get your woolly on

Posted on annePosted in book reviews/events

one of my favorite people in our industry is woolly wormhead, who i have the pleasure of seeing a few times each year at TNNA and knit nation. one of the things i like best about woolly is that she focuses her design work on hats—and only hats; she describes herself as a hat architect.

woolly is the author of seven books about hats and today i have the pleasure of introducing her newest publication, classic woolly toppers, which presents ten timeless hat styles, redesigned for the modern knitter.

hats are wonderful, one-skein projects that make terrific traveling companions. and because a hat is the perfect project to start in the middle of a sleepless night or when snowed in at home, they are great stash busters, especially for those fun single-skein impulse purchases. i thought it would be entertaining (and hopefully informative) to pull my favorite styles from the book and show how i’d pair them with yarns from my studio shelves.

this red toque, named taboosh, looks like it should be knit from a yarn with some body to help it keep its upright shape, but enough softness that it doesn’t grip too tightly around the ears—it should feel relaxed when worn. and maybe in a fiber that blooms just enough to give the surface a cohesive density. blends are great for getting a combination of yarn qualities in one package—foxfire upland wool and alpaca or the cormo alpaca classic might be nice choices. each has a good measure of springy wool and enough twist to support the hat shape, with some alpaca to soften the surface and provide stitch cohesion (which helps keep the cold out).

the camden cap definitely wants to stand up off the head in an architectural shape, so i would look for a somewhat stiffer yarn with a tighter twist and possibly a bit of polish to the surface—something that will support the architecture vey well and not sag.


string theory caper aran is a nice choice—the firm twist gives it lots of body and a bit of sheen to make that cap really stand up, while its blend of merino/cashmere/nylon provides a soft edge to counteract the stiffness of the hat brim.

i just love a nice slouchy tam, don’t you? annular is a soft mound of loveliness that sets onto your hair without mushing it—just right for days when you’ll be running in and out, and wanting to take your hat off. for this i want yarn that is very soft, with a relaxed twist to maximize the slouch—and maybe some fuzziness as well. i’m thinking something luxurious—cashmere, mink, silk, alpaca, yak are all fibers that will contribute the right qualities of softness and drape for a slouchy tam.

great northern yarns sport weight yak or mink/cashmere DK would be lovely in this hat, creating a luscious cloud of soft fabric that drapes just right—both are so light that they will keep some shape despite the volume in the hat’s fabric. the bloom of these fibers helps support the fabric while keeping it very light in weight.

karenin is an adorable earflap hat with a button-up brim and a fairly close fit. i’m thinking a wonderfully sturdy worsted weight yarn, such as briar rose charity would be just the ticket. studio june andrea mae DK would be another great option in  a super wash merino.

in one of chris’s signature tonal handpaints, this cap could be a witty replica of grandpa’s old plaid hunting cap—the perfect gift for one of my nieces or nephews.

sumner is one of those hats that can fit itself to any mood or personality—this is a great cap to make ahead and keep for when you need a last-minute gift; it will suit any age or gender and its lightweight fabric can be worn nearly year-round. and who doesn’t have some fingering weight yarn on hand? the original is knit in a luxury merino/silk blend, which will make a drapey fabric with lovely sheen

this skein of periwinkle sheep merino/silk would recreate the same look and be an elegant choice for someone with sophisticated, subtle taste.

on the other hand, for that rugged hipster skater in your life, you might want use a sturdier, washable sock yarn, such as spirit trail sunna

still soft with a nice sheen, but a bit more practical.

bobba hat is a fun, retro look that can be worn by anyone—a funky, fun choice for that über-sure guy you know and one that will fit over a voluminous hairstyle, such as dreadlocks. on the flip side, i see lots of elderly women wearing this style hat as well—a testament to its universal appeal. this hat requires worsted weight yarn and the original is a singles, so i’m looking for something with a light twist and some density that will create good stitch cohesion . . .

green mountain spinner mountain mohair would be a nice choice for a soft solid or the fibre company terra for a more textured, tweedy look.

now here is my very favorite hat from the book—a delicious garter stitch piece that folds into a soft, smurfy shape and can be worn in any direction. i don’t know if i can pull of this look with my short hair, but i’m probably going to try—if it doesn’t work for me, i can give it to someone else.

