When casting my net for hat patterns to make this month, I couldn’t go past a repeat knit. I first made a Queenie hat for Alice in May. I’m told she’s worn it a lot over winter and that her grandmother (not my mum) is a particular fan of it. So I made her another one.

I gave it to her on Tuesday afternoon when we went to visit her at her daycare centre. What a lovely experience that was. She was so surprised to see us there and showed us what she calls her ‘playground’.  Then she modelled her hat.

The nicest thing about this hat, apart from how lovely it looks on her (even with the play-messed hair!) is that the yarn pre-dates her very existence! I bought this pink Bendigo Rustic in about 2004 – a long time ago now. I don’t know what happened to the rest of it or what it was even for – but the last lingering ball became Alice’s hat.

I thought I had enough for the whole hat but realised near the end I didn’t. So I grabbed the ball of Bendigo Mystique I used for my mum’s Lavender hat and made a white centre. I like the effect. It’s like a billiard ball! She was so obliging, posing to show me the top. Her mum praised her cooperative mood.

This is really the loveliest little pattern. The effect is gorgeous – that star in middle that Alice loves so much – the way it rests lightly on her head in such a fetching way. Warm and attractive – it’s a winner.

She loves it and so do I.

Bells