Avoiding Second Sock Syndrome

Or in this case second sock, and second mitten syndrome.

I generally don’t knit socks anymore. There was a period of a year or two where I only wore hand knit socks, and consequently I knit a lot of socks, but not anymore. However as part of stash dash (still need to post that latest shawl) I had a ball of sock yarn hanging around that I decided to knit up. It wasn’t quite right for a lacy scarf, which was my first idea, so I figured I’d give socks one more go.

Unfortunately I decided to knit these socks while on vacation, and the only set of DPNs with me were the ones I was using for the No-Longer-Springy Mitts. So I very quickly finished up the first mitten and slipped it onto an extra circular I had laying around, promptly cast on the first sock, and then I remembered why I don’t knit socks anymore.

I think they’re boring.

Now, this is mostly because of my own sock wearing preferences, and because I didn’t want to knit socks I wouldn’t wear. Personally I wear two types of socks, either black or white ankle socks, or crazy knee highs, not much in between. Needless to say, these socks I cast on during vacation were not knee highs, they were basically-black ankle socks with a two inch ribbed cuff (which I think is almost too tall).

Anyway, I powered through most of these socks while on vacation because they made great knitting while reading knitting, but then vacation was over and I didn’t touch them again. Until the other night.

Remember when I used the needles from the mittens to knit the socks? It turns out that I don’t have another set of DPNs in that same size, and the other night I really wanted to knit on the mittens. Mostly, because it’s really easy to see progress on them after an hour or two of work, and everything else I’m working on is lace, and a shawl, and not easy to see an hour or two of progress on.

So I reluctantly pulled the sock out of it’s bag, stuck it on my foot, realized it was slightly too wide for me, decided they would be a Christmas present, and that it was time to start the toe. In less than an hour I was done with the toe, had slipped the sock onto the circular also holding the first mitten, and was happily working away on the cuff of the second mitten.

Until about an inch into the colorwork of the mitten, when I realized I had written down nothing about how I knit the first sock, and if I want the two to match enough to give as a gift, I should really knit that second sock before I forget all the numbers. And with that realization, I’ve been knitting like a maniac on that second mitten, hampered only by the fact that the two shawls on the needles both have deadlines.

So now I have one mostly done sock, one mostly done mitten, one half done mitten, and a sense of urgency, which seems to be kicking second sock (mitten) syndrome in the butt.

(yes the big black blob, is really a sock)