Porecca's sister-in-law socks

i've finished the first of the two socks and i really love this pair. i'm going to have to make a similar pair for myself. the color work keeps it interesting and really looks lovely and complicated on a sock. the stripped bottoms are a nice break from the monotony of the pattern. by the time i reached the foot i was pretty sick of it. i used an after thought heel here for the first time ever and i can see why people like it. if it wears out it will be easy to replace. my only change is that i might not work the decrease 1 stitch from the edge like i do on the toes as it creates a very defined line on the edge of the heel. i really liked the red toes and heels on this sock. it reminds me of the hard wearing socks that are used to make sock monkeys. there's just something about brown and tan with a splash of red. on the next pair, i'm going to work one of the leaf clusters in red for a little surprise. i know that the future owner of this new pair is going to love them.
my friend Porecca, who ordered this pair for her SIL, had to wear her pair to bed last night because her heater went out on them. she said her feet were toasty warm and she was glad to have them last night. i was really glad to hear that. it's really nice to have my work noticed and appreciated after so much hard work, and so many unsuccessful projects. it seems funny to me how my skills suddenly leaped into the more advanced levels and now i can just knit socks, gloves, and mittens with out a pattern now. i can finally make things just the way i see them in my head. now all i have to do is reach that same skill level for my sweaters and i'll finally have sweaters that both fit well and are lovely, and just what i can't find in the stores. i have purposely avoided putting knitting needles into the hands of my youngest son until i felt that i was a "master knitter" so that he will be gifted with the skill of a master, according to legend. i don't want to hand them to him while i'm still just barely average and curse his ability, lol. it's too late for Dante. i didn't know about the legend before i handed him a pair of needles.
so anyway, here's what you came for: