Could it be? June 12, 2008
I don’t want to think too hard on it, be too positive or certain, because I know if I do it’ll come back and bite me. But I think, I hope, that I have finally hit on a pattern stitch that works with the Figgy Pudding sock yarn.
The ribbing can pool all it wants. When it’s just at the top of the sock like that it actually looks sort of cool. Then I get stripes. I can deal with stripes. Stripes are just fine.
I moved on down to the heel flap, used a standard heel stitch, and that looks just fine, too. I started picking up the stitches for the gusset, and realized that I want to do that a little differently. When I knit this afternoon I’ll pull out the remaining one round of gusset stitches, and reknit them. 
Yes, now that I have a stitch that (seems to) works, the knitting is going quickly. Keep your fingers crossed that the yarn continues to behave on the top of the foot. That’ll be the true test.
In the meantime, I’m working on the pattern for Merced. With all the wonderful encouragement I’ve gotten about the men liking Merced, too, the pattern will end up having more than one size. I’m actually working out the math for two additional sizes to potentially fit a wide variety of feet and stitch gauges. That’s my task for the rest of the morning. I’d better get back at it!
amanda June 12
I like that - the jewel tones are quite pretty. Hopefully it continues to work out for you.
jeffner77 June 12
Beautiful! Definitely worth the hassle & trying of different patterns. Now I want the yarn!
Shelda June 12
The work was worth the results , these are stunning such a beautiful color (from clown barf to this wow)
Shelda
Robin June 12
Whew, finally!! It looks great. BTW, I was called away to my parents house, I’ll be sending that pattern in tomorrows post. Sorry.
~Kristie June 12
My fingers are crossed and so are my toes. LOL!! That design has put me in the mood to knit socks again. Beautiful! I *knew* it would all work out when the time was right. Squee!
Angela June 13
Oh! A pattern and yarn match, made in heaven!
The colors and pattern look very nice :)
Jocelyn June 13
Ooh — that really does look nice. Excellent use of multicolored yarn :) And I do love Merced. I can’t wait until life slows down enough for me to knit it (possibly for my husband — you’re right; they’re excellent unisex socks!). :)
Danielle from SW MO June 14
I am also in Awe of your talemt of pulling together both pattern and yarn! I am participating in the design your own challenge for Sock Knitters Anon and am in the Clown Barf stage of design :-) Merced is another design success as well and as soon as I get the Illusions and DYO sock done it will be on my to buy and knit list for SOS08.
anne June 14
oh glad that’s finally working out!
Karen B. June 15
There’s a sock for every shoe. Or is it there’s a shoe for every foot. I don’t know. What I do know is that you’ve hit on the perfect match for the yarn and it looks fabulous!