It's All About Me

I've heard it said that over time pets and their owners start to look alike. I think the same may be true of my knitting. It seems that everything I am making lately winds up fitting not the intended recipient, but me. Larger sizes, smaller sizes - it all comes back to my size.

Case in Point #1:

I'm making my Mom a pair of socks for Christmas. Sockotta, size 1 dpns, top down, pattern from the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. Since I was (and still am) getting 8 stitches per inch for gauge, I simply followed the charts for my mom's regular-width, size 7 feet. Problem is they look like lumberjack socks. I slipped them on to check (as I have the same length, but wider, foot) and they fit me pretty well. Certainly not at all tight. Maybe even a little bit too long (and I stopped early on the foot length because it was getting so big).

Here's how they look (that's an ornamental pumpkin - they're not THAT big!):



And here's how the foot looks to me:



L-o-n-g.

The good news is that I weighed the finished sock and I have enough yarn for the second sock. I think that I'll finish these off and give them to my mom. If they don't fit her, I'll get a new pair of socks and Mom can pick her new pair.

Case in Point #2:

Dad's getting a pair of convertible fingerless gloves/mittens featured on the cover of Knit Pick's latest catalogue. I really like the pattern and the Shamrock yarn it calls for. Here's what I have so far:



The flecks in the brown are colorful enough to make the knitting fun, but not too flashy for my Dad.



Yummy, no?



Here's a view of all the openings. I slipped this one on also to check for size - and guess what? Yep. This one fits, also. Really well. Looks like my gauge got tighter, so I'm reswatching now. I made a note in case I ever make a pair for myself.

Why is that when I knit for myself it never seems to quite fit (I've gone through 2 sock patterns making socks that are way too wide even for me), but when I want to knit for others, it all come back to my size?