Rip, tink, throw up hands and knit a damn hat

Refering back to the post with the three projects I was working on, this is the one that I finished. All three had issues. The shawl? Don't ask. All I can say is now I have too much Elesbeth Lavold Silky Wool for a scarf, but not enough for a sweater. The washcloth? Ripped back and put back on needle with the working yarn at the wrong end. This hat, well, I just kept going round and round, because I didn't know how to do the decreases for 2x2 rib. The Knitlist helped, I finished, and Aaron loved the hat. Now there's another problem and that is the 140 stitches around. I think I had Paul Bunyan in mind when I did that math. Anyway, we've discussed strategies for controlled shrinkage and I'm hoping things work out. I mean, he wears it in the house. I knew he needed to cover that bald head of his, he just needed someone to give him something nice to use for the purpose.

Duh... can't think of anything to call this. It's about socks.

The orange socks, finished just hours before they left for Arctic Nebraska. I think she wore them everyday. They've rounded out and look much better now. Resisting the urge to rip them out and put in heels...
That's right, no heels. I was thinking tube socks, you know, so they'd fit longer. Trouble is, they don't really fit, ever, without heels. Another lesson learned.
Since then I've made my first grown up sock and have started the second. Ripped out and reknit the heel twice. Each time because the foot was too short (toe-up, btw), then with the last one I overcompensated and made the foot too long! I finished anyway, thinking I'd gift them to someone with larger feet (like my sister) but then couldn't take it. I wanted these socks for myself! So, I picked out the toe, ripped back to where I wanted to start the decreases and did a custom, right footed toe. That's right, now I have to make the left sock (!!!) with mirrored toe decreases. I've cast on to a provisional crochet chain, since I couldn't cast on toe-up this time and match the graft on the first sock. Christ! Is this a lot of work for a sock? Why, yes, yes it is. Did I try to go on without being such a perfectionist? I always try, but I never get away with it. I can say, though, that this sock fits better (did I mention the increases and switch to one size larger needle right before the heel?) than any I've ever worn. Can't wait for the mate!