Sock Chronicles 2 - Crisis du Jour

I've come to the SAD conclusion that I'm just a knitting crisis junkie. How else can you explain some of the crazy yarn dilemmas I find myself in?

Last night, we went to a wonderful outdoor concert and I, of course, brought my knitting.  Granted, I wasn't going to get a chance to knit, but I tend to tote a knitting bag around with me because - well, I probably need professional help, but let's be creative and say that my nickname should be Linus.  Anyway, we made the mistake of putting an item in my knitting bag that mated disastrously with my sock yarn, the end result being no more heel to my sock, which had been going so well up to that point. 

Now, someone normal would probably have set aside a little time this morning to put the stitches back onto the DPNs before I needed to bring my knitting to a 10:00 a.m. event.  Notice I say NEEDED.  Those of you who are fellow rabid knitters will understand that "wanted" would not have been a suitable substitute in that sentence. I unfortunately left this all to the last minute, when it was going to be quite impossible to fix the sock.  Instead, I rifled through my knitting magazines 15 minutes before I needed to be out the door, and hit upon a lovely cowl.  Do I wear cowls?  No.  Do I know anyone who does?  Of course not; however, with 10 minutes left, I decided this would be a WONDERFUL Christmas present...for someone.  I then ransacked all my yarn stash until I found a hunk of Vanna's Choice yarn (the only yarn I could find on short notice that would work for the pattern), grabbed some #9 needles, and raced out the door. 

This is all sort of a roundabout way to explain why I don't have installment #2 of my basic sock directions done yet.  However, when I finally fix the heel, this is what's next:

Place the next 30 stitches on Needle 1 for the heel flap. 

Distribute the remaining stitches evenly on the two remaining needles (15 on each).

Work the stitches on Needle 1 only (heel flap) as follows:

Row 1: (RS) *sl1, k1, repeat from * across. 

Row 2: (WS) sl 1 stitch, p across.

Repeat rows 1-2 until Heel Flap measures 2 1/2 inches. 

Place st marker at center of the Heel Flap. 

Next week I should have more to show you, plus I'll more than likely have some lame explanation for why I picked yarn for the cowl that's going to necessitate buying MORE yarn for the contrasting colors...