Random with a big FO

So many things to say and so little time! Archie, my laptop, goes back to Applecare tomorrow. He still overheats and shuts himself off. This will be his third trip this year. I am to “run him like a rented mule” after he returns to make sure he is really fixed this time. I don’t like it when Archie gets a fever of 240 degrees and shuts down. So, I may be more incommunicado than usual this week.

The most bestest news (hey, if Shakespeare can use double superlatives, then so can I!)! I won a super fabulous prize from Claudia’s MS bike ride extravaganza!! I can’t show it to you yet, but I am one of two lucky winners to get a subscription to the Vesper Sock Yarn Club for this summer! In July, August and September, I’ll get Vesper sock yarn arriving at my door. I wonder what it will look like?! I am hoping for stripey.

It has become very hot here. M and I have been trying summer cocktails, and he actually did a blog post at Cocktails with M! It’s the Tom Collins, which is very delicious when NOT made with bottled sour mix. Real lemons from our friend Briana’s lemon tree were involved. I like this summer cocktail thing.

This weekend I finally finished my La Gran mohair cardigan! Yay! It was again well over 100 degrees today, so if you think you are going to see it modeled on my person in this post–ah, no. I tried it on twice: once for fit and to show M. I think I had it on for a grand total of 20 seconds including the time to button and unbutton it twice. I am very pleased with it, and in the autumn, I may get M to take some photos of me wearing it outside in the cool autumn sunshine so you can appreciate the lovely coral color it is. For today, you’ll just have to pretend. Here it is enjoying a mojito in the cool AC of our living room.

Mohair is not known for showing off stitch definition, but the simple cable rib with seed stitch neck and button bands works in this uber fuzzy yarn.

I thought this cardi would be huge, as my choices in size had negative 0.5 inches of ease or +5.5 inches. I chose the +5.5 inches, as Vogue Knitting (Fall 2002) described it as “loose fitting” cardigan, and my bust is really a size smaller than my shoulders, arms and waist (we’ll just leave out the whole hip thing). However, although I blocked it to size–pinned it dry as pieces and then sprayed it until I thought it was pretty soaked, it pulled in after I took the pins out. This has made it a semi-fitted, +2 inches of ease jacekt/cardigan, and that is actually better. It looked a little tailored for the 10 seconds I had it on when I looked in the mirror. Perhaps when we get our Delta Breeze back, I can do a more thorough examination without risking heat exhaustion.

Well, I hope to be back with all of you soon. I have email and all my scientific research is on a lab computer, but it just isn’t the same without Archie and all my bookmarks, and he knows my passwords for GoogleReader and the like. Sigh. When I get back I can show you another FO. Here’s a peek:

When you knit socks from the cuff down, that photo means you’re done.
Have a great week, everyone!