Book Review & Giveaway: Hat Heads by Trond Anfinnsen

Yarncraft

Header Hatheads
Hatheads Cover
Hat Heads: 1 Man + 2 Knitting Needles = 50 Fun Hat Designs by Trond Anfinnsen, aka Knitkid
For the last 8 or 9 years, I spend many winters knitting hats for babies, kids, and adults to give as gifts for the holidays. After a while, as I find my groove with my favorite patterns, the novelty wears off and after a few weeks of knitting it gets boring for me. Picking up the new book, Hat Heads by Trond Anfinnsen, I’ve found my new knitting hat inspiration.
Norwegian Anfinnsen aka Knitkid taught himself to knit and made custom knit hats for each of his friends where each design is inspired by their personality. He decided to document it as an interactive art project and teamed with photographer Klaus Skrudland to take portraits of each recipient in his or her hat. You can see all the photos of The Knitting Project on his web site. The book provides a complete knitting pattern for each hat including a chart for the intarsia pattern. I can’t stop staring at the light blue and red hat worn by Silje on the cover above. In that hat, Anfinnsen tried to “convey the feel of a stylish piece of furniture…to match her chic city image.” Love it!
I also love the hat worn by Ingvild (pictured bottom left) who has a pink eagle because she’s “both strong and sweet” as well as the ones worn by Erik (bottom center), and Tonje (bottom right). Anfinnsen also covers how to knit as well as how to design your own unique hat. Hat Heads is the perfect book if you are an avid hat knitter or are need more knitting inspiration.
Hatheads 3

Book Giveaway Time!
Three lucky CRAFT winners are going to win a copy of this book, Hat Heads! Just leave a comment to this post and tell us why you want this book. Make sure you enter in your email address in the form field (won’t be published). All comments will be closed on Friday, August 7th at Noon PST. The winner will be announced next week on CRAFT. Good luck!

262 thoughts on “Book Review & Giveaway: Hat Heads by Trond Anfinnsen

  1. Brandy says:

    I’d like this book because I’m a beginner knitter and like making hats, but want to make different ones and challenge myself to learn new techniques at the same time.

  2. lil_fluffy_cat says:

    I’d love this book because of the project nature of it – not only is a hat a close to perfect “small project”, but the way he went about it, documenting what he did as far as creating in color and pattern for each of them, makes it a sort of craft short story book. Norway’s history with textiles is awesome – just looking at the cover and reading the review of this made me smile. :)

  3. Rachel Gogan says:

    I would really like to get this book because I’m always struggling to find something good to knit for my brothers. One of them is in the air force and the other is in college. They’re both really BOY types and none of my nicely cabled patterns work for them. These examples look FANTASTIC!
    So here’s to hoping! I’d love to make them some hats from this book :)
    -Rachel

  4. Babette says:

    I’d love to have this book because as a somewhat advanced-beginner, I think the hats in this book would be right at my knitting level. I love that there appears to be some challenge in the hat designs, but at the same time, it’s still a hat and not THAT complicated – no need to stress too much. I’d love to see what I can do to make each of the designs my own, while learning new techniques and patterns.

  5. Sweet Familiar says:

    I would love this book! We have five heads among us and it gets very cold here in northern Vermont!

  6. Aine says:

    Hats are one of my very favorite things to knit. I would love to have some fun new ideas for making them unique.

  7. Kristen says:

    I’m a crocheter who just learned to knit, and I’m working on my first hat. Hats are supposed to be good practice for socks. This looks like a really fun book.

  8. Caitlin says:

    I love knitting hats! Knit hats are my default gifts for friends and family, and I am always looking for new patterns. I would love all the tips for designing my own patterns, too.

  9. Momartfully says:

    I’d love to get this book – I need this book :-) I knit a hat for almost every kid in my son’s class last year… and I taught myself to knit in the process (and blogged some of them).
    Most of the kids lost their hand-made hats over the school year; left on playgrounds, forgotten on field trips, or lost in the snow. Poor hats.
    Some of the kids have already let me know they want me to make them another hat for this school year… and I’m fresh out of hat ideas.
    I need hat inspiration!

  10. Random Musings says:

    With ten grandchildren, I am always looking for new hat patterns. This book looks like a great way to find some!

