21May12 - knit my 1” cuff tonight. I am nervous about the sizing of these socks. Pattern calls for US 1 needles. I almost got gauge with US 1.5 needles - 7.5 sts to the inch. However, the measurements on the pattern S size seem a bit small for my feet, so I went up a needle size to US 2. Cuff seems okay … i’ll try on after leg and see if it’s okay. I’m figuring it will be, since patterns with yarn overs and lacy spots usually stretch a lot. I knit Cookie A.’s Monkey socks on US 2.5 needles and found them big, so …

25May12 - needle size is perfect, though I think I knit the cuff itself a bit tight. Or maybe I just cast on too tight. It’s okay, I guess. The socks will stay up better! I am enjoying this pattern, except that it’s not something that can really be memorized, so I have to keep the chart with me at all times. Oh well, sometimes you need to knit with a chart!

28May12 - what a pleasure these are to knit! The charts are easy to read and very clear. Also, I said this when I knit Cookie A.’s Monkeys, but I LOVE the philosophy of picking up HOWEVER many stitches along the edge of the heel flap and having a center of row mid-way along the sole, and just decreasing to an equal number on each side. The stress of the heel flap is one of the reasons I have essentially refused to knit socks cuff down without an AMAZING pattern for a few years now. Cookie A. is breaking down barriers in my knitting life!

I have now finished the first sock, and just finished chart B of the second sock. Hoping to finish these by the end of the week! Also, I must say that the second sock is much easier to knit. I don’t have to be so glued to the chart as I was for the first sock, because I’ve done it all before! Ha!

30May12 - Finished these last night. Thoroughly enjoyable knit. There are a variety of photos in different lighting situations, but the first few are the most accurate.