Knit Hats with Woolly Wormhead

Great book!
Each pattern is well explained and easy to follow instructions.
It has beautiful pictures of each project and really inspires you to get to work on one.

I noticed in the beginning of the book that the original version was published in German. That was helpful because hardly any of the yarns used in the hat samples were known to me. Most of the yarn looks like it is from the UK; fortunately the yarn weight is noted in the pattern. There are a variety of patterns I have not seen before, so that is good. The patterns are definitely for the somewhat experienced and/or confident knitter who has exposure to (or wants to try) some of these methods: provisional cast-ons, German short rows, Kitchener stitch, grafting and cables. Fortunately, some of these techniques are illustrated in the back section of the book. Some patterns only have charts. Since none of the directions for hat sizing and other basics are in the front of the book, the reader needs to note the table of contents to see what is there. There are 12 patterns for “her,” five for “him” and five for children. I like the “blown up section” of the finished hat, along with the regular size photos of people. I liked the “Skills Required” section for each pattern but one time it missed stating that the “Kitchener stitch” was required.

My pet peeves about the book: the type for those of us older knitters appears too small, especially in the pattern sections that are not the “instructions” which appear a little larger. The chart numbers looks even smaller. There is plenty of white space around the text, so it seems that the font size could be increased a little. I didn’t know until the explanation later in the book whether they meant “German short rows” when they stated “short rows.” They did; maybe that is just my lack of knowledge of how this technique is referenced in patterns. I didn’t see a lot of variety in those modeling hats – no one older than 50 or a person of color. I am not a fan of mustard yellow which I saw variations of in a number of patterns.

I would probably start out with a few of the men or child patterns – they look like I could easily warm up with knitting them and then graduate to one of the more complex women’s patterns after that. This is my first introduction to Woolly Wormhead and I will definitely check out her website and see what else she is designing.

My first knitterly attempt came in 1995, I found out I was pregnant and I wanted to knit a baby blanket. As a child I crocheted, how hard could knitting be. After all it is just two stitches a knit and a purl and they are mirror images of each other. Over the years I have been amazed at what can be done with those two little stitches. Woolly Wormhead takes this to a whole new level. With an expertise in textiles, she has created some innovative hat patterns. I am very enamored of Infilare (pintuck) and Azula (garter stitch sideways knit flames).

The patterns are well written and easy to understand. There is something here for all skill levels, from simple beanies to more elaborate patterns that will entertain and experienced knitter.

This is definitely a book that will be going into my knitting library at home.

Wooly Wormhead has been designing charming, inventive knit patterns for hats for years as an independent designer. Wormhead has translated both the experience and whimsy of these past efforts into this beautiful, thoughtful, and instructive volume. Wormhead's patterns do not tend to blend into the background. True to form, the hat patterns presented in this book take on a variety of creative shapes and techniques. Some are more demure than others, but most are likely to attract some attention. Perhaps more importantly, they also look fun to knit. Wormhead walks knitters step-by-step through the techniques required. Patterns include both written directions and charts, and special techniques are given extra directions with helpful photos. Another aspect of this book I thoroughly appreciated is that it includes chapters with hats for men and children respectively. If you like Wormhead's charismatic style, this book may be the only one you need to make hats for everyone you know.

This has some great new modern designs for hats and I would ware any of them in public. They are simple but have great patterns that are not for beginners. Easy to follow patterns.

This is not my first knit with Wooly Wormhead, and I knew she would not disappoint! Another great book!
Patterns are well written, easy to follow with great hints (check out Hats and Glasses). A pattern for each one of your family and friends. Photography is great, very appealing so you want to find your needles and get knitting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for a early peak this book for my honest opinion.

I would give "Knit Hats with Woolly Wormhead" by Woolly Wormhead five stars! As a knitter I am always on the lookout for knitting books that I would buy and this one is on that list. Hats are a great knitting gift and this book has so many great patterns. Almost every one of them made me want to find yarn & needles and to start knitting right away. I found ones that I would knit for me, ones I would make for my husband and so many that I thought other family and friends would love.