  11. BrittNeal says:

    I learned to knit in college. In the last few years I’ve knitted plenty of scarves, but have never moved to the next level and tried hats. I think this book would be just the motivation I need!

  12. Stephanie says:

    I’m a fairly new knitter and would love to have a collection of nice hat patterns with great pictures!

  13. Lorene says:

    I truly do. I hope this book flies off the shelves. It exemplifies creativity fueled by thoughtfulness. A perfect combination. Each one of the hats was made with love and affection…

  14. alfanhui14.wordpress.com says:

    I need this book!! i´m in a “hat phase”, i only want to make hats!! and i love fair isle, too!!

  15. Erin Norris says:

    It’s a fine line for me when it comes to patterns – yes the items are handmade, but at the same time, it’s someone else’s inspiration. It’s like a really well done paint by numbers. Making something like these hats, that is uniquely personal, and then going beyond that and personalizing it for the recipient, is truly inspiring. I frequently try to make my own knitting patterns, but they never come out quite like I want, so I must admit, I want to admire the pictures of the hats and their owners and read the how-to secrets on making your own personalized hat patterns.

  16. Anne says:

    I love to make hats for my family & friends… always looking for new designs. These look fab too!

  17. Patricia Eddy says:

    I’d love this book because living in the Pacific Northwest, we wear hats 3/4 of the year and my wonderful husband likes to change his hat as often as he changes his socks (which is often).
    I can follow directions pretty well, but coming up with my own patterns is not something I’m good at.

  18. SquidHead says:

    I gotta have this book cuz I gotta make that fishy hat!! Soooo cute <3

  19. Jennifer K says:

    I would love to have this book because they look like hat designs that the men in my life would actually WEAR. :)

  20. Karlie says:

    I would love a copy of this book. I too tought myself to knit just shy of two years ago. This year, I’ve already told my family members that they’re all getting knit hats so this would go a long way to helping me get a unique pattern for each person I’ll be knitting for. Thanks for considering my entry, should you choose me, I know the book will be put to good use.

  21. Queta says:

    I’ve been a follower of knitkid’s flick stream for some time now and I love all his work. I really admire his creativity and ability to work any motif into a hat design. Plus, I love knitting hats! They are perfect for my short attention span when it comes to knitting.

  22. Gretchen says:

    I have frizzy, crazy hair in the winter. Hats are a must for me!
    I also knit tons of hats in the winter for the 3 men in my life. As sexy as that sounds…it’s really for my 2 sons and my husband. New patterns and ideas needed!

  23. Melody Kitn says:

    I’m terribly fond of hats, and I took up knitting and crocheting to give hat making a try. I’m such a novice, but I can use all the help I can get, and this book looks like awesome inspiration.
    Much love to the green striped hat with cats you’ve got pictured, two things I love on one thing I love to wear (the color green and kitties)!
    Crossing fingers!

  24. Sara says:

    I love to knit hats, and my boys who are 2 and 4 year old are the proud recipients of most of these hats. My husband bemoans the fact that I always knit for the kids, but rarely for him. Some of these hats look like just the right patterns to make a “neglected” husband feel the knitting love again!

  25. Tricia says:

    I live in Minnesota! Enough said.

  26. Tricia says:

    I live in Minnesota! Enough said.

  27. MiA says:

    I’d love to win this book, just simply because those are the most amazing happy-hats I’ve seen !!

  28. Jessica says:

    I’d love to have this book first to read all about the hats, but more importantly, to knit them. Hats are one of my favourite things to knit. I can’t wait to see this book in person!

  29. Brittney says:

    This book looks fabulous. I would love to win it because hats are my favorite thing to knit for other people, but I’m running out of new ideas. This book looks like it had great patterns as well as color ideas. Thanks for the giveaway!

  30. Denise says:

    and my brother has been asking for a new one.

  31. Koots says:

    There is nothing worse than being cold so I must wear a hat at all times during the winter. It would be nice to be able to make a at least 50 different hats so I can be stylish while maintaining a healthy body temperature!

  32. Sara says:

    because I just started medical school and need something fun and crafty to do on study breaks

  33. Ellen Q says:

    I love knitting hats for people. I think it is so much more special than the ones that look just like something you would buy. I adore his idea of letting the personalities of the recipients determine the design.

