Saturday, August 23, 2008

REVIEW: Cool Crocheted Hats

Cool Crocheted Hats: 40 Contemporary Designs
by Linda Kopp
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Lark Books (September 2, 2008)

CoolCrochetedHats

I wish I was a happy hooker crocheted! This books is jam packed with 40 designs - some very practical, some a little on the wild side, but all wonderful.

The first thing that really stood out to me about Cool Crocheted Hats was the beautiful photography. Every single pattern features amazing photos that truly show what the hat looks like on. Be honest - how many of us have knit or crocheted a hat before that was not shown on a model in the pattern photos... only to realize the real reason why the hat was photographed flat or on table? Probably because it looked much better on the table than on a real person's head! All of the backgrounds in the photographs are in stunning black and white, with the models plasted on top in vibrant color. A very unique way to truly show the finished objects . Kudos to photographer John Widman and art director Dana Irwin!

Cool Crocheted Hats starts with some crochet basics (tools, yarns, pattern components, gauge), as well as a small section on how to read a pattern (something I've heard some novice crocheters complain about in the past). Then, its on to the projects, where there truly is something for everyone's tastes ... beautiful, functional, stylish, classy, chic, funky, bold...

My personal favorites are the Simple Cloche, a simple, yet stylish hat worked in spiraling rounds; Open Diamond Shell, finally something stylish from that boucle yarn; Town & Country Felted Bucket, with different brooches added, this fun, felted hat has endless possibilities; and Groovin' Granny Square Cloche, yes, a hat from granny squares that looks amazing and is hip & stylish (side note to my hooking friends... yes, I would really love this hat for Christmas!).

Other noteables are the Jazz Beret, where french beret meets urban chic; Confetti Shell, which could easily transform in to a stunning headpiece for a simply chic bride; Hooded Cowl, a practical piece for those of us in cold winter climates; and Festive Ole Pillbox, a stunning showpiece of color with a zig zag brim. If you're truly a fan of the funky, you need to check out this book for the Mr. Wander's Top Hat alone!

As a queen of yarn substitution, I like how all of the patterns are written to include the type and weight of yarn needed, yet at the end of the pattern they also tell you the yarn used to create the project shown. Not only does this let you easily substitute a yarn, it lets you run out and buy exactly what they used if your heart so desires!

Cool Crocheted Hats also includes 11 pages of stitches and techniques in the back. If you crochet and you have hats on your gift giving list this holiday season, run ... don't walk ... to your nearest book retailer and grab your copy! There is something for everyone on your list and trust me, your recipients will not be disappointed (especially if one of them might be me...).

CONTEST! I am going to give away this copy of Cool Crochted Hats to one of you! To enter, simply leave a comment here telling me your favorite crocheted hat pattern (if your comment doesn't automatically link to your blog or email, please be sure to include a means of contact in case you win). Deadline to enter is Saturday, August 30 at midnight. Winner will be selected by random number generator. Thank you to Lark Books for providing the book for review and giveaway.

8 comments:

Anita said...

This looks like a great book! I wish I wore hats!! :)

AllyB said...

Hey Nichole! Thanks for the review, this book definitely sounds like it's worth checking out. It's been a couple years since I crocheted a bunch of hats, maybe I'll get back into it again this year. I like a nice cloche hat myself.

Kenyetta said...

I don't crochet but it looks like a nice book!

Turtle said...

yup, very cool. Sadly i cannot crochet to save my life either. But my newly retired mother in law does! So guess who is alwasy suprising her with crochet goodies, and guess who has a birthday coming up in 2 weeks (her not me). So no favorite hat pattern as i have only recently been passing goodies along to her with her new retirement.

SissySees said...

Weeee! I can crochet, do crochet, and wear hats...

I'm just starting on my first crocheted hat though, so we'll say it's my fav...

http://www.crochetme.com/cranium

cayli said...

I only crochet a little but the book looks great. Maybe something to get me doing crochet more. My favorite hat is a "newsboy" look knit hat I just finished.

vegasangelbrat said...

Oh wow,would love to see that hooded cowl. My favorite hat is the start of a crochet pattern called "Winning Circle". Its a ball cap style hat but I changed the look of it using cable stitch, (twisted cables), then added a small band across with fancy bead or button on each side.

Paula said...

What a cool review! I think my favorite hat would be the Mr. Wander's Top Hat!
Makes me want to hunt down my crochet hooks!

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