And finally, some knitting

How perfect is this? I Can Haz Cheezburger is having a caption contest! C’mon, u noes u wantz to. Contest ends June 6, 11:59 pm – and it’s a black cat you’ll be captioning. You know you can do it!

Aw, Mayhem really appreciated all the sweet birthday wishes yesterday! For those who are wondering where the heck the year went, I didn’t get her until September last year. Whew! No lost summer of 2006 for y’all.

A few details I neglected to include in my dyeing post earlier this week… I used an assortment of base yarns – some left over from last year and some I was just curious about. I had a lot of Kona fingering superwash, some Schoeller Zimba Top (picked up on Destash from Jennifer), some Kraemer Jeannie, and a random skein of Malabrigo donated by Yarnzilla. So far, my favorite superwash fingering sock yarns to dye are Louet Gems Pearl, Wool2Dye4, and Treadsoft.

We use Country Classics acid dyes, which have citric acid mixed in with the dye – much less stinky than using acetic acid (the acid in vinegar). Our technique is pretty fancy – we mix the dye in plastic cups and pour it onto the yarn, trying to use the minimum amount of water that we can. Then wrap the yarn in plastic wrap and nuke the yarn to set the dye. Make sure you use dedicated utensils and containers for mixing the dye and nuking the yarn! You can use use your regular microwave, but make sure the yarn is well-sealed in plastic wrap and air out the microwave afterward. Wearing gloves is a really good idea, too, unless you want to be mocked at work for your technicolor hands. Right, Jeanne?

Knitting *gasp* Update
I’m part of Sockamania, and we’re supposed to be knitting a pair of socks each month. I loved May’s pattern, but I got distracted by other things and didn’t get very far. I got a lot less far than it looks in this picture, actually, since I’ve decided the heel is way too tight and I need to rip back and start the gusset earlier.

The yarn is Regia Bamboo, color 1072 – I picked it because it had the April-May Project Spectrum colors of pink and green. This sock is probably on hold until after I knit the June Sockamania sock.

I started another, simpler sock, which fortunately covers one of the April-May PS colors and one the June-July colors.

“Hmph. So what if it wasn’t my birthday? What am I, invisible?!” -Chaos

Nope, I didn’t dye that yarn – I picked it up before we really got into dyeing. It’s from ebay seller lotusblossom, but it doesn’t look like she has anything now with Treadsoft superwash as the base.

“Teeheehee, big kitty! I am the cutest!” -Mayhem

33 thoughts on “And finally, some knitting”

  1. I’m commenting before I even read, because I want to be the first commenter of the day, so good job on whatever you knit. YAy!

  2. Pair of socks a month? You’re crazier than me! Boy! Those rules are tough.

    Ooo, little white bits on her tummy. Let’s see Chaos’s tummy!

  3. I did some dyeing yesterday and my method is about as scientific as yours. Heh.
    I don’t put it in the microwave, though, I wrap it in plastic wrap and steam it in a big pot. All dedicated for dyeing purposes, natch.
    Have a great weekend!

  4. Aww, Chaos, we still love you. I lurv your pink socks Chris, very chic. That pattern for your Regia Bamboo pair is really cool. Can’t wait to see them finished.

  5. Aw, Chaos you’re a cutie patootie too!

    That’s a funky design on those May socks! *sigh* your heels look so nice… You have the coolest colour combo’s. Then again, if I were a little quicker with my socks, I’d probably discover I have some pretty nifty sock yarn in my stash!

  6. Both of your socks are looking pretty fabulous! I’m going to look into those country classic dyes. Your ‘technique’ sounds like fun. Our microwave is outside, in what long ago was a carport but is now fully enclosed. A couple years ago (after maybe 2 glasses of wine) I nuked popcorn (which I don’t usually do) and silly me followed the directions, set it for 5 minutes and WALKED AWAY. Until I saw and smelled all the smoke! Glad it was outside for sure! Mostly the smell is gone. Poor Chaos, just his tail showing. You’ll have to do a mini spot for him so he doesn’t develop a complex.

  7. Your bamboo socks are looking really nice – did you make the large size? I liked the pattern and am really curious to see what the June pattern has in stall for us all.

  8. May – I never knew that another little black kitty could stretch and lay just like I do when I want my mom to pet me!?!?! That’s soo cool!

  9. A pair of socks a month? I saw that and I knew it would be impossible for me. Both of your socks are looking good.

    May is doing her sexy kitty pose.

  10. The Regia Bamboo sock pattern is really cool. I hope the rip back goes quickly. I also really like the pink sock!

    Poor Chaos! We all love you, even though you probably don’t care all that much for us! Mayhem is a cutie–although the vanity seems to be running a little high!

  11. May, you are the cutest! But Chaos is close up there, too. Or he would be if he would smile for the camera instead of sulking.

    The pair of socks a month sounds a bit ambitious for me (since I have so much else on my plate at once) but I agree that the May sock pattern is really cool! I’ll have to check out the sock site just to see more about it.

  12. I LOVE the “foot and kitty” shot.

    Can you believe Mayhem’s almost as big as Chaos?

    They’re BOTH lovely

  13. May’s definitely the limberest! Your socks look good! That looks like a complicated pattern for May.

    I Can Haz Cheezburger needs spell check. Thankfully the cuteness overcomes the Spelling Dictator.

  14. Beautiful socks and yarn! That sampler sock has a really interesting stitch pattern to it. What a funny picture at I Can Haz Cheezburger, too. I can just see the death rays starting to form from that cat’s paws.

  15. How do you like knitting with the bamboo?? I have some in my stash and I LOVE the way it looks, just havent knit with it yet…..

  16. Oh no! I missed sending Mayhem some birthday wishes. Well, Happy B-Day a bit late, Mayhem. 🙂

    Beautiful socks, btw.

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