A tale of two hats

SP10 hat

Look at the pretty hat my Knittyboard SP10 secret pal knit for me! Just in time, too -- it's windy and COLD here! (Well, OK, not remotely as cold as out on the prairies... I've been talking to people in Saskatchewan and Manitoba this week who told me the temperatures were in the minus forties... at that point it doesn't even matter if it's Celsius or Fahrenheit, since -40 degrees is the same in both!) She was kind enough to include the ballband; she used Valley Yarns Berkshire, an aran weight wool alpaca blend, in black with burgundy stripes that coordinate well with my feather & fan scarf. You can barely see it but there's a very cute tassel attached to the top that dangles in back. Sorry the picture's a bit blurry (self-posed with the camera in hand instead of sitting it on a surface and using the self-timer); it's too cold for re-takes! Amazingly, my expression isn't too goofy, and I don't look nearly as weird as I usually think I look when I wear a hat. I should have taken a picture of the top -- the decreases make a pretty spiral. She also sent me the sweetest mini-mitten ornament that she knit for me to put on my Christmas tree next year, as well as some yarn needles for seaming (did I ask for those? Or is she a mind reader? I was just thinking I could use a couple more!), a very cute card, and a KnitPicks Options tightener tool with a note indicating that it's a "hint of things to come"! I can hardly wait, 'cause I do love me some KP Options needles! Thank you, 42MainSpoiler!