First the basic report -- I used cream-colored Socka on 2s (ribbing) and 3s, getting 6 1/2 sts/in in stockinette, measured on the foot bottoms. The finished sock is about 7 1/2 inches high and the foot 6 inches long, unblocked and unstretched. They're just too cute for words.
Here are my corrections--
UNBALANCED LACE PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS
The lace pattern is a beautiful one, but the way it is charted and written out causes the stitches to shift one needle to the right, and then you're in trouble when you begin the second repeat. You can see this in the chart -- in row 1 there are two increases (yo's) to the left of the two decreases (k3tog), while on rows 3 and 5 the yo's are properly placed one on each side of the decreases. The solution -- change where the repeat begins; start with the 8th stitch of the repeat, then do 1-7.
In the chart this can be done either by drawing a heavy line to the right of the eighth stitch and starting there, or by moving the left column over to the right side, so that where the number "1" is, write in the circle for a yo. Where 3, 5, and 7 are, knit; where 2, 4, and 6 would be, purl.
In the written-out instructions--
Rnd 1 *yo, k2, k3tog, k2, yo, k1, rep from *
Rnd 2 *p1, k5, p2, rep from *
Rnd 3 *k1, yo, k1, k3tog, k1, yo, k2, rep from*
Rnd 4 *p2, k3, p3, rep from *
Rnd 5 *k2, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, rep from *
Rnd 6 *p3, k1, p5, rep from *
Rnd 7 knit across
CALF DECREASES
This is one that perhaps most people would be able to figure out, but the instructions don't say what to do with the fraction of the repeat that remains when you have decreased by four stitches on the first stitch repeat on the sixth lace repeat, and then have to do one a seventh repeat of the lace. The solution is to work the first four stitches of needle 1 in garter stitch, matching the garter of the repeats to the right and left of it (the seam "jog" is there, of course, but not noticeable).
HEEL AND HEEL TURNING
One very minor thing -- it says to slide 8 heel sts from the third to the first needle...you've already knitted these 8 sts in finishing the last round of the leg. Slide them onto your working needle instead.
One bigger thing: on the instructions for turning...Row 3 knit TWO, not FOUR; Row 4, purl THREE not FIVE, and continue as usual. This will give you ten stitches when you're done, and you'll have to knit across them before picking up for the gusset.
Comments and observations:
RIBBING
I really appreciate a sock design like this one that gives some thought to how the ribbing transitions into the pattern of the leg, rather than just sticking some ribbing at the top. It's a relatively minor thing, but helps unify the whole pattern. The ribs are pulled neatly into the decrease triangles of the first lace pattern. In the photo this shows better in the sock on the model than the flat ones.
Wait a minute! The two flat socks in the photo are done differently...the one on the left fits together the way I say, the one on the right doesn't. Okay, you'll have to start your ribbing with a knit, and shift the lace pattern the way I describe to get it to blend the way I was just admiring.
TOE SHAPING
This is the first time I've ever seen a wedge toe done with a different number of stitches on the top (24) and bottom (20). It works fine, since the final 8 sts are drawn together rather than grafted (2 + 6 wouldn't work), but as you can see in the photo, the decreases are not aligned along the sides. Not a problem, just an observation.
YARN QUANTITY
The pattern says it needs 60g of yarn. I started with a 50g ball that I had already used some of for the contrast toe of an adult sock. I think I might just barely have managed to knit both of these socks from a full ball of Socka, just maybe. I got to somewhere in the gusset on the second sock with what I had in my partial ball.
Enough! Go ahead and knit these socks for your little princess; they're wonderful.
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