FO Friday: Eat Your Monkey Socks Edition

Happy Friday! In the fibery world, it means it's time for Finished Object Friday or, as we lovingly call it, FO Friday.

My last FO Friday was at the end of May and it was the completion of my Vanilla Socks. Today I bring you another pair of socks: Eat Your Monkey Socks!

Eat Your Monkey Socks (project page)

Pattern: Monkey Socks by Cookie A
Time Frame: started November 29, 2012; finished June 15, 2013
Yarn: MCN Fingering from Sun Valley Fibers
Needles: US #1.5 (2.25 mm) - two circulars...32" I think but they may only be 24"
Size: Small
Modifications: I made the small size on slightly larger needles. I started out with the small size on US #1 needles and they were too tight so I ripped them out and started the small size on US #1.5 needles with hopes that I wouldn't have to go down to US #0 needles and CO the large size. Luckily, the small size on the US #1.5 needles worked. I only did five pattern repeats on the leg because (1) I would have run out of yarn and (2) they wouldn't have fit on my calf if I had made them longer. I changed the heel flap to the Eye of Partridge heel (from Hermione's Everyday Socks) and did a Double Gusset Heel Decrease. The foot had six pattern repeats (per the length of my foot)...which isn't a modification; I'm just sharing. I also did my toe decreases a little differently. I started on needle #1 (the needle that holds the stitches that go on the bottom of your foot) and did a K2tog, knit to last two sts, ssk and did the same on needle #2 followed by a round of plain knitting. I worked until I could "close" the end of my toe...which left me 28 sts on my needles and then I Kitchenered them together.
Thoughts: I really like these socks. They fit me perfectly, first of all. The pattern is really easy to memorize and read so I didn't screw up too much if I lost my place. The only thing I didn't like was that I only had a couple choices for sizes and if neither of them worked......well, I'm glad that I read a few of the helpful notes from other Ravelers. Many of them said they went up to US #1.5 needles for a better fit. I was really hoping I wouldn't be working these on US #0 needles... I think if I make them again, I'll try the "no-purl" version (which is not a Cookie A pattern but it's basically the same thing without the purls).

Heel pic!

Something else that I love about these socks is the fact that Jeanette (the purveyor of Sun Valley Fibers) once told me she doesn't know how to make self-striping yarn. I call SHENANIGANS on that because this yarn stripes very well. Maybe not perfectly but it does stripe.

Anyway, for more FO Friday fun, visit Tami :)