  34. sarah g says:

    I’d love to have this book! I’ve just expatriated to London, where even the summer is chilly! This book would really help me keep my head (plus my husband and friends) warm, but fashionable.

  35. Laura says:

    I would love to give this book to my friend Meryl, who is working towards her graduate degree in anthropology. She loves to work in traditional foodways and crafts, and loves to knit all sorts of different articles of clothing for her friends and family, usually going above and beyond just picking someone’s favorite color and really trying to match a certain item to that person’s personality. She loves new challenges and patterns, and I really do think this would be a fantastic book for her. :)

  36. Katharine says:

    My husband really has short hair and I would love to knit him some fancy hats for autumn and winter.

  37. Emily says:

    Because I’d love to learn intarsia!

  38. Danielle says:

    I would love to have this book! Hats are the perfect knitted gift…they are fast, fun, and you don’t have to worry about a perfect fit (like you would for a sweater or other garment). These designs are fabulous.

  39. Jessica says:

    Hi,
    I’d LOVE this book, since I just recently learned to knit. My favorite thing to make and wear is HATS! This book would be a blast.

  40. kat says:

    I’ve been knitting for a while but haven’t done any hat. This would get me started!

  41. Kroquet says:

    Hats are my favorite thing to knit. They require the perfect amount of effort and maximum payoff for my short crafting attention span. Although all my hats end up either totally boring and almost identical to ones I’ve already made or unwearable ridiculous creations based on some terrible idea I had.
    Maybe with a good pattern I can finally unravel and reuse the yarn from the loop knit, peter pan shaped hat with the ric-rac pom pom ( ooh that one’s been the worst idea yet!) that took me forever to make.
    Also… August 7th is my birthday!

  42. Heidi says:

    I’m always looking for something a little different and challenging and from the cover this book seems to have it all – Especially some patterns that would be perfect for all the fellas in my life (and a few for myself!).

  43. Caroline M. says:

    Wow! Very cool. I love knitting hats, because they make gifts that people will actually wear (there are only so many people that appreciate knitted socks), and they aren’t a huge time investment (I still haven’t finished that sweater I started last year!). Great giveaway!

  44. Meaghan says:

    This book looks fantastic. Would love to win it, as even in the middle of an August heat wave I’m having urges to knit wool hats.

  45. lou says:

    I love knitting hats. They are fast and useful. I especially like the graphic quality of the hats shown…

  46. zuiquan says:

    I would love to have this book because I’ve been begging my sister to knit me a hat for about 5 years now. Holidays come and go and I still have no hat. I think if I truly want a hat (which I need as my hair is starting to thin quite a bit) I will have to do it myself. Maybe I’ll knit her a hat out of spite as well. Those are the best hats, right? The spite ones?

  47. peechfish says:

    Living in Chicago, one can never have too many winter hats.

  48. HEB says:

    I have a niece scheduled to arrive on December 29 in Wisconsin and I definitely think that I need to knit her one of these hats to fulfill my aunt duties.

  49. Katy says:

    It’s been a couple of years since I last knitted myself a hat, so I think I’m due a new one. Winters here in Scotland are harsh and a solidly contructed hat which looks as good as the ones in this book is a must have. Fingers crossed I’m in with a chance of winning this lovely book.

  50. schnetzy says:

    i have made countless scarves, always longing to knit a hat, and when i saw this book my drive to knit a hat is reborn and i will definitely teach myself how to knit one pronto….and if i get this book that would help even more since those hats look awesome!

  51. Rachel says:

    I have been knitting for several years, however hats are one of the few things I have not knit. I would like this book so that I can increase my knitting knowledge and learn new techniques.

  52. Ollie says:

    I love it so much that he actually documented all of these hats he made for loved ones. I would love to read this and gain inspiration on making my own hats for friends

  53. Amy says:

    I would love to have this book because I am always looking for new ideas for the hats I make for charity purposes. I knit so many plain ribbed or stockinette hats that sometimes I just get bored of them and have to put them aside for something more interesting – but these look like so much fun! I don’t think I’d get bored of these for quite some time.

  54. Laura says:

    As a knitter who just got a super short haircut, this would be just the thing to help my noggin warm in the cold weather coming up in a few months. I could knit a hat for each winter month!