for this hat, i definitely want a soft yarn that will maximize its luxurious draping. since the fit doesn’t rely on elasticity at all, i can go for lots of softness with just enough body to add some plumpness to the folds. a little sheen wouldn’t hurt either to provide some shadowing.

i’m choosing shalimar haven for this one—a delicious 70/30 merino silk 5-ply that is somewhat round, with a sueded soft surface finish—completely luxurious, yet knits up very evenly with good stitch definition.

this piece would also be incredible in a luxury fiber blend, such as miss babs tierno or spirit trail holda.

oh, there are many more hats and yarns to go with them, but i’ll let you do the exploring for those yourself. in fact, woolly wormhead has generously offered a free digital copy of classic woolly toppers to one lucky reader of today’s post. if you’d like to be considered, please leave a comment below by 9 pm EST on sunday, october 28. the winner will be announced on the blog shortly after.

ooops, i almost forgot; the next stop on the blog tour will be bricoleur knits!

have a good day; i’ll be back with more of my travels in a day or two.

224 thoughts on “get your woolly on”

  1. Wow, these are fantastic patterns – very unique! I would like to try all of them. I’d love to be considered to receive a copy of the pattern book.

  2. I would love to win a copy of this. I really want to make several of the hats for Christmas presents.

  3. Thanks for this giveaway, Anne! I’m loving that you did a post like this, pairing patterns with yarns. As a knitter I think it’s my biggest question when planning my next knit – which yarn that i own/could easily buy will pair the best with any given pattern? You could even turn this type of post into a series – it’s like taking a mini class with you! Thanks so much for this!

  5. Fun collection of hats! Thanks for taking the time to suggest yarns to go with the various styles.

  7. Really enjoyed this post. Pairing specific multiple yarn suggestions with the styles and how they are designed is a knitter’s dream come true. Thanks Anne for the ideas and for the give-away.

  8. Such lovely hats! Heads would certainly is stylishly warm! And patterns good for Hats for Sailors 2013!! Thanks for the chance to win.

  9. I actually sucked in when I saw that last hat, my fave too! I bet all your example yarn was from your stash 😉

  10. Wonderful hats and a wonderful yarn selection/suggestion. Would love to have the book in my collection!

  11. Ooh! I love hats! I end up knitting several a year for the folks in my life. Hope I win!

    Anne, thanks for humoring my fangirl moment at Rhinebeck. It was nice to meet ypu in person.

  12. Wonderful! A few years ago I knitted my way through “Twisted Toppers” — something for every member of my extended family (and a few extra special people). Looks like hats will be back on the Christmas list this year!! And your yarn recommendations will make it even easier!

  14. I have been seeing this e-book everywhere and have not bought a copy yet; I would love to win one! 🙂

  19. Wow. All of those patterns are so nice! I’ve seen some of the projects other places and they all look so great. I’m just starting to think about knitted hats for the winter and some of those look like they would most definitely keep the snow out!

  22. My favorite is the Camden. It would be great to receive this, and it would be just in time for the holiday knitting season!

  30. I LOVE knitting hats! This book looks like it is full of great inspiration – and thanks for the inspiring yarn suggestions as well

  32. Just when you thought you had seen it all. It’s so amazing how she can come up with such new and imaginative twists on old favorites. I send my sister and her family a box of knitted goodies (lots of hats included) for them to pick/choose/fight over every Christmas. This book is a must have for the Christmas undertaking.

  34. I wish I could cast on Karenin and Sumner right now, even though where I live I rarely need a hat (but I do have relatives who live in colder weather and appreciate handknits…). Thank you both for the giveaway!

  35. What a great collection! I agree about that last hat, that I don’t know if I could pull it off.

  37. Great post! I loved seeing how you matched your stash with the patterns. I would be thrilled to win this book!!

  38. I love knitting hats. I love the stash yarn and comparison. I knit most hats for my husband whom is blind since it lets him know I’m always thinking about him. Thanks for the post!

  39. Perfect for me-small projects. Great hats, one for everyone on my gift list, but the last hat would be for me. Thanks for the chanc to win!

  40. I have to admitt Hats are not my thing.
    But I have a friend going through chemo and trying to find something for her that’s not your usual “chemo cap”
    The “stash” could be doing with overhaul.

  44. I love all the examples you showed. I have yet to finish a hat for myself although I have made several for others. I think I would try either the second or the last or both. Why not have several for yourself?

