J. M. A. socks test knit (1 of quite a few)

I am a member of Ravelry, and didn't quite realize it, but I volunteered to test knit a pattern written up by a fellow member of Ravelry.  After getting over the Socrates moment  (see "Real Genius"), and looking over the directions and reviewing my stash of tools and fiber I realized that I normally don't work as fine as the patterned called for, and I certainly don't think I have the colors called for, never mind working in light-fingering weight wool at almost 10 stitches per inch.

Figure 1, the swatch has begun

One trip to the local fabric big box store (actually, the second one, didn't like the selection or the prices at the first) netted me needles and a bag of mill ends in the appropriate weight, even if what I found was purple and gray variegated and the pattern calls for brown, red, and olive, and the original pattern looks like it either ran out of red and switched orange or changed dye batches halfway through the second sock.

Cast on 66 stitches and am starting to swatch,  More to come.  The picture makes the wool look much bluer than it is.  I suspect the red was washed out by the red background.  And the cat hair.  I am making decent project on the swatch, but purling at that scale makes my hands ache a bit.

ravelry pattern is here but might not be public facing.