Making: Bits and Bobs, Odds and Ends

I said I would post my Opal Hundertwasser Socks when I finished - well, here's one of them.  The other is languishing, half-knit, in my knitting bag.  It's a jolly looking sock, no?  And, yes, that is a toy mouse in the picture.  I can't always get Mr. Tubs to puts his toys away.

You'd think I'd have gotten more knitting done in the last month, what with all the planes and trains I've been on.  But I just can't do certain things when traveling, i.e. I can't knit lace or follow a more complicated pattern unless I'm at home.  And now that I'm home, and now that I'm supposed to be working 1) on a book review already a bit late and 2) gearing up for my dissertation proposal, I find myself caught up in all sorts of lace nonsense.

This chalice pattern isn't anything extremely lacy, but it requires some concentration and a lace-chart.  I'm enjoying knitting it as a superb form of procrastination.  It'll be a baby blanket, to be gifted next month, so I have a bit of time.

What I haven't enjoyed is wrangling this yarn: Misti Alpaca Lace.  It actually isn't the fault of the yarn at all, which is lovely and soft.  I just have woefully big, clumsy needles not at all suitable for laceweight yarn.  I have already attempted two projects with this yarn and, trust me, you do not want to ssk or even k2tog with dull needles.  I thought my head was going to explode.  I will just have to put off knitting with laceweight until I get myself some proper needles.

Which means I can't fool around with this skein of Malabrigo Lace, either.  Harumph.  Well, it's probably just a sign that I should get back to work.