2.29.12
My first test knit :)

Pattern calls for casting onto size 5 needles - asked designer about her preferred cast-on, but was told I could use my usual (long-tail cast on using two needles held sort of together, where one loop of the cast on goes around one needle, and the other loop goes around the other… I can’t find the name of this method, or the video I learned it from now…)

12 rounds of ribbing.
Pattern thus far is easy to follow and seems to knit up pretty quickly.

Pattern calls for 2.5mm needles; tried it on both 2.5mm and 2.75mm needles and 2.75mm fit better on my foot. Asked for, and received, permission to proceed on 2.75mm.

3.1.12
Proceeding on 2.75mm needles. Trying it on 3 DPNs rather than 4 - because this pattern has six repeats of the pattern around the circumference, 4 needles splits the pattern in half. Worked fine, but thought I’d see how it goes with 2 repeats on each needle. So far, so good.

26 rows of heel flap (closer to 2.5”). Heel turn worked out perfectly. Picked up 18 stitches on either side of gusset (3 out of every 5 rows) to get 18 stitches as required by pattern.

Pattern reads to knit across 10 heel stitches at this point; not sure if this was meant to be 18 (number of total heel sts) or 9 (half the sts, to get to beg of rnd). Asked for clarification from designer.

3.2.12
First sock done except for weaving and blocking. 6 1/2 pattern repeats

3.8.12
Cast on 2nd sock.

3.9.12
Got to end of gusset.

3.10.12
Finished sock except weaving and blocking.

3.12.12
It turns out that this is a very difficult colour to photograph…