Buccaneer Hat...

Argh! I only bought one woolly project with me for ten whole days of rest and relaxation! Actually there hasn't been a lot of R&R since we've done the tourist thing and been here, there and everywhere. E and I are spending half term in Sussex. I'm mainly just her tour guide for good locations for photographs. Hence Bexhill seafront at dusk (see above). We've also been to Hastings Old Town and Rye. At some stage I will have more photographs to show for that. There's some downloading to be done first!

It's a bit of a weird feeling for me. I got into photography in a big way when I was a bit younger than E is now. I favourited b/w photography because I had a small developing suite in half of my wardrobe would you believe? The only thing that stopped me pursuing photography career options was the simple fact that I couldn't avoid drawing attention to myself when I took photographs. A week at a local newspaper shadowing the press photographer was exciting but taught me that I would rather shrivel up and die than boss people about into poses for whatever shot I needed. Mind you, I was only sixteen and went on to present advertising campaigns to board rooms of important people so it just goes to show how things can change.

It's been biting cold here on the South Coast. I think that speeded the knitting up considerably and yesterday I was able to wear my new Buccaneer hat for the first time. Such an appropriate knit for where we are. I'm pretty sure these coastal towns have seen their fair share of smugglers and pirates. The pattern booklet is called '10 More, Simple Cosy Projects' and it's by Sarah Hatton. The models inside look as miserable as sin and some of the photographs are much too dark to show the detail but nonetheless this hat has been fairly successful. Having said that, if I were to knit another (and I have a second ball of Rowan Cocoon which seems to be in sale bins in various John Lewis stores at the moment) then I would go down half a needle size, maybe even a whole needle size. It came up a fraction big so I've sewed up the ribbed band with an invisible overlap to make it fit nicely. The yarn is probably worth the full price (a hefty £9 a ball!) but it felt much better at half price. It's got a nice fuzziness and unevenness to it which didn't make it tricky to work with and it's as warm as toast.

Now we are off on another seafront walk with a slight detour via a wool shop!