Knit Hats with Woolly Wormhead: Styles for the Whole Family

“There really is a hat out there for everyone,” writes Wormhead (Twisted Woolly Toppers), the 2018 British Craft Awards knitting designer of the year, in this unique collection. To accomplish Wormwood’s designs, knitters will need to know, among other techniques, how to make twisted stitches, live stitches, and short rows (a more advanced skill). The author includes many elaborate hat designs that require a fair amount of time and attention to complete, including the flame-patterned “Azula,” the floral “Klastar,” and the striped and spiked “Torsione.” Each pattern lists the skills required and the stitches/abbreviations used, while sidebars with hints specific to each project appear throughout. Must-read sections at the end include an explanation of ease (a term that describes a garment’s size in relation to a person’s body), a disavowal of the notion that hats are “one size fits all,” and a breakdown of how to make hats fit without being too tight. Indeed, readers will wish these instructional sections came before the projects rather than after. While newbies will be quickly overwhelmed, seasoned crafters will delight in these intricate patterns. (Aug.)