I’ve seen lots of versions of this pattern and was always attracted to it, and then my friend Hélène made a swoonworthy one and I knew I needed a pink and grey one just like hers. Here is the line drawing so you can see that really lovely front.

I need to say at this point that Made it Patterns is no more, which is really sad, but their patterns can still be bought from the Foldline. I can recommend it, it’s a winner.

For my first version I wanted a lightweight one for autumn so I had a hunt in the stash and found some brown silk/linen knit that I bought at Knitwit Fabrics a few years ago and felt it was the perfect weight. I think I may have bought every colour in this fabric at some point, it’s truly beautiful. The brown has lingered in the stash because, well, it’s brown! However, I notice that I now have quite a few things that it will go with.

A couple of photos to show the brown with my linen sofa Stokx Square Pants. I knew this would go perfectly with them and so it proved. I added a KATM Fabulous label at the side.

I need to mention that the top does not have pockets and one will be retrofitted as soon as possible.

I lined the hood with some scraps of knit left over from this top – note, I blogged the tops before the pattern was renamed. It is now the Stokx Hacker top. Unfortunately pattern matching for the hood lining was not an option.

I brought the top on holiday with me and it proved really useful, particularly when we climbed Frenchman’s Peak as we started early and there was still a chill in the air. This is it from the bottom and it doesn’t look that high (nearly 300m and steep) but it is quite a strenuous climb. Kids just ran up there, which was quite galling.

But the climb was worth it – look at that view!

I haven’t done the walk up this peak for more than twenty years, I think it has grown!

The weather was beautiful and I had on my Elbe Textiles Staley tee shirt underneath. I’m in the process of making it reversible by handstitching strips of knit along all the inside seams. Not sure how it will work out. I did the neckline in the car and it’s a bit wobbly. I digress – the tee shirt was fabulous and just the right weight. Mark brewed tea and took square biscuits, both of which were most welcome and much discussed (and I suspect envied) among other climbers. The last time we climbed this peak, he baked scones at the top! See bottom row for our tiny stove, which Archie bought for us from Snow Peak in NYC.

Amazingly he also had fresh bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and home made dukka if we got hungry. We had that for lunch at the beach.

The beaches in Esperance are famous for their white, squeaky, sand and turquoise water. It’s hard to capture, but it’s truly breathtaking. The sand is basically silica, not crushed sea shells, so it’s very fine and much sought after by glass blowers.

I always want to run and jump when I’m at the beach and it was no different this time.

Playing with the waves is also a favourite sport

Oops, I was getting carried away there, back to the Hug Hoodie. It’s comfortable enough to hoop in, and yes, I have a collapsible hoop that can travel with me. I’m wearing very tired Style Arc Barb Pants with it, which I thought would be good for casual activities.

This last lot of photos were taken in the grounds of the place where we are staying – the Esperance Chalet Village. Our chalet is actually a log cabin which is really lovely.

yes, there are horses too

Having a cup of tea sundowner on the verandah of the log cabin. These are our travel cups which we bought in Stockholm years ago. They are very beautiful and Mark made papier mâché containers for them so they are safe for travelling with.

Sadly this make doesn’t fit the SewOverAgeism challenge as the pattern model is young, but I know it will be a favourite. I will make a thicker one for winter at some point.