A Croc in Gator Country

A few weeks ago I completed the Knitpicks Mock Croc Socks. On completion of these socks, I vowed never again to attempt a lace pattern for size 11 1/2 feet. (We'll see how long that vow lasts). This was the first time I seriously needed a different project between socks (that's when the flower washcloth came in). However, I really like them.

The pattern itself was easy (when I remembered to count the rows). Basically, it's 5 rows of knitting with one row of other stuff. I quickly memorized it and would knit them again- just not with such big feet. These are for my mom, and I thought it would be cute for her to have some "croc" skin, since she always is interested in the gators when she visits from CT.

Funny, in the Knitpicks catalog, this pattern looks kind of utilitarian- like, well, "croc" skin. However, knit in this color it's really quite pretty.

There was just one place in the pattern that I didn't really approve of and would do differently next time. The heel. I'm not learned enough in this area to know what this sort of turning of the heel is called, but I don't like how it works up. Honestly, it was easier to turn this heel than my usual method, but the result is a thin, straight heel that feels/looks weird, in my opinion. You do a heel flap, and then to turn the heel, you:

Row 1: sl1, K21, ssk, turn

Row 2: sl1, p9, p2tog, turn

Row 3: sl1, k9, ssk, turn

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until you've worked all the heel stitches.

It's that last sentence that makes this such a thin, static heel. Just my opinion. Anyone know what it's called?

Also wanted to comment on the yarn. YES! This is lovely yarn. Regia Silk in "soft blue". I had bought some opal silk at the same time online. They both came, and the regia just blows the opal out of the water in terms of softness. I wanted something that really felt soft- this is it.

Mom's Moc Croc Socks

Yarn: Regia Silk in soft blue

Pattern: Moc Croc Socks (by Susan Lawrence exclusively for Knit Picks)

Comments: I knit the large size, since I wasn't sure about the smaller size fitting around a swollen ankle. The pattern was easy to read and I like the yarn. Alittle splitty, but so soft! I used US1 DPNs.