  55. kimplosion says:

    i would love this book because i am a hat person, and i am in need of more trendy hat patterns… i want a hat for every day of the week and then more to make my friends.

  56. Jazmin says:

    Oh, I’d love this book! I mostly knit hats but seem to be stalled by knitter’s block lately (or maybe it’s the summertime blues?) Either way, this book looks like just the inspiration I need…

  57. Cat says:

    wow, what a great book!
    I’d love to win this because you can never have too many hats!!

  58. Adrienne says:

    What a great concept! And the designs are really diverse. I love how so many of them are unisex, I often have trouble knitting things for my male friends and this book has tons of great patterns to choose from. I think I could easily get my Christmas knitting list taken care of just from the patterns in this book alone!

  59. Tartaruga says:

    I like hats very much, I am full time mum with only a few time to knit but I have in mind a lot of heads (including mine) who knit for.

  60. randomranter says:

    Oooh! I love knitting hats!

  61. Melissa says:

    Wow! What awesome hats! This looks like a good book.

  62. Angie H. says:

    This book looks great. I love the many designs I’ve seen so far…very fresh!

  63. Jeanne says:

    I’m a knitter and a photographer and this book looks pretty badass on both those fronts. I’m super excited to check it out.

  64. Thadd says:

    Wow, this book looks great.
    I am all about color work, and there seems to be a lot of inspiration here. In my group I am usually the one with all sorts of colors and tails hanging off my work.
    I am also the only guy, so anywhere I can get guy friendly patterns is cool (No sweater-vests please)

  65. Elizabeth Abernathy says:

    I would love to win this book so that I could give it as a present to one of my knitting buddies, Stephanie. She gets frustrated with new patters easily, but likes making hats, so this would help her learn some new things. Plus, she’s been wanting to make hats to give away to the homeless, so she would pass it on another way!

  66. Trish says:

    It’s time for a change from knitting socks — these look great.

  67. lorenabrown says:

    I love to knit, but have not tried knitting a hat yet. This looks like a fantastically beautiful book and would provide ample inspiration to get me started knitting a hat, or a few.

  68. Rebekah says:

    What beautiful hats! I would love to have a copy of this book so that I can learn how to knit one myself!

  69. Kala says:

    I’d love to win this book because the hats look really cute and fun to knit!

  70. jaki says:

    Too many kids, too many hours at work, too much grief, too much thinking with too little imagination – only remedy is quick knitting at night. Must knit to relieve. Must knit hats and these look brilliant. Someone has done the thinking for me, now would only require hands and yarn to gain maximum joy.

  71. Elli says:

    In about 3 months, I will be leaving the warm climes of Texas and moving to the cold side of the mountains in Washington State.
    I have little in the way of warm weather gear, but I have tons of yarn looking for a rhyme or reason to climb upon my knitting needles.
    This book would certainly open the way for warmer heads for my family when we move and embark on our new adventures.

  72. Chelsea says:

    I’d love to have this book so I can try making some new hats.

  73. Wendy says:

    I want this book because I can never have too many knitting books (or too many books).

  74. kayte says:

    I love hats, and I love these hats. Oh boy, kitties and fish! I’m smittened!

  75. Marion BE says:

    I’d love this to be able to knit some new fab hats! Living as far north as I do, many a day is a hat-wearing day.

  76. Ivy says:

    I’ve only ever done one beanie and I’d love to extend my repertoire. This looks like the perfect book for that challenge. :-)

  77. Justine says:

    I would love to have the book because expanding both my crafty stuff and my library is ALWAYS wonderful!

  78. taryn says:

    These hats are fab, and look like easy projects to practice colorwork.

  79. Diane says:

    I would love this book because I LOVE LOVE LOVE hats. Did I mention I LOVE hats?
    Cheers! Great job!!

  80. Meghan Thimjon says:

    What a fun looking book. I haven’t knitted in awhile much less learned how to make a hat…there’s always time for something new. Just gotta get those needles out. FUN BOOK I love hats

  81. Brenda Lawrence says:

    I would LOVE this book. It would help me greatly with my charity knitting. It looks fabulous. Thanks

  82. Heidi says:

    I give free knitting classes to the kids in my village. This book would be a great asset to my little library.
    –Heidi

  83. Leslie J says:

    I am geeking out about this book! I’ve been knitting hats the past month for my husband & myself and I want to make more! These patterns look awesome.

