitches on each needle using Judy's Magic Cast-On (a total of 32 stitches (half of the total number of stitches needed for the actual sock) then,
2. K1 (knit 1 stitch), M1 (make one), K (knit) to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (this now gives you 18 stitches on your needle).  Continue to do this on your other needle to finish the "row" (now you have a total of 36 stitches).
3. Knit the next row.
4. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 40 stitches, 20 stitches per row)
5. Knit the next row.
6. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 44 stitches, 22 stitches per row)
7. Knit the next row.
8. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 48 stitches, 24 stitches per row)
9. Knit the next row.
10. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 52 stitches, 26 stitches per row)
11. Knit the next row.
12. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 56 stitches, 28 stitches per row)
13. Knit the next row.
14. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 60 stitches, 30 stitches per row)
15. Knit the next row.
16. K1, M1, K to one before the last stitch, M1, K1 (total of 64 stitches, 32 stitches per row)
17. Knit the next row.
18. Continue to knit until the sock is 5-6 cm (or 2-2.5") from the heel of the foot.  For his right foot, that came out to ~88 rows (13 rows/2.5 cm @ 17cm or 13 rows/1" @ 6.7").  Important note: somewhere in the foot of the sock, you may want to slowly increase the number of stitches in your row to a total of 70 stitches as you go round and round to get to the heel.  In short, by the time you're ready to do the heel, you should have 35 stitches on each side. 
19. To work the heel, use the German short row technique.  To do so, determined which side of the sock would be the "bottom" (sole) of the sock.
20. With the inside of the sole facing you, slip the first stitch, pull the working yarn straight up, then pull the working yarn to the front (as if to purl) and purl to the end of the row (the last stitch is called the ultimate stitch).  Now, the first ultimate stitch is on the current right side of the sock.  Remember, you're purling because you're looking at the "inside" of the sock, not the "outside" where it's knitted.
21. Then turned the sock around (so that you're looking at the outside of the sock - the knitted side), slip the first stitch, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front (towards yourself).  This creates the first ultimate stitch on the other side (your "new" right side because the first ultimate stitch you created in Step #21 is now on the left side (because the sock has been turned around) of the sock.  Then bring the working yarn to the back (essentially creating a yarn over) so that the yarn is ready to be knitted.  Then knit to the end of the last stitch before the first ultimate stitch (on the left).  This stitch is called the pen-ultimate or the designated stitch (it's essentially the second to the last stitch).
22. Then turn your work around (again), so that you're looking at the inside of the sole (again).   Repeat Step #21 to the pen-ultimate stitch.  At this juncture, you should have two (2) ultimate stitches on the right side and one (1) ultimate stitch on the left. Then follow Step #22 to the pen-ultimate stitch.  Now, you should have two (2) ultimate stitches on both sides of your needles.  
23. Continue to repeat Steps #21 & 22 until you have ten (10) ultimate stitches on each side and fifteen (15) "regular" stitches in the middle (totaling 35 stitches - the same amount of stitches you started with).  This will ultimately create increases in your work to make the actual pocket/pouch for the heel.  (If you need pics, please take a look at my post: Tabi No Monogatari Part 2)
24. To join the heel to the "rest" of the sock, purl to the first wrapped stitch (and purl that wrapped stitch) then turned your work around so that you are now on the right (knit) side.
25. Then knit to the next wrapped stitch (and knit that wrapped stitch) the turn your work around so that you're now on the "wrong" (purl) side.
26. Continued to do Steps #25 & 26 until all the wrapped stitches were done.  The last "side" is the right (knit) side.
27. From there, started knitting in the round again (hence, "connecting" the heel to the rest of the sock).  To make sure you don't have a hole where the heel connects to the top of the sock (the instep part), pick up a stitch on the first row that you knitted in the round then knit that extra stitch to the "last" stitch of the heel part so that you don't have any more extra stitches. (If you need pics, please take a look at my post: Tabi No Monogatari Part 3)  For his right foot, that came out to 32 rows where it reached the top of his ankle. I actually started decreasing the ankle portion at the 31th row to 56 stitches then on the 32nd row to 50 stitches as I finally realized that the top portion was going to be too big and it would sag if I didn't start decreasing it. :(
28. Then using a 1x1 ribbing stitch (k1, p), finish off the sock by making 10 rows. 
29. To bind off, I used Liat Gat's invisible bind off. Then weave in the ends.

Now you must be wondering:  Why isn't this amazing sock on his foot??  Well, it turns out that the invisible (stretchy) bind off wasn't so stretchy and because I bound it off using the 50 stitches I had left so that the sock would hug his ankle, it simply wasn't wide enough to go over his foot. :(  Funny, before I started binding off, it fit his foot ... I guess I should've taken a picture then for proof, huh? :P lol :) 

This sock was definitely a project with lots and lots of concepts (like increasing, decreasing, determining gauge, yarn overs, and binding off), understanding sizing at various parts of the foot and how these sizes work with your project.  While the sock looks ok, I know it could be better and actually fit a foot!  When we could get the sock over his foot, hubby says that it's a bit tight.  I'm not sure it was tight because of the type of yarn used (polyester - no give) or that I really made it too small.  Hopefully, now that I understand a bit better of what I'm doing, the left side will actually fit on his foot! :P 

Now, I'm ready to start the other side! :) *yeah* :)  I'll be using this pattern to make a top-down sock.  I'm committed to still use the same type of polyester yarn so, hopefully it'll pan out ok. :P  Stay tuned! ;)