Math and Shells

The last stitch I introduced, the spaced shell stitch, was a variation on the simple shell stitch.  Well, I decided to make another variation of the shell stitch, replacing some of the '5 dc' with chains.  While I was working on it, I began to wonder how other possibilities would look.  After more consideration, I realized that each of the 5 dc could be either a dc, denoted by a 1, or a ch, denoted by a 0.  Since there are 2 possibilities for each of 5 different spots, there are 2^5 possibilities, so 32 different combinations to try.  Everything from a ch 5 (00000) to the simple shell stitch (11111), and everything in between.  I suspect that some of them will look pretty much identical.  For example (10000) and (00001) probably look the same.  I intend to try the combinations and see what results. 

Potassium Ion Channel

So....one manifestation of my nerdiness is that I was in a biochemistry class focusing on proteins this past semester.  For extra credit we could make a 3D model of a membrane protein.  Here's what I made:


And here's how to make it:

Protein Monomers (Make 4)

Ch 203

Slip stitch in 2^nd chain from hook and in next 4   (5 slip stitch)

Ch 3, 2 dc in same ch (3 dc in each ch) x7                    (8 with 3 dc in each)

Slip stitch in 8 ch                                                           (8 slip stitch)

Ch 3, 2 dc in same ch (3 dc in each ch) x23                  (24 with 3 dc in each)

Slip stitch in 4 ch                                                           (4 slip stitch)

Ch 3, 2 dc in same ch (3 dc in each ch) x35                  (36 with 3 dc in each)

Slip stitch in 16 ch                                                         (16 slip stitch)

Ch 3, 2 dc in same ch (3 dc in each ch) x23                  (24 with 3 dc in each)

Slip stitch in 20 ch                                                         (20 slip stitch)

Ch 3, 2 dc in same ch (3 dc in each ch) x52                  (51 with 3 dc in each)

Slip stitch in remaining 5 ch                                           (5 slip stitch)

Assembly of the protein can be accomplished in many different ways.
I used five flower arranging cylinders (3 7/8 inches tall each) stacked together, held together by skewers and attached to a piece of round styrofoam to form the base.
To have the helices retain their integrity and not be stretched out by the weight of the yarn, I threaded straws, cut to the appropriate length through the helices. Then I ran a bit of yarn through them and tied the yarn very very tightly to the end of the helices. This makes the helices stay on the straw and not stretch.
I then stuck a skewer through the straw of the last (longest) helix. Halfway through, I pushed the skewer through the side of the straw and pushed it into the support column.
I then ran skewers through the column at the top and about a third of the way up, and then draped the strands on this scaffolding as shown in the actual protein structure at the website shown below.
http://www.pdb.org/pdb/101/motm_disscussed_entry.do?id=1f6g
Protein is 1F6G in the protein data bank.