  84. calliehoo says:

    I would loooove this book! I’m a grad student on a serious budget, so it would help me with unique and less expensive ideas for holiday gifts!

  85. Susan says:

    This book looks great! I could really use this book because I spend a great deal of time knitting hats. I knit them for chemo patients both adult and children. I also knit preemie hats for the local NICU. So a new hat book would be so exciting.

  86. Deanna Johnson says:

    What a fun book! What a great idea to put the patterns in the book, but make the photos available on the internet!

  87. busgirlbrown says:

    This book looks great – I would use it to make Christmas gifts for my BILs, who are so hard to buy for!

  88. Sara L. says:

    I love this idea. And I, too, love that blue and red hat. Gorgeous, interesting patterns. Count me in!

  89. Judith says:

    I am an avid knitter and am already working on gifts for next Christmas. Usually I work with one color or stripes in knitting, although I do use multiple colors in crochet. I would love to learn Trond’s techniques and make an intarsia hat for my granddaughter as a start to overcoming my intarsia phobia!

  90. Jenny says:

    I love how the styles in this book aren’t your typical knitted hats. The look fun and unique. The colors are absolutely wonderful! I would love to have this book to learn some non-typical hat patterns!

  91. aldin124 says:

    Hats to knit for EVERYONE! Can’t wait.

  92. Rachel says:

    I want this book. Love to knit, but also love the faces…Watch the film “Let the Right One In”…the whole thing is on youtube. It’s amazing!!!!

  93. Gigi Feldt says:

    I would love this book because the only things I know how to knit are squares and rectangles A.K.A. Scarves and pot holders. Beanies seem like an easy and fun jump up from scarves and pot holders.

  94. Denise says:

    I would love to win this knitting book and share it with my library patrons.

  95. Anne says:

    as so many others I have spent the last several years makings hats and scarves for my beloved family and friends around the holidays. Having a new book to knit my way through would sure make this gift giving season fun! And with beening layed off from my job…. new knitting books- not in the budget. What you guys do is awesome!

  96. Persia says:

    I would love to just try the patterns in this book :)

  97. lowrah says:

    Men who craft= awesome

  98. Mary says:

    I need to improve my intarsia skills. A small hat project would be perfect.

  99. Lisa Tjapkes says:

    I’d love to give this book to my sister-in-law, who loves knitting hats.

  100. Shana says:

    OMG, I would love to knit these up as Christmas presents for my siblings!

  101. aurora fox says:

    wow! I love knitting hats —in fact i knit alot of hats–each one different–sort of like swatching new stitches in the round…lovley book!

  102. Lauren Wilson says:

    I love hats! I get really cold in the winter (I live in Utah) so I need everything I can get to keep me warm. These hats look amazing, and I hope to expand my meager knitting skills by making these.

  103. Lisa K says:

    Grest looking patterns!

  104. Teddi says:

    I NEED this book because I NEED to make all of those fabulous hats for the wonderful people in my life for gifts. Heaven knows it’s cold here in Edmonton, AB Canada during our long winters. We need to put a lid on it!

  105. talia says:

    well, i crochet, and my sister knits, and we want to teach each other so then we’ll each know how to knit and crochet. and i’m thinking these would be lovely projects to work on, great motivation!

  106. nisen says:

    Those hats are awesome! :)

  107. loisellen says:

    Hats are my absolute favorite knitting project! They work up quickly and are a great way to try out new stitches without committing to a whole garment. This book looks like it has a great collection (not quite as “grandma-ey” as many in stores).

  108. Joel says:

    Some hat inspiration would be very welcome for the upcoming winter in Paris! Knitkid rules!

  109. Tab says:

    I can’t wait for autumn and winter knitting. My closet is full of yarn waiting for a project.

  110. Diane says:

    I am a relatively new knitter who gives all her knitting away as gifts. My friends want me to make them hats, but I have not wanted to attempt this….until now. Just looking at the photos on your cover inspires me to want to knit your hats! They are so beautiful and I know my friends will love them.

