Yarnification

I finished up the gift basket for my mom, just in time since the box for my family had to be mailed out this morning so we’d be sure of it getting there in time. Here’s how it turned out. (I lined the basket with fabric, and that didn’t photograph well. The colors clash a bit in the photo but fortunately in person they went together just fine.)

And I finished Don’s hat. I ended up not using anybody’s pattern; none of them were working out for me, so I just made it up as I went along based on what I’ve learned from making other hats. I took notes along the way so I’d be able to reproduce it, but I can’t decide if it’s original enough to post the pattern as my own or not. Anyone have any advice on that?

Anyway, here it is:

I think the shawl may well have to wait until Sara’s birthday; there doesn’t seem to be enough time left to finish it. I’d planned on giving it a try, but now we’re having a freakish cold snap. It was 5° (Fahrenheit!) this morning when we left the house, which is definitely not normal for December in this area, and I need a scarf (I know I own a scarf, but damned if I can find the thing), so I’m thinking I’d better finish the one I’ve got half-finished. It should only take another day or two. Course, what’ll probably happen is the temperature will come back up by the time I’ve finished it and I’ll still not have finished the shawl…