Ugh. I hate making mistakes. Especially stupid ones that I could have avoided with about five minutes of preparation/checking.

Like spending quite a while online finding the perfect tutorial for the tubular bind off for my Garter Rib Socks. I printed, I prepped, I was totally ready as soon as the Munchkin took a nap.

Doh! that would be 2x2 rib on that sock....not the 1x1 thats necessary for the tubular bind off. grr...I did my usual stretch bind off (with a larger needle:k1, *slip stitch back to left needle, k2tog* repeat) instead:

Notice the crappy join there on the bind off? Whats up with that?

Then I immediately cast on for the second sock to avoid the dreaded second sock syndrome.

Looking good, right? WRONG! thar be 72 stitches in the new sock and a mere 64 in the original.

RRRRRIIIIIIPPPPP......

Oh well. at least I hadn't gotten too far before I realized the yarn wasn't striping quite the same. I ripped back to where the toe ended and I'll restart the garter rib foot tomorrow.

So heres a question I often ponder:

Do you "improve" your second sock? Say you realize you could have centered the pattern better on the top of the foot or your short row heel didn't need to be so pointy? I'm not talking disasterous mistakes....just improvements.

The garter rib socks have both of these problems...they aren't enough for me to rip them out but they could be better. Of course, any improvement I make will make the socks not quite match. I'm sure no one else would ever notice but.....you know....they wouldn't exactly match....

So, do I improve the second sock or leave them to wallow in their imperfectness together? misery does love company, after all...