Lookie Here!

Remember I told you I was working on a pair of children's socks out of the yarn hand dyed for my by my SP10 pal, Robyn? Well, lookie here:

I finished the pair today, on break at work none the less. This pair went quickly, probably because I was anxious to see how they would look. They are nice and bright and pretty. I call them my Summer Sunset Socks because of the sunsetty (is that a word?) colours.

They are my typical stocking stitch children's sock knit on four DPNs (I think the size was 2.75 mm). In the picture they are resting on the rhodedendron out front.

Next up, for my knitting at work, will be a baby sweater done in Lion Brand Cottonease (I think) with a pattern I got from one of those tear off pads at Michael's. I chose the same colours as wasin the picture on the pattern because I liked the way they looked. There is a yellow (not bright but more mustardy I think), a rose pink shade, and a berry colour. I'll take a picture at some point when I start knitting so you can better judge the colours. Anyway, I liked they way they looked together. I'll also take sock yarn and needles along just in case I feel like working on another sock and not the sweater.

I ran into a big of a snag with my sockapalooza socks. I hope my pal doesn't stumble along to my blog and read this, otherwise she'll know I'm her pal. I've sent her an email with this in it, but she hasn't replied yet. I did a swatch with the needles and yarn, consulted my Sensational Knitted Socks book to see how many to cast on. So, I get 72 stitches because I'm using fine/sport weight yarn and size 2.75mm needles.

I've knit several rounds of the cuff, and only have a few more to go before starting the leg pattern, but to me this sock is looking big and would be too stretchy. I'm also afraid that if the sock is big, I'll run out of yarn (100g). She doesn't like toe up socks, so that is out of the question.

I guess my question to anyone who can help, is this: is 72 stitch too much? Should I cast on less? Should I disregard the gauge I got and just cast on the number of stitches the pattern calls for (60 stitches, but the size is for women's medium...my pal wears a US size 8 sock with a 10" foot length and 9" circumference). Help! I don't know what to do! I'm not good at substitution, so I don't know if I were to use a regular sock weight yarn if the pattern/sizing would work out well (since it would be a different weight sock yarn). Any thoughts, suggestions, ideas? I could really use your helps since I need to get cracking on these socks!

And, to leave off on a happy note...