Socks and Swatches

I've got cold feet.  Literally.  It's 85 degrees outside, 79 inside, and the tile floors are cold.  Anyway, cold feet makes for a great excuse to knit socks.  I have a bunch of sock yarn and two sets of Knitpicks dpns so I can knit 2 socks at once (and avoid the dreaded SSS--Second Sock Syndrome).  And, last night, I came across a Ravelry pattern that is a toe up sock with a heel flap called "Top Down Toe Up Vanilla All the Way Baby!" by Rachel Olsson.  I'm excited.  I tried toe up once and couldn't get past the short row heel.  After a couple of years I finally frogged the damn thing.  This will be my third sock.  So far, I've made 2 cuff down w/heel flap socks out of Ann Budd's "Getting Started Knitting Socks" book.  Here's the second one:

Weird camo color pooling, I was hoping for stripes.

The first sock has major holes in it after being worn continuously last winter.  They are wool and they are warm.  Both of these socks were made on "big" needles with a loose gauge of 7st/inch.  I made a couple of swatches with DIC Smooshy and though I didn't get gauge I think I know what needles will; I'm going to try 1US/2.5mm to get 8st/inch. Wish me luck.

(L)2US/3mm= 7.5st/inch     (R)1US/2.25mm=9st/inch.  Washed.