STR Hard Rock

This is what I've been working on. I wanted to do a Jaywalker like sock while avoiding some of the fit issues. I didn't want to have to switch needle sizes and just to be able to use the circs. So I tried a few different sock patterns and came up with this configuration. The sock is knit toe up with the Magic Cast On from Knitty. This cast on is great, looks just like it was kitchnered.















This is my second short row heel ever. I kept getting a few holes (bottom picture). So I did rip back and used Nothin' But Knit: Hole Free Short Rows and really worked hard on pulling the wraps tight and I got the (blurry pictured) hole free heel.

The only problem I'm having is the problem I thought I'd avoid, the socks are tight across the top of my foot near the ankle. I'm not sure why, the circumference of the sock is 60 stitches and I thought the added YOs would make up for the tighter then stocking stitch chevron pattern.

Can I just add too that this yarn is softer then butter? For some reason it seems like softer than normal STR or it could just feel that way because the other sock I'm working on is koigu.