My brother is the epitome of cool

Can you really argue? Look at this kid, he's 15 years old and clad in spikes. I tricked him into laughing for this picture. Right now he and my dad are out playing a gig with Dad's band. Dad sings and plays whatever instrument nobody else is playing at the moment (guitar or occasionally keyboard) and TJ lurks in the background with the bass guitar. They play Jimmy Buffet style music, the kind of music most people wear Hawaiian shirts for, and there in the background is the kid in all black, wearing enormous black pants with countless chains and rings and I think some skulls and crossbones (all of which I thoughtlessly omitted from this picture), a Tshirt that says he punches people in the stomach, and these "bracers" (armbands) with 2" spikes. I think they wanted him to pass the hat.

Unfortunately for TJ, being cool is sometimes an uncomfortable process (I feel the same way about heels). To wear those bracers he needs four wristbands, one at each of his wrists and elbows. For some reason he was one short today, so he came in an hour and a half before his gig and said "Liz, could you make me a wristband?"

My stash was in a convenient box, but I couldn't remember anything in a remotely cool color until I came across a partial skein of some steel gray Lamb's Pride Worsted. Excellent! As time was of the essence, I held two strands together and knit them on size 13 needles. I wanted ribbing but didn't have time to figure out how long to make it if I knit top to bottom, so I cast on 10 stitches and knit until I had the right length to wrap around his arm. Behold, the Emergency Armband.
Note that the wristband has metal studs, in case he was worried about not setting off a metal detector. I did a sideways rib for extra stretch--dunno what it's called, but from the RS it looks like 2 purl rows and 2 knit rows. From CO to weaving in the last end I think it took me about 20 minutes.
Progress on the Koigu socks! Click to check out the sweet diamond pattern I made up all by myself. And they have a separate big toe, perfect for flip-flops! I've promised a few folks on the KR and Knitty boards that I'll post the pattern when I'm done with these guys.

Plane leaves in 8 days.