This is a really interesting and attractive collection of hats by the designer Woolly Wormhead. The hats feature a variety of yarn weights and each pattern has size adjustments. Some of the hats have unusual construction techniques, such as knitting in panels sideways. Each pattern is labeled with the skills required. Some of the skills are described at the end of the book, like provisional cast-on, short rows and grafting. My favorite feature of the is book is that, while the book has charts, most of the pattens are also written out. I hate charts. The instructions and hints seem clear and I don’t think you would need a vast amount of experience to knit these hats.

The book mostly has women’s hats but there are also sections of some very nice men’s and children’s hats. A couple of the patterns that I intend to try are Corella, covered with cables and made of sport weight baby alpaca and Skelter made from worsted, with a cable patten, and a deep garter stitch brim with a split at the back.

At end of book there is a useful chapter describing how to find the right hat, how to wear it and how to get the right fit. Among other things, it explains how the stitch pattern and fiber content relate to the required negative ease. The photos in this book could have been bigger, but I think this is very good collection of patterns.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

True confession: I am a knitter. I love all things knitting and I love Knit Hats with Woolly Wormhead! Why? Many reasons. The pattern designs are original and striking. The patterns themselves are easy to read and well explained. If there is a more complicated instruction, there is a reference to a section later in the book that provides more detailed instructions. There are many tips and hints. Each pattern also lists the skills required for the hat, some more simple than others. These patterns do require some skill. They are not intended for a beginner knitter but if you can knit, purl and knit in the round and want to learn something new, I’d recommend Skelter, Staggered, Beanie or Kilbride. And finally, there is a list of Yarn Sources with their websites! I lost an entire afternoon browsing English yarn websites looking at lovely wool. But don’t worry. If you are in America, as I am, you’ll be able to figure out which yarns to substitute. Yarn weights and yardage are given for each project. But there’s always international shipping…5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rowman and Littlefield and Woolly Wormhead for this ARC.

I am a knitter who, during this pandemic, has gotten so overwhelmed with everything in general that it has become a struggle to want to work on big projects. I love knitting, but I have become so stressed out that large projects have become just one more thing that needs to get done. This book is a great remedy for that. I started with cowls, but found that any small project that felt like I was accomplishing something was perfect. This collection of hats are not only manageable and easy to follow, but are gorgeous! I have added many of these to my list of projects to make and find myself looking back over these patterns trying to decide which of my stash yarns to use for each one. The pictures that accompany each pattern are beautiful! I cannot overstate how helpful it is to have a good picture to look at when I am trying to pick a pattern. It is inspiring to see all the color choices and then make them my own. I loved the section at the back of the book looking at specific techniques, as well as offering tips and tricks for fit, style, and comfort. Even as a seasoned knitter, I found this helpful and was able to add a few ideas to my hat-making. The only thing that I think could be changed was the separation of the adult patterns into "men's" and "women's." I think most of the hats work equally well for both and labeling them separately just imposes artificial limits. I think separating by children's vs. adult patterns is enough. Overall, I can't wait to work my way through all of these patterns and see which hat style fits me best!

I am so excited about this book. Wooly Wormhead’s hat patterns are my favorites so of course I jumped at the chance to take a peak of this book. The photographs are beautiful and patterns well written. I’m already planning on casting on soon!

Woolly Wormhead does it again!

This pattern book is full of hat patterns that you could never find anywhere else. No other designer has Woolly's eye for the unusual. Like to knit flat? No problem, you can knit a short row hat sideways. Prefer a soft slouch? It's here. Earflaps? Sure, why not. Most of these patterns would be ranked intermediate, but there are some that are quite simple. Whatever your preference, there's something for everyone here.

The patterns are well-organized, well-written, and there are plenty of photos and easy charts. My only complaint is that some of the abbreviations had me looking in the glossary, and I'm no newbie. Fortunately, the explanations are clear and easy to find. Personally, I found that the hats run small. I don't have an exceptionally big head, but I always knitted the largest size when testing these.

All of these patterns can be purchased individually on Ravelry, but I highly recommend getting the book. If you're a fan of handknit hats, you'll need this in your library.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This includes a variety of hat patterns for men, women and children. I know from experience that Woolly Wormhead patterns are well written and innovative. The foreword reads very much as if a machine translated it from the German, but that would be my only quibble!

