The “heel” of Natalia Vasilieva’s Smokey ZickZacks (page 140 of New Directions in Sock Knitting) is worked in Tier C. This has got to be one of most peculiar heels ever!

It begins by using the Crochet-On Provisional Cast-On to provisionally CO stitches for the heel (I used a tightly spun cotton yarn), which are inserted at the position of the double increase marker. Whenever I work a crochet chain (which is basically how the Crochet-On Provisional Cast-On is worked, only it’s worked around the working needle), I tie an overhand knot after the last stitch so I’ll be able to identify which end to unravel later.

Inserting the new stitches is a bit of a tricky maneuver. You’ll want to use a circular needle with a very flexible cable in order to knit outward from both sides of the provisional cast-on. This involves making a hairpin turn in the knitting by pulling out a loop of cable as for working the Magic-Loop method.

The knitting feels tight at first but loosens up with each successive row as double increases are worked at the center of the heel stitches.

The provisional cast-on will appear as purl bumps on one side of the knitting (the right side in my example) and chain stitches on the other side of the knitting (the wrong side in my example).

I’m six rows into Tier A of Natalia Vasilieva’s Smokey ZickZacks (page 140 of New Directions in Sock Knitting).

I’m using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock 100% Superwash Merino Light Weight (color: Schwarzwald) and a size U.S. 2 (3.0 mm) circular needle.

These socks begin with a crochet-on provisional cast-on that will provide the loops to Kitchener together with the live stitches when the knitting is complete. I’m trying not to think about that yet…

The sock is constructed with a series of increases and decreases that will produce the the unique sideways zigzag pattern. I’ve placed blue markers in the decrease stitches and pink markers in the increases stitches. For reasons not yet revealed, a double decrease marker is placed at the toe and a double increase marker is placed at about the half-way point — I suspect this is for the heel.

Double decreases (slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over) are worked at the decrease markers every right-side row.

Double increases (yarnover, knit 1, yarnover) are also worked every right-side row, then the yarnovers are twisted to close the holes on the following wrong-side row. The effect is similar to working Make-One increases, but extra yarn is added in the increases by working the yarnovers on the right-side rows. It’s a clever way to insure that the stitches aren’t too tight at the increase points.

So far, the knitting is fun — I forget how much I love garter stitch!

I’m excited to say that my version of Kathryn Alexander’s Mitered Triangles socks from New Directions in Sock Knitting is a success!

I joined the Front Leg Panel to the Back Leg Panel with a couple of colorful garter ridges followed by the three-needle bind-off. This left just four groups of 14 live stitches along the top of the sock for the cuff.

I worked the cuff in a few rounds of garter stitch with two shades of red, then used a simple bind-off to complete the sock.

You can’t work this kind of colorwork without ending up with a LOT of ends to weave in. But it didn’t take long for me to finish the task and the inside of the sock is nearly as neat as the outside!

Now that I have my head wrapped around the construction, the mate should be a breeze to knit!