  111. stitchpunk says:

    Please please please! I’m just learning to knit and need some inspirational smaller projects like these. Plus, its winter down here and we all NEED hats NOW!

  112. Skye says:

    My daughter has cancer and has been undergoing chemotherapy. She has lost her hair and I would like to knit these caps to cover her hair loss and keep her bare head warm.

  113. Sasha says:

    I’d love this book, since hats are one of my favourite things to knit, and I have a bunch of stashed wool that I need something to do with!
    Sasha

  114. Sunny says:

    Hello Craftzine! Not sure I’m eligible to enter – but hey, with those gorgeous colours and fantastically odd patterns, this book is definitely worth a shot at.
    I’d rather like this book because it’s winter here in Australia and my head is very cold! I can already picture myself sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in wearing my awesome new shark-pattern hat and dreaming of summer.
    Ahem. I’d be wearing the hat, that is, not the waves.

  115. Bethany says:

    I should win this book because I am always cold. And I have a fantastic sister who would knit these fun hats for me for this very reason.

  116. Amy says:

    My boyfriend, Travis, and I are learning how to knit – we just started knitting scarves earlier this week (we’re currently living in New Zealand and I’ve found knitting is a nice, cozy, winter past-time). I would LOVE this book for inspirational ideas and patterns, and for the wonderful photography!

  117. Ted H. says:

    I’m working on a big sweater and need some smaller projects. Hats would be a great break from the tyranny of the sweater!

  118. Tammy says:

    looks like a book that will get a lot of use!!

  119. Chelle says:

    I’m a self taught knitter and one of my favorite things to make and give are hats! This book is already on my amazon wishlist! I can’t wait to get my copy!

  120. JanetS335 says:

    I would love this book. I do quite a lot of knitting for the homeless. Having all of these patterns at my fingertips would be awesome.

  121. KimberlyA says:

    I love making hats as gifts, but sometimes lack inspiration. To learn more about making good intarsia patterns would be wonderful.
    Hats are perfect projects for me as well, now that I’m a mom, as they are quick and easily portable. I can take them with me as I chase my boy. :)

  122. Erin Phelps says:

    This looks like a fun book. I would like to win because I was just thinking that I haven’t knitted for a while and a hat would be a perfect project.
    Erin

  123. Kim O says:

    There once was a girl with no wealth,
    But she loved knitting hats for others (and self!),
    Tragically, the knitting, she had to stop,
    ‘Cause her hats finished with points at the top,
    Making everyone look like an elf!
    (True story. Every last word. :) )

  124. Rachel says:

    I’ve followed KnitKid on Flickr for a while now. I obviously haven’t been keeping up since I didn’t know about the book. Congrats, KnitKid! I would love to see this in person.

  125. Melissa A. says:

    Hi! I would like this book because I like to knit hats and am always looking for new patterns, especially for gift ideas. Plus I’ve been to Norway and think it’s a great country!

  126. Rachel M says:

    Ooooh the possibilities! I’m new to knitting hats & I think this could be just the boost I need to jump right in…guess what people will be getting for Christmas :)

  127. Margaret says:

    Every hat I’ve knit ends up looking so weird! I would love to have these patterns because I usually have to make things up as I go. I’ve been timid with incorporating patterns into my knitting but these all look do-able! I love that they don’t have the fold-up brims and the great use of color.

  128. Ellen says:

    No sob story, no quirky poems. I just love
    small knitting projects like hats, especially color work
    hats!
    P.S.
    I never win anything ;)
    boo for me

  129. wubbahed says:

    First of all, I’m a guy who knits, so I’m a little giddy that this book is written by a fellow male knitter. Second, and I hate to admit this, but I’m losing my hair, so I could really use some hats with winter coming to keep the olde head warm. Finally, how cool would it be to keep continuing the idea behind the book? People should be knitting hats, and taking similar portraits of their friends… you could make an infinite story about people and the custom hats they inspired.

  130. diysara says:

    and one can never EVER have too many hats :)
    Thank you for always inspiring!

  131. enidb says:

    I’ve knit a few hats but definitely could use the inspiration. I also have not yet knit using intarsia, so this book would get me to knit more hats, but also teach me a new technique of mixing colors more.

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