Realy Cool Socks

Sizing:
Lady's average

Materials:
1 ball Lang sock yarn, variegated  (V)
2 balls black sock yarn (I used Kroy 4 ply, slightly heavier than the Lang)  (B)
Reinforcing yarn, if desired.  I used the spool that came with the Lang
1 set of 5 2.5 mm double pointed needles

Pattern (multiple of 4 stitches)
Round 1:  With  B, k
Round 2:  With B, p
Round 3:  * sl 2 purlwise, with V, k 2*  Repeat between *s around.
Round 4:  * sl 2 purlwise, with V, p 2*  Repeat between *s around.
Round 5:  * sl 2 purlwise, with V, p 2*  Repeat between *s around.
Round 6:  With  B, k
Round 7:  With B, p
Round 8:  * with V, k 2, sl 2 purlwise (with yarn in back) *  Repeat between *s around.
Round 9:  * with V, p 2, sl 2 purlwise (with yarn in back) *  Repeat between *s around.
Round 10:  * with V, p 2, sl 2 purlwise (with yarn in back) *  Repeat between *s around.

Cast on 64 stitches.
Join in round and k2, p2 rib for 1 ½ inches
Begin pattern - repeat about 10 times, ending with round 5.

Heel
Position the stitches so that the heel begins and ends with a black
stitch, and such that you have 32 stitches for the heel and 32 for the instep. This will center the pattern for the instep.
With B, and adding in reinforcing yarn, if using:
Row 1: *sl 1 purlwise, k 1*  Repeat between *s across the 32 stitches for the heel.
Row 2: sl 1 purlwise, p across remaining stitches.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 til the flap is 2 ¼ - 2 ¾ inches long, and end with Row 2.

Turn Heel
Row 1:  K 18, ssk, k1, Turn
Row 2:  sl1, p to 1 stitch before the gap, p2tog, p1, Turn
Row 3:  sl1, k to 1 stitch before the gap, ssk, k1, Turn
Repeat Rows 2 and 3 til all stitches are used up.  (18 stitches)

Gusset and Foot
Round 1: With B, k across the heel stitches, pick up and k about 17 stitches up the left side of the heel flap, k across the instep stitches, pick up and k about 17 stitches down the right side of the heel flap, and k ½ the heel stitches (9) from the heel onto this needle.

Round 2: With B, k up the gusset stitches, ending k 2 tog, k 1
P across the instep stitches,
K down the gusset stitches, starting with k 1, ssk.

Round 3: (before you do this round the first time, decide what you want to do with the foot)
With B, k around.

What to do with the foot:

What I did :
Because I wanted the bottom of the foot plain, and the top patterned, I worked the 'V' pattern rounds (3,4,5 and 8,9,10) as rows - back and forth across the instep - switching the coloured stitches to k or p, as necessary to maintain the texture of the pattern as established.

When I came to the 2 rounds done in B (1,2 and 6,7 of pattern), I worked the Gusset and Foot Rounds 3 then 2, until my total number of stitches was 64.  This works best if the variegated yarn is thinner than the plain yarn. The top of the foot is slightly longer than the bottom - so you could do some plain rows back and forth on the bottom to even them up, if you want.

Other foot ideas:
1) Continue each round around the sock, just knitting, such that the foot is striped, 3 rounds V and 2 rounds B

2) Continue only one of the coloured rounds around the sock, such that the foot is striped, 1 round V and 2 rounds B

3) Stop the pattern at the top of the heel, and make the whole foot plain

4) Stripe the whole foot of the sock

When the foot from the back of the heel measures about 2 inches shorter than the total length you want, start the toe:

Toe
Add in the reinforcing yarn again, if using for only heel and toe.
Assuming you are using a set of 5 needles:
Round One:
Needle 1 - k until 3 sts before the end, k2tog, k1.
Needle 2 - k1, SSK, k to end
Needle 3 - k until 3 sts before the end, k2 tog, k1.
Needle 4 - k1, SSK, k to end.
Round Two: k all sts.

Repeat these two rounds until there are 5 sts on each needle.  Place stitches from needles 1 and 4 on same needle, and stitches from needles 2 and 3 on same needle. Graft toe sts. Sew in any ends.

Turn one sock wrong side out and THEN decide which way you want to wear them!