Ellen's socks

I did not know what I was undertaking when Ellen asked for socks for her birthday. I started a pair 6 months before her birthday, with some fabulous yarn I got on Little Knits. It is Austermann Step, with aloe and jojba in the yarn! It was great to work with, but as I got onto making the foot, they seemed really small. I stopped mid foot and spent the Fourth of July weekend trying something else.

First I thought about the Mary Jane Skimmers pattern, but every sole I made turned out some other size.




I tried several times -- even rewrote the pattern in case I was following it wrong, but nope! It wasn't working.

I tried some bedroom slippers I saw in One Skein Wonders by Judith Durant with Ellen's favorite yarn in the world, Noro Kureyon #185. As I was finishing the last one, I just didn't like the way they looked. So sloppy.



I finally made the Mixed Berry pattern in the 2-at-a-time Socks book, and, although I thought they came out huge, they would have to do -- Ellen's birthday was the next day!!

She liked the socks, but I could tell she would be really happy with the original socks I started.

I finished the feet of the Austermann Step socks and gave them to her yesterday. They fit her perfectly and, as I thought, she was thrilled.




She asked if she could keep the first pair, too, and, of course, I said yes. She really made out in the sock department this year!