  46. What a delightful post. The hat designs are so creative and I love it when you share your extensive knowledge of fibers and their characteristics–it is so helpful and thought provoking. it probably goes without saying that I’d love to win a copy of the pattern book.

    P.S. I am still looking forward to your coming out with a video on swatching!

  48. So many cute hats. Wooly Wormhead is so creative. I love that she uses many different types of yarns. The look can be so different depending on the yarn used. Hats are a terrific way to try out a new yarn. Thanks for the enlightening post.

  50. Really cute hats! I can’t wear them, but my daughter would look beautiful in any of them. I think that last hat would be a good option for someone undergoing chemo, if it was made in a soft blend. Thanks for the contest!

  52. What fabulous hats. I really like the Camden Cap (I also love to shop in Canden market but that’s a whole other story!) I love that you gave suggestions of yarns to use too.

  53. Would so love to win. I already bought, but could gift one to my best knitting friend!

    My fav is Camden, followed by the simple garter rectangle, folded into a fab hat!

    LindaSueKnits on Ravelry

  54. Great hat architecture that I would love to try out! Thanks for the opportunity to win such a gem.

  56. Hmm, I might need one of those soft blue folded ones too… one more project for the happy knitting pile!

  59. Thanks for the opportunity to win this great book of hat patterns. I love your yarn pairings for the different hats.

  64. Ooooooh! I love the Camden cap! And Annular, too. I didn’t used to like hats, but I knit one last year, and I love it. Now I need more!

  65. I bought one if her patterns a couple of weeks ago and finished my hat in just a few days -Very unusual for me. Great pattern, great hat. Would love to have the book 🙂

  74. I love Wooly Wormhead hats! I might have to try one of these very soon. Now that the weather has turned, a knitter’s fancy turns to hats, especially warm ones. Those single digit temperatures in the mornings really gets one in the mood. Please enter me in the drawing. Thanks.

  76. I was lucky enough to take part in Woolly’s class at the Glasgow School of yarn on Saturday and finished my ‘made to measure’ hat the same evening. I learned lots and would love to win the book as it was sold out at the event!

  77. Oooo I certainly would like to be considered for this…..I absolutely agree about the many virtues of a hat project, hats and cowls are my favourite projects.

  78. Wow, what variety. A great way to use stash and make some lovely, unique Christmas gifts. I’ve never knit a Wooly Wormhead hat but have long admired her patterns. Thanks for offering the chance to win a digital copy. Your yarn choices are fabulous!

  79. Your yarn suggestions are really helpful. That’s where I often get stuck, or make the wrong choice for the design. Thanks!

  82. Love these hats (and all her hats really!) and I love your yarn choices. What a great way to use that one special skein.

  83. Looks like a great book!! Sure could use it today since it is snowing in northern Minnesota.

  91. I love Woolly Wormhead! I would love to knit up so many of these hats! Thanks for the contest.

  93. Woolly Wormhead’s hats are exceptional – great fit and fun to wear. I knit Chemo hats for our Guild’s charity project and am always looking for new patterns. I’d love to win this book!

  94. Gorgeous hats and gorgeous yarns. I’m happy it’s finally getting cooler out so I can wear hats and scarves and other knit lovelies!

  96. I love hats, and I’ve just realized that I really need some solid colored hats in my life. 🙂

  97. I so love Wooly Wormhead hats! Can’t wait to knit some of these especially Taboosh!

  99. I love the hats, and I’ve been a fan of Wooly Wormhead for a long time. I would be so happy to win this collection! Thanks for the contest.

  100. With eight grandchildren and “bobba” for me, I would definitely love to have Classic Wooly Toppers.

  102. Oh, this book looks just fabulous.
    What great hats! And I LOVE the commentary of suggested yarns and types of yarn for each pattern.

    I’m so happy to be keeping up with Ann’s escapades in NYC – since I’ve had to cancel my trip to NYC this weekend (and thus miss her FABULOUS classes), the designs and ideas in this book have energized me into having a STASH BUSTING weekend!!!

  104. I love wooly wormhead patterns!!! And oh how lovely it would be to find yarn to match the patterns!

  108. Thanks so much for this post. I’ve knit hats before and wondered why they don’t drape as well as I thought they would. Yarn choice is the obvious answer, but one I completely overlooked. Would love the book.

