Heel Flap Experiment

I did an experiment to find a better way of doing selvage stitches on the heel flaps for easy stitch pick up. I knitted 3 samples. First is the common way. Second is done with a tip from Ted (a.k.a. Knitterguy.) Third is a technique I learned in my first sock class.

1. The common way

The usual way is to slip the first stitch of each row then knit or purl across. Creating selvage stitches that are not aligned horizontally. They are staggered.

2. From Ted's tip

The selvage stitches are worked this way: right side rows, slip 1, work to last stitch, slip last stitch. Wrong side rows, purl across.

For the bottom half of the test sample I slipped the stitches purl-wise. The top half knit-wise. You can see in the photo that top half's selvage stitches are neater.

Working this way creates selvage stitches that are aligned horizontally.

3. Sock class method

Work the heel flaps this way: WS, sl 1 k-wise with yarn in back, then purl across. RS, sl 1 p-wise with yarn in front, then knit across.

You can see in the photo, this method creates little beads on the edge. You insert the needle between the beads when picking up stitches. Easy to see. But these stitches are also staggered. Not aligned horizontally.

What do I like? I would like to combine method 2 and 3. That would make me happy. :-)

Many thanks to Ted for the tips!