tiny happy

I finished a new hat in a shade of Wellington-harbour-blue: it's the 'Jul Hat' by Jenny Gordy (of Wiksten) – you can find the pattern here. I love the simple stitch pattern and the fit is just right – if not a little slouchy, but that's fine. I even got Arlo to snap a photo of it with my phone camera so you can see it in action.

It was a lovely thing to knit, because I used a special skein of yarn I'd been saving for such a project: some Dark Harbour Yarn, hand-dyed by my friend Nikki (you can find her etsy shop here, and she says more DHY will appear in this local store throughout May in case you're looking for it.) The skein colourway is 'tentacle' – isn't that a great description?

Over the weekend I was gifted a new book of poems by my brother and sister-in-law: Otherwise, by John Dennison. I'm enjoying reading each slowly, smelling and hearing the ideas described – from wild fennel plant (flowchart rampant!) to the whistling of a blackbird (a gorse-gold beak) or a walled garden at dusk.