  111. What a great book. I love hats and actually wear them all year long. Once I started to wear hats about 10 years ago, I can’t imagine leaving the house without a hat or two (one on my head and one in a tote). Thanks for highlighting this book —

  112. I love the slouchy hat, too! This book would make a great addition to my library! Thanks for sharing!

  113. Love the hats! Especially taboosh. It is classic, but modern. I make chemo hats, and the patterns would add some interest to the usual hats I make. I’d love to win!

  114. I have been lusting after this book ever since the designer started blogging about it and leaking photo’s. There are so many great hats in this collection, I would have to knit them all!

  116. i love making hats. they are quick and satisfying. i just got through making 2 gwen stacy hats.
    anyways, in the pics you showed i really like the camden cap. its cute. i have not tackled any hats with brims yet, so i think i would like to try that one.

  118. I have another of Wooly’s books, Twisted Wooly Toppers, and I’ve knit a couple of her hats. They’re always interestingly constructed and well written. There are a couple of must-knit hats here too. I love they way you’ve discussed your yarn choices, Anne – I loved that, when I took your class as well. That’s one of the mysteries of learning to be a good knitter: decyphering the exact yarn that will suit a project best and the amount of colour: solid, semi-solid, variegated, that will highlight the pattern best. It’s a lesson that is difficult to acquire in any context besides face-to-face and hand-to-yarn, but you really put it across wonderfully. Thank you.

  119. Would so love a copy – I love hats, and have enough stash to knit one of each in several colors 🙂

  120. gorgeous hats. I’m working on relocating my hat-knitting-mojo and I’m pretty sure this would help. (There aren’t going to be many charity hats turned in at the end of the year. I don’t know how it happened, but I lost my mojo and need it back.)

  123. Great hats & yarn! I would love to have a copy of the patterns! Thanks for a great giveaway.

  124. What fun, matching up the hats with the yarns. I have to admit, I don’t tend to knit too many hats (I tend to crochet them), but your lovely write up makes me want to knit more!

  126. Loved the pictures of the hats with the yarns. Really pretty. Would love to try some of these patterns!

  129. 2 of my favorite yarns – foxfire fiber and green mountain spinnery :). Looks like a great book!

  135. A gal could lose her head over a whole book full of such stylish hats. Loved your thinking out loud about matching yarn to toque, too.

  137. What a totally inspiring post! You got me thinking about hats in a whole new way.
    Thanks for the giveaway opp.

  139. What a lovely chance! Thank you so much – I made my daughter a wooly wormhead hat a few years ago, and she still wears it, despite it being much too small.

  140. Great hats! I love how you have paired them with yarns. Very fun! And a little scary to note how many of them I have in stash! LOL

  141. I really love the first two hats in your post, although there are several that are totally knitable. Such a great designer!

  142. I haven’t been a “hat girl” since I was in high school and had long hair, but I’ve been growing out my hair for a year and I think I could pull off hats again! I’d love to win the cool & trendy wooly wormhead book! The hat with the brim is super cute!

  143. I am a big fan of Wooly Wormhead’s designs. I am in the midst of knitting up those single skeins that reside in my stash. . . so far, most of them are becoming hats and mitts.

  144. I love this post. It is almost a condensed version of your fibre class. I am always learning from you, thanks so very much for that!

  149. I would love to win this ebook! The Camden cap is great, and I also adore the bob a hat and the slouchy smurf hat! It almost looks like a turban, it is fab!

  150. I love Wooly Wormhead – I’m making two of her tri-peak hats for twin newborns right now! I’d love to win this ebook – great for gifts, and for me:) See you at finishing class tomorrow:)

  151. I have just discovered Wooly Wormhead and would love this book because her designes are so amazing!! So sweet of both of you to offer this to us – thank you so much!!

  152. These are more wonderful hats from wooly wormhead. Distinctive designs that work for a wide range of tastes. Fantastic !

  153. Amazing knitted hats! Who knew you could knit hats like these? Thanks so much for the chance to win the book.

  155. Lovely hats. Thanks so much for sharing them. I’ve just finished a ginormous hat! It would be good to try something more normal sized 🙂

  156. I love Woolly! Everglade was the first hat pattern I ever made. Highly entertaining, and her patterns are well laid out and easy to follow. Please put my name in the hat… I would like to have a go at that turban-type hat. Thanks, Anne!

