Pattern calls for a heavier yarn, and 22 st/4 in on 4mm needles. I have about 9 st/in on 2.75 mm needles, and I want the finished socks to be bigger than the pattern calls for, so where I was told to CO 44, I CO 80. What there is of the first sock goes over my foot almost without stretching, so hopefully it will work out.

A change I made that has nothing to do with gauge: after the gusset, when resuming the pattern in the foot, I made a stitch at the beginning of Needle 2 so there’d be a line of seed stitch ribbing on both edges of the foot (so every Row 2 of the pattern is now p1, k3 p1). As the pattern is written, the stockinette sole would carry up onto the edge of the instep.

Update: the photo with two feet in it has the Thuja sock on my left foot, where it is comfortable but unstretched, and one of my embossed leaves socks on my right foot to show the relative sizes. Dad liked the socks very much. I am eagerly awaiting a picture of the pair (I mailed him the second sock when it was finished).