Woolly Wormhead hats never disappoint. The hats are innovative and very wearable. Instructions are clear, concise and well written. Charts are included where possible, and are easy to read.

Note: Joyce Hat calls for straight needles but it is knit in the round so would require a circular needle or DPNs.
Note: Joyce Hat first abbreviation is written in German.

This is amazing! I had just recently come across Woolly Wormhead's website and fall in love with their amazing designs. Can't believe my eyes when this appeared on NetGalley! The designs are all unique and original, patterns are written in a clear and precise manner. Looking forward to knitting these cool beanies/hat!

Knit Hats with Woolly Wormhead: Styles for the Whole Family is an excellent compendium of seventeen trendy yet timeless and interesting to knit hat patterns. Several of the hats are knit flat then seamed, which is a unique construction technique and one that requires careful attention to row gauge. (Knitters are often more concerned with stitch gauge but in this instance row gauge will be critical to a well-fitting hat.)

The instructions were well written, clear, and easy to follow - even for the more complex designs. The “Hints” sections, included with many of the patterns, were particularly helpful and pointed out the tricky aspects or critical elements, such as row gauge or changing colors.

The black and white charts were crisp and clear. Unfortunately I found the colored charts blurry and hard to read, which may have been because I was reviewing an Advance Reader Copy. I was also disappointed that all of the patterns were previously published. Readers who are only interested in one or two patterns may prefer to buy them individually from Ravelry. (I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy and all opinions are my own.)



I loved the fact that the author included sections on “The Thing with Hair” and “Hats and Glasses”, since many knitters love to make hats but feel that they can’t wear them. The tutorial section covered the special techniques used in the patterns, such as German Short Rows and Kitchener Stitch, with clear photos and simple to understand instructions.

This was a beautiful book that any knitter will enjoy for hours on end, whether knitting the patterns, reviewing the tutorials, or admiring the lovely hats.

This is not a book for beginners. It is absolutely a book for knitters looking for a challenge.

Pros: Each pattern is well written. Photos for each hat are clear. New techniques needed for each pattern are well explained. If your knitting ability isn't at a point where you feel comfortable with the construction, I think this would still be a great book to have on the shelf for inspiration. Woolly gives an awesome explanation of hat sizing and wearing. I love making hats and her explanation makes me feel like I may actually get a little better at wearing them.

Meh: Some of the yarns used are very bright. There's a lot of reverse stockinette. These things aren't bad, just things that might make me less likely to purchase this kind of book.

Cons: Some techniques seem more difficult than necessary for good hat construction. The main difference between the women's and the men's hats have to do with simplicity. Almost all of the men's hats are more simple in construction and design.

Overall, I found more here that I liked than I didn't. The short-row constructed hats are visually interesting in a way that has me thinking everyone on my Christmas list will be getting one. I'll be adding this to my knitting shelf.

I received a ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Knit Hats with Wolf Wormhead is a nice collection of hats for everyone in the family. Great photos, charts, and instructions. My only disappointment with the collection is that it includes only five children’s patterns.

A lovely book of hat patterns from star knitwear designer Woolly Wormhead! I've knit several Woolly Wormhead patterns over the years and am excited about these! The patterns have lovely photographs, clear directions, and charts are easy to read. They also employ clever colorwork, fetching cables, and interesting construction methods (hats knit sideways!). Several designs caught my eye and I plan to knit Corella and Floralys for myself sometime this summer. The book ends with tips on wearing hats, finding the right hat for ones hairstyle, face shape, and even tips for those of us who wear glasses. Thank you for the ARC!

--Unique & Beautiful Hat Designs for All Heads--

I received an electronic ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and here are my thoughts.

I am already familiar with the designer known as "Woolly Wormhead", as I have purchased her hat designs on Ravelry. Therefore, I was thrilled to see many of her outstanding hat designs were being published in a book. With 22 designs, in multiple sizes, and including some designs for children, there is something for most hat lovers in this book.

I suggest you look at the book preview or go to Ravelry and see if the designs appeal to you, as that will tell you more than any review, as taste is a subjective thing.

