Sock Update, and Project Spectrum Plans

You know, I didn't knit a stitch between Thursday night and today at lunch. Just not feeling the love from any of the knits at the moment I guess. Thursday I made some progress on my Sockapalooza socks, but these babies are going so slowly. The cabling on tiny DPNs is tedious. Not really difficult, just exceedingly awkward, and I have really tiny hands. I can't imagine what it would be like trying to wrangle all of the needles with large hands. Here's a progress shot: I apologize that you can't really see the pattern very well - red is very difficult to photograph. I really need to make some progress on these. As you can see, I've started using a stitch holder as a cable needle. I initially tried an extra DPN, but it was too long and got in the way, and then I tried my smallest cable needle, but it was also awkward, so I went with this plan. One of the women at Weaving Works suggested I try a toothpick, which is not a bad idea. We'll see. I like the way the leafy bit at the top of the sock (bottom of photo) looks, but I'm not sure that the cables are standing out enough. I think I really need to finish the first repeat before doing anything rash, like ripping it out and making my pal some plain stockinette socks!

June finds us at the beginning of a new set of Project Spectrum colors! For June and July the colors are red, black, and metallics. Lucky for me I'm already knitting in those colors! I'm working on the red socks, as well as my red $1.50 cardigan (which I have been working on, just not showing). I think I'll be lucky to finish either or both of those during these two months, since Eunny's Anemoi Mittens are pulling at me (I might swatch tonight, if I get my lab meeting preparations done at a reasonable hour). I have a black hat in the queue as well. We shall see how much is accomplished. Summer is always busy so I suspect the knitting might suffer.

Last night I dyed some yarn - one beautiful turquoise skein and one not-so-lovely burgundy and dark blue-grey skein. The latter I feel might improve greatly upon reskeining, and will be probably be quite nice once knit, but isn't looking overly attractive hanging in my shower. Photos when it's dry, even of the ugly one!

Today I got to play with the following dangerous and exciting goodies:

1. Phenol - Corrosive, extremely poisonous and easily absorbed through the skin

2. Chloroform - Anesthetic, poisonous

3. Acrylamide - Carcinogen, neurotoxin

All so that later in the week I can use these:

1. Formamide - Not good for the reproductive system

2. Formaldehyde - Corrosive, mutagenic, extremely toxic

3. P32 - Radioactive

The science, it's good times I tell ya'!