Classic "Cashmere" Booties Pattern Notes

It has been all baby, all the time at MindofWinter this month. Here's round one:

Boooteeelishous!

Classic Cashmere Booties
Simple Knits for Cherished Babies, by Erica Knight
Knit with about half a skein (123 yards/113 meters/skein) of Rowan Wool Cotton (50% Merino/50%Cotton) in Rich (red) (911) with accents of Ship Shape (blue) (955) on Clover Bamboo DPNs in size US4 (3.5mm), in a gauge of about 6.5 sts per inch in Stst.

Finished Dimensions: Tiny! Size 0-3 months.

The Pattern:
This is a wonderful pattern. It's simple to follow, with good illustrations that help those who might be new to knitting these types of fiddly little projects on DPNs. Although I would not rate it as a beginner pattern, due the shaping and fiddling that you have to do, I think it's a good advanced beginner pattern, and certainly a good bootie pattern. I found it much simpler than the Dainty Booties, also designed by Erica Knight, though I like both booties in their finished form. There is a bootie for every occasion, no?

As an aside, I think Simple Knits for Cherished Babies is a wonderful resource for all your baby needs. Although I cannot yet speak for the editing, as this is the first pattern I've tried, the pieces are beautiful. I'm considering making the Mabel Dress for my new niece who is due in February.

Modifications:
The only modification that I made was the addition of the free-form sewn hearts at the end. I thought they added punch and a homemade look to the booties.

Impressions of Rowan's Wool Cotton:
This is a great yarn, and one that I've had occasion to work with several times recently. It beats the pants off of Debbie Bliss' Wool Cotton (now discontinued, I believe), and rivals my all time favorite Jaeger's Extra Fine Merino DK. I would actually go with the wool cotton over the EFMDK for booties, simply because that cotton content gives it a little more structure. Additionally, and importantly, since we're talking about babies here, wool cotton is machine washable. We all know that those two words are glorious music to the ears of new mothers.

Note:** Esteemed reader Rachel adds that Koigu's KPPM used doubled also works well with this pattern.

Possible substitute yarns:
Either the original cashmere called for in the pattern or Jaeger's Extra Fine Merino DK would be a good substitute. The booties will not "stand up" as much in those yarns because they have more drape, and they will also be more delicate and require hand washing. The trade-off is softness and luxury, though I assure you wool cotton is very soft!

**Added Later: My esteemed reader Rachel adds that Koigu's KPPPM works well for this pattern doubled.

Tips for Making Classic Booties:
The only tip I have it to use a needle size that makes the stitches a bit tighter than you'd normally knit. I think this helps keep the shape and make the booties more durable. This pattern is so well-written that there's no trouble-shooting involved.