Some of the strangest and most beautiful landscapes in England can be found on her east coast, and one of the most remarkable is the shingle spit known as Orford Ness. Now a National Trust property, it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to its unusual coastal fauna, and is also spattered with buildings (and, they tell us, unexploded ordnance) from its past use by the Ministry of Defence. One of these is the Black Beacon, a radio navigation tower, which also happens to be the place where my husband proposed to me. So when I found this dark-as-night DK yarn, from the Trust’s own flock of Hebridean sheep which graze the Ness, I had to make him a hat which mimics its hexagonal shape and clapboard construction. The overall shape hats hints of a traditional fisherman’s cap, reflecting the coastal inspiration.

Uses about 50g DK weight yarn. The hat and scarf set together should knit from 2 100g skeins of the recommended yarn.

Now fully test knitted and available on its own or as an e-book with scarf & two different mitts. Please note - some of the projects on this page were made on the old, free version. The problems with sizing have now been resolved.