April you say?

The extended winter we're having in the UK is becoming unbearable for us Brits. We love to talk/ moan about the weather so much but this endless cold, grey and gloomy weather has bought us to the end of our ability to convivially play up this bleak 'Spring'. The winter clothes which we began to pack away have all come out again and are in constant use as battle with snowy showers on the way to work and biting winds on our lunch breaks. Weekends that should be full of outdoor Spring activities are more often than not confined to more living room living. Can you tell that it's been getting me down? 

So, as I was rummaging through my hat, glove and scarf box I noticed that I only had two knitted hats, both knit in Rowan Big Wool and both a bit useless at keeping my head warm. To battle this ridiculous weather I was going to need a better hat. 

I decided that it had to be made from stash yarn, which instantly reduced the number of patterns I could choose from and had to be wool, since I'd just learnt all about the benefits of the fibre at Wool House. I dug out some green mystery yarn which had been purchased at Ally Pally 07 from the stall I like to call the 'mystery cardboard box man'. The guy almost always has a stall at the Alexandra Palace Knitting and Stitching show, which is unmarked, piled up with cardboard boxes filled with unlabelled balls and skeins of yarn. You have a rummage and can often come out with something quite lovely, not that you know anything about the yarn other than the colour and how it feels. This yarn was green, which I know suits me and felt warm, which means at least some wool. I snapped it up and used some of it in my Hap Blanket and now it was time to use some more.

I picked a simple slouchy hat pattern from Ysolda's Whimsical Little Knits 2 called Ripley. Yes I am obsessed with this designer. The pattern was great. You knit the brim first and then pick up and knit the hat part with these pleats created in the back for added slouch. I was a fun, fast knit which took just four days to finish. 

To stick two fingers up to Winter a friend decided we should go to the beach with the kids. It snowed a little as we drove towards Southend but the sun did come out once or twice in an apologetic way. Like true Brits we wrapped the kids up, got the buckets and spades out and made sandcastles on the beach, threw stones into the sea, drew in the sand and had tea and cake huddled together behind a wind breaker. A few passers by shouted 'Good for you' which reinforced our insanity, we had fish and chips for lunch and went home. My head was lovely and warm under my new hat.