  158. Great review. I’ve not heard of Wooly Wormhead before, so these hats are a new experience. I’m not necessarily a hat person, though I do like to keep my head and ears warm on a super-cold winter’s day. Maybe I should check this book out for some ideas. Maybe I could win it………

  162. Awesome book! I don’t think you can ever have too many hat patterns (especially in Nebraska*g*).

  164. Amazing hats! I know of quite a few people who would love it if I went on a hat spree. This book certainly has got my fingers itching. Thanks for the wool pairing too.

  166. Great hats and thanks for the wool ideas. I always find pairing yarn to pattern a bit of a mystery.

  168. Great toppers! Believe it or not, it is even getting chilly in Austin, TX. I could make good use of these.

  169. Oh, I have a few of the suggested yarns and would LOVE to make some of these for holiday gifts this year!

  174. I love Wooly’s hat pattern and I am knitting another. What beatiful yarn you have here, too.

  176. Ooo, I love ALL the Woolly Toppers! This is perfect for this time of year! was just contemplating which hats I could make myself before the cold arrives to stay. Currently I’m spinning small blips of color for a fair isle tam. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway, Anne!

  177. Lovely hats! Wonderful suggestions for hat/yarn.
    I, too, love the last hat. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and suggestions.

    Sharon

  179. Thanks for the opportunity to win these great patterns and thank you also for giving us a glimpse into your stash. Those yarns are beautiful! I knit hats all year long and use them for birthday and Christmas gifts. This would be a great addition to my every-expanding library.

  180. I’ve always loved looking at her patterns. I have yet to knit one though, which is sad… I like your yarn suggestions! I also think I have some great yarns in my stash for her patterns that I would love to try! Pick me! LOL

    thanks for the giveaway!

  184. What a great variety of hats! I usually make my own (very simple) designs, but I may just have to try a few of these.

  186. Wow, what neat hats! Sometimes I think there are no variations on hats and then you go and show us these!! Great news..Hope I win!

  193. I love these hats! I also like that you went through, looking at each hat and making good suggestions for yarn. I found that very insightful and helpful!

  195. Love hats! I would love to make them and give them to people with cancer! So stylish they would be!!!!

  197. What a great book. Timeless designs for everyone. I would love to dive into the patterns.!!

  200. Love these hats! Great patterns and a perfect time to be knitting them. Thanks for the gift for one of us lucky readers!

  201. Woolly Wormhead’s new designs are intriguing and fun — just what we’ve come to expect from her. I’m looking forward to seeing the new book in person.

  203. I just recently saw on another blog about this book, and I’m very excited that review copies are going out. It looks like fuuuuun.

  205. I love, love Wooly Wormhead patterns. In fact, I am working on a series of them for a family of boys that need warm head wear for the winter. Easy to work and quick knits to boot.

  209. I adore Woolly’s hat patterns, she’s a construction genius. Thanks for mentioning your yarn choices Anne, that is very insightful and helpful.

  212. Woolly Wormhead patterns are the best! Your yarn/pattern pairings have my fingers itching for some stash-diving and hat knitting! My fingers are crossed…

  213. What a great review, with the hat photos being paired with yummy yarn choices, I would love to win a copy and get started on my own pairings!

  214. I love knitting hats though they have mostly been for the kids would be nice to knit one for me…

  215. Thanks for a wonderful review. It’s great to get to see so many of the patterns AND ways to use them. It’s not often you find reviews that add to the book.

  216. Oh, I would love a copy! I could definitely use some one-skein buster projects, and these are all SO COOL!

  217. I would love to win a copy of this book. I really enjoyed your yarn discussion about pairing a yarn to the hats.

  219. Thanks for such a wonderfully informative article. I think yarn fiber content and how it can make or break a garment is an important and fascinating topic. I’d love to win a copy of the book — my first project? the lovely folded turban…

  221. I’ve always felt I’m not a “hat person” but this collection really has my interest, so of course I’d love to win! There are at least 3 hats that would be great for me LOL I’m so taken with these designs that I just signed up for her Mystery hat KAL …. it will be fun!

    and thank you, as always!

  222. Love Wooly Wormhead’s designs. Very unique, fun, and stylish. I can see myself knitting a few of these beauties.

  223. Love the hat patterns. Especially like the red one. Wooly’s patterns are so inventive and fun.

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