Is this not the cutest giant pom pom baby hat you ever saw? It was designed by Katheryn L. Oats and was contributed to the book 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats by Tot Toppers. It rekindled my love of the pom pom on this warm summer day and I just had to go and make a pom pom (with a hat attached). I made mine Sweater Surgery style. Scroll down to see the full how to on making a hat and giant curly pom poms from a recycled sweater.
But before I get to what my scissors have been up to inspired by this amazing hat included in 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats, I want to ask you a question and as our thanks for answering you are entered to
win
a copy of 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats by one of my all time favorite designers Annie Modesitt.
Leave your answer in the comments section of this post by next Friday Midnight EST, July 9, 2010 and you are entered to win 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats.
Question:
What are you knitting now?What are you thinking about knitting now?
What do you wish you were knitting now?
What do you wish someone would knit for you?
or
By
And now onto what this inspired me to make:
A double giant curly pom pom hat made from a recycled sweater!
The polka dot hat with the two dangle pom poms is a project from Sweater Surgery (and on the cover in the upper left there.) It is my favorite hat and I wear it all the time in the winter. So I thought why not make another hat with even bigger pom poms?
Off to the sweater stash and this little green one with embroidered snowflakes seemed like a good choice.
I cut out the shape of the hat and stitched it first with a straight stitch and then zig-zaged the raw edges (this is not a felted sweater).
I turned it right side out and now it was pom pom makin' time. I cut a strip of the sweater about 3 inches wide and 9 inches tall. It is important that it be in this orientation! I then did a straight stitch down the center to secure the knitting.
Then I unraveled the knitting!
Here is a closeup. All that was left to do was sew a giant running stitch with some heavy duty thread (by hand) down the center stay stitches to gather all these great curly yarns into a pom pom and sew them onto each point of the hat.
By the way, there is another project in Sweater Surgery that uses this curly edge cutting technique. It is a scarf that I wear a lot and the yarn curls are still there. I think if it needed to be washed the curl would go away.
So if you're looking for a book of a 1000 great hats, grab a copy of:
By
This fabulous collection of knit hats, curated and presented by well-known knitter and author Annie Modesitt, is sure to delight and inspire. The book includes both original designs and well-knit examples of hats of all styles for men, women, and children alike.
The top 10 original designs were selected by the author and received prizes, and those 10 award-winning hat patterns are included in the back of the book!
Be inspired by the large array of styles: berets, bucket shaped hats, cloches, hoods and masks, origami folded hats, pointed tips, round and sculptural hats, stocking caps, cabled hats, crocheted hats, lace hats, felted and embroidered hats, stranded colorwork, swirled crown hats, and more!
Enjoy the creative designs, colorful personal photographs, and hat fashions of your fellow knitters!
Annie Modesitt taught herself to knit at age 25. Her work has appeared in Interweave Knits, Vogue Knitting, Knitters Magazine, Cast On, Family Circle Easy Knitting, McCalls Needlework, and several family-oriented magazines. Author of Confessions of a Knitting Heretic, Knitting Millinery, and editor of the 2006 Accord Crochet Pattern A Day Calendar and the collection of fiber essays, Cheaper Than Therapy, she has also contributed to many knitting books including Stich N' Bitch, Scarf Style, Wrap Style, the Vogue Knitting Book, Weekend Knitting, and Holiday Handknits, Twist & Loop, and Men Who Knit And The Dogs Who Love Them. Annie's the inventor of the astoundingly clever Flip Knit, a low tech, portable alternative to knitting videos.
What are you knitting now? A sweater for an infant.(I hope!)
What are you thinking about knitting now? EVERYTHING!!!!
What do you wish you were knitting now? Something for me!
What do you wish someone would knit for you? A swing sweater
There just arent' enough hours in the day....but there is always time to knit hats!! LOL
Posted by: Debra Bunker | July 02, 2010 at 10:10 AM
What a lovely pom pom for him to play with
Posted by: Stephen | July 02, 2010 at 12:05 PM
What am I busy with now? I love making knitted teddies, and am always looking for textured wools to make a teddie with a difference. I am also going to start some little jerseys (3-6 month) for a charity project. But I would love to win that book of hats. They look absolutely delightful.
Posted by: Eunice Robertson | July 02, 2010 at 10:02 PM
What are you knitting now?
Ive knitted up odds and end of wool, which I will felt up and then turn into a hat or maybe tea cosy or a huggable, depending on what the finsihded, felted effect looks like.
What are you thinking about knitting now?
A winter time jacket for my grandson.
What do you wish you were knitting now?
Something from this fabulous looking book!
What do you wish someone would knit for you?
A 4ply ish yarn, 3 quarter length, garter stitch, loose swing waistcoat that disguised my flotation aid sized boobs!
A funny hat story....... well for someone who loves knitting