FO and upcoming travel

I finished a Christmas present scarf. I'm going to give it to the lucky giftee tomorrow, since I'm really bad at waiting for designated holidays (and I don't want Chloe to think that she gets to keep it just because she models).

This is the leftover Crystal Palace Kid Merino (from my Wool Peddler's Shawl) and a pattern of my own invention. The body is herringbone faggot, and the ruffle is the knitted fluted edge from Knitting on the Edge.

In travel news, Trent and I will be heading to Chicago on Thursday morning. I won an award at work, and the prize is a fabulous business trip to Chicago in December. Lucky, lucky me. (Honestly, it's not really that bad of a reward. They're putting us up in a nice hotel, and we have a lot of free time. But still. Why couldn't it be in, oh, San Diego or somewhere sunny?)

I'm trying to decide what to take with me. The sweaters in progress are all unwieldy at this point. Hats don't take long enough. Maybe I'll start a new shawl...