Bootie-licious

So my title names are getting worse. I know. I need a book of "Good Blog Titles" as I'm running short.
I decided Instant Gratification was working for me, and decided to continue the theme.

I went with the ever popular Saartjes Booties:

Pattern: Saartjes Booties (Ravlink)
Yarn: Garnstudio Drops Alpaca from The Constant Knitter
Needles: 3mm circs
Supposedly an easy pattern. I sometimes struggle with easy patterns. It's like I subconsciously think these are too easy and therefore there must be some hidden difficulty somewhere. Which usually results in a mess. As is proven by this time. It took me 4 booties to get this result, and I still think one of them looks wonky.
Well, I'm not doing it again, so this is as good as it gets.
It's being added to the ever increasing pile of baby stuff for my friend. This makes it now a hemlock ring blanket, a cutie bonnet & some booties. I reckon a cardigan and that's it.

In the meantime, I gave up on the Pomatomus socks. It's another one of those patterns that's just not going to work for me, so I've finally consigned it to the "never to be knit again" bin.
I was spending some happy time yesterday looking for a different pattern for my yummy peacock coloured Wollmeise, when in comes Alice.
She demands some socks.
Ok, I say, well here's your choice of yarn. (I pull out all my leftover skeins of sock yarn).
She spends about a half hour looking through my sock pattern books and decides on Double Lace Ribbing Socks (ravlink) using the last of my Clementine Wollmeise.
How can I refuse? It's so great that she loves hand knit items that I feel great every time she asks for some.
Progress so far:



I would have been farther along if it weren't for the pesky booties, and for the fact that I messed up.
I decided to do these socks toe up to make sure I had enough yarn.
I measured her feet, and even did a gauge swatch! Go me!
So I knit them up, and was unsure when to start the heel. I consulted the book the pattern is from, "More Sensational Knitted Socks" and it says knit until socks are desired length. Huh?
So I checked Wendy Johnsons "Socks from the Toe Up" and it said knit until 2 1/2" from the desired length before starting the short row heel. Ok, Wendy, I said, and did as she instructed. Oh no. Socks were WAY too short on the foot. So now I'm trying Charlene's instructions and knitting the socks until they're the full foot length before starting the short row heel.
I think the reason they went so wrong is that they're kids socks, and their feet are so much smaller. Alice's feet are 8" round and 8" long.

So, we'll see how the new attempt goes.

Good knitting!