Experimental Socks

While doing the blue socks for Daughter #2 using the Sox on 2 Stix pattern from the Fall 2006 Knitty, an idea for sock construction occurred to me. This pattern starts at the heel, using 2 straight needles (as I can't seem to manage dpns and dislike circs, that's how I've been making socks), finishing at the cuff. No heel gusset. After finishing the blue pair and looking them over, I can see features I do not like. Such as how the heel seems to jut out, and the sole resembles a moccasin more than a sock. When I laid the sole and instep on 1 needle (scroll down the page to see) and started knitting, I thought, "this should be done on a circ. Absitively, posilutely on a circ." Soooo I am fiddlin' around with a toe-up sock (see start of toe above), started on 2 straight needles, then will finish on a circ. I'll put a nice heel gusset in for better shaping too. Gives me a reason to find my Magic Loop booklet that decided to hide itself since it wasn't being used. Here's the yarn I'm performing this experiment with, Patons Classic Wool in Rosewood.

The little scan doesn't do the yarn justice, it's much prettier than that in person. I had found several sock patterns purported to be on 2 straight needles, but when I actually got my hands on them (after shelling out $ or even $$), the patterns LIED. Only part of the socks were done on 2 needles, the rest was done on dpns. False advertising, I say. Maybe doing the leg and cuff on circs will ease me into doing the entire sock on circs.

Above I've done the sole and am starting on the heel.

OK, heel is done, put on a holder, and I'm ready to undo the provisional cast-on and knit the instep. Major snag - checked my circ collection and do not have a long size 4, only the shortest size. Dang, will have to find one fast. 40" or 36" for Magic Loop? And will my booklet ever come out of hiding or should I just rely on Web resources to learn ML? Any advice appreciated.