The Second Sock... and the end of Riff

Riff Socks in all their glory  (might need to click to appreciate)

What is it about the second sock?  The first sock is always so exciting, I wind the yarn and carefully weigh to ensure I make two even socks.  I watch as the color pattern unfolds over what seems like the most exciting knitting i've ever done...

Then the first sock is done.  The anticipation and the discovery is over.  What took maybe two evenings to knit, will now take another week and a half to complete.  Why do I get so bitter about the second sock. I realize I have to make two when I start a project.  I've knit lots of socks before, but still it is so painful.  I feel like when I cast on again I should be doing something new and exciting  (I feel similarly about sleeves)

I have also tried to knit two socks at the same time on circulars.  This is fine, but the yarn gets SO tangled it's really really annoying.  I think it's actually faster to knit them separately.

Unfortunately I have two pairs of socks sitting in my yarn closet.  Both of them only contain one finished sock sitting next to a nicely wound ball of yarn.  Perhaps after my next project i'll knit the second sock.  Enough time has passed that it will be exciting and fun again.  Also it's winter and I personally cannot have too many hand knit socks.  Unless I'm exercising I want them on my feet.

I don't think I'll ever knit this particular pattern again.  It was fun at times, but the heel was too much of a pain.  The pattern doesn't state that you NEED to end on a pattern row not a knit row, and there is a previously discussed issue with the counting back.

In my life i've only knit 2 sock patterns more than once, Corolois by Cat Bordhi, and the Inside-out sock from Rockin' Sock club 2007.  The Inside-Out socks are really awesome.  Fun to knit and even better to wear.

The yarn is beautiful, but again it kept splitting which was super annoying considering how many ktbl's there were in this pattern.  It's cool how they look different.

So here it is.  The finished socks.  Thank goodness.

Modeled by my lovely husband.

My father will enjoy these for a winter, before he puts holes in them and next year I wil knit him another pair.  Interestingly enough my mother has just learned to knit socks.  She hasn't yet completed a full sized pair, but it's coming.  Maybe next winter he can have two pairs, one from me and one from her :)