Having said that, I love the innovativeness of Woolly Wormhead's designs, and the fact that she is taking hat design to new levels, by introducing different construction and design techniques. For a person who wants to improve their knitting skills, the designs in this book are perfect, as different techniques are introduced, and because hats are relatively small projects, it enables you to explore a wide range of techniques with a small time and yarn investment.

So, in short, look at the hat pictures in the preview or on Ravelry, and if you like the designs, get this book!

This was an amazing pattern book. If you're looking to upgrade your hat knitting skills, this is the book you need to have in your library. Her use of unique stitch combinations, colorwork, and intricate design techniques left me scratching my head (there's no way I can do that) and completely awestruck with the finished project.

Thank you to Netgalley and Rowman & Littlefield for giving me the opportunity to review Knit Hats with Woolly Wormhead.

Showcasing Woolly’s unique style, this book has a hat for every member of the family. I suggest knitters jump first to the end and read the section “The Basics”. Here, Woolly explores hat sizing and measuring for a good fit, why not every style is best for every head, the effect of ease, why one size doesn’t fit all, as well as some advice on hair and where on your head to wear a hat, especially if you wear glasses. I wish there were some photo examples in this section, but it’s still quite useful.

The hat designs are grouped by who might wear them: women, men, and children. I think this distinction is arbitrary and it’s possible to look past that as the sizing covers a range of circumferences for every design. Each pattern includes all the basic information a knitter needs in a clear and well laid out format. If there are special stitches or techniques required page numbers are included so you don’t have to hunt for the technique within the book. With nearly every design there are hints for a successful knit. I’ve relied on Woolly’s tips for grafting in garter stitch for years and I appreciated the clear tutorial provided.

This is a beautiful book that gathers twenty-two of Woolly’s inventive designs into one nice collection. Which designs caught my eye? I want to knit them all. The stunning photographs help.

Woolly Wormhead's collection of 22 patterns for men, women and children is the prefect addition to any knitters library; the patterns are simple and easy for knitters of any skill. so If you're tired of knitting basic hats grab a copy to take your knitting to the next level.

#KnitHatswithWoollyWormhead #NetGalley

These hats have personality! Looking through them, you can imagine perfect matches for people you know and love.

These are no plain, tuques or beanies. But rather than being intimidating, the author’s clear instructions and illustrations make this a “can do” book. Every element of every design is well explained.

The designs are so clever that you’ll feel clever knitting them. A copy of this book, a couple of skeins of yarn, and your gift list will be covered for years to come.

In much of the knitting world, the author of this book, Woolly Wormhead is a well-known, well-respected, and highly creative designer of knit hats. She and her designs are unique! This book makes me want to set up a display wall and feature these hats as individual works of art. Instructions are clear and easy to follow, and provide an opportunity to learn how to sculpt and manipulate stitches to create unique textures and pattern.. Woolly Wormhead brings a refreshing, thoughtful, and intentional perspective to knitting. I look forward to knitting my way through the book. #NetGalley

This book has a great variety of different hats for men, women and children. I would recommend this book to more advanced knitters. Some of the techniques required in this book are: provisional cast on, short rows, grafting, lacework and cables. There’s a section at the back to explain these techniques as well as both written and charted explanations for the hats. If you’re looking for something a bit more challenging than the simple knit hat, this is a great book to try.

This is such a FUN hat knitting book! Wooly Wormhead is known for her unusual construction and unique hats, and this book does not disappoint! The hats are beautiful, wearable, and have wide ranges of sizes available. Hats for men, women, and children are photographed from many angles so the reader can really appreciate the features of each hat. Instructions are clear and concise, and include helpful hints about construction and sizing. Perhaps my favorite part is at the end of the book, about how to choose and wear a hat well, even if you think you’re not a “hat person.” Finding the right hat for your face shape, hair length, and putting it on your head in a way that looks good is covered, and I already feel inclined to start wearing hats more often! Techniques are clearly explained and illustrated, sizing and gauge are covered, and the yarn colors and choices are inspiring. The only thing I could have asked for is more description of the inspiration behind each pattern, because I would love more insight into Wooly Wormhead’s design process. A great addition to a library collection, that will not in any way be duplicating what you already have on the shelf.