When Elena saw I’d finished a hat for Hugo, she wanted in on the action. Luckily, I started this Hudson hat way back in November. I had all the knitting done, all that was left was to make the tassel and weave in my ends. It was languishing in my knitting bag – and Elena’s pleas for her own new hat were just the motivation I needed.

It’s a bit on the big side, but that fits in with my current bent – I want these things to get as much use as possible! I haven’t blocked it, and I don’t think I will. Some people add a row of single crochet or similar around the brim and earflaps to stop the rolling, but I kind of like it as it is.

This hat, too, is knitted from Bendigo Woollen Mills Luxury 10 ply – although I hand dyed it using Ashford acid dyes. The pattern is an easy enough knit, but next time I think I’ll leave removable stitch markers in at each decrease row in order to make sure I end up with a long enough hat. I used this tutorial (recommended in the pattern) to make the tassel.

I was playing yarn chicken with this one, so it’s not quite as long as it could have been. Just as well Elena’s not as picky as her mother, huh?

I didn’t think I’d get any photos of this one in use for a while but Elena’s home sick today and was quite happy to model it for me. She’s a sweet one. It won’t be properly cold for a month or two, but at least we’ll be ready when our first frost rolls around.

In other news, I think I’ve finally sorted out our chicken situation. Again. Who knew finding ourselves some suitable girls would turn into such a saga? I had had my heart set on getting some Australorp or Australorp crosses but there just aren’t any around at or around point of lay – and I looked as far as Sydney! So, I’ve had to abandon that idea.

I’ve arranged to pick up 3 Rhode Island Red x New Hampshire girls on Saturday. They should have a lot of the characteristics I was attracted to in Australorps – good layers for a long period of time (ie: don’t lay themselves to death over two or three years), quiet temperament and tolerant of climate extremes. Fingers crossed this lot works out!