Goal: Matching Socks, Gusset and Heel

My Sockapalooza socks managed to survive their weekend alone, abandoned underneath my desk at work. Here is I how I found them on Monday, huddled against an empty cardboard box and near some old sneakers.

I leave the sneakers under m desk in case I decide to go for a walk on my breaks. But what do I end up doing on breaks instead? That's right, knitting. At least my brain and fingers are getting exercise.

Time to remember what craziness I did to cobble together a gusset and heel:

• For the foot - Knit in pattern as established until time for gusset increases (19 eyelets from the toe, or 38 rows of the pattern after the toe).
  
• For the gusset - Increase two stitches on alternate rows as follows: On first needle (instep side), knit row 1 of pattern, knit through the front and back (ktfb) of last stitch (the 3rd stitch in a set of 3 knit stitches). Increases done this way look like a knit and purl stitch next to one another. On the second needle (sole side), knit to the stitch that was the ending purl stitch on the prior row, ktfb of it. Gusset increases will always be when you do row 1 of the pattern on the instep.
• Continue in this way until 16 stitches have been added (8 on each side of the instep).
• Do one more non-increasing round after the last round of increases.
• Knit in pattern across needle 1. On needle 2, purl 1.
• Switch to contrast color. Make heel as described in this tutorial. Use 7 stitches for the heel flap, making 14 rows so that you get 7 stitches on each side to pick up for the back of the heel.
  
• Follow heel tutorial until all of the gusset stitches have been incorporated into the heel.
• NOTE: instead of ssk, do slip 1 knitwise slip 1 purlwise, slip both stitches back to the left needle, knit both stitches together through the back loops. Doing the decreases this way seems to make th stitches lie better than a regular ssk.
  
• End heel with a wrong-side row (purling). Turn and pick up main color. Knit 2 together, knit along back side of the heel to the last 2 stitches, knit 2 together.
• Continue to front of sock in pattern (this should be row 2 of pattern). On needle 2 (heel side), p3k3 across ending with p3.
  
• Start using pattern all the way around sock to make the leg.

My sock pal's foot is a size smaller and quite a bit narrower than mine. These socks fit a uncomfortably tight on me so I think they should fit my sock pal perfectly. Ah, ribbed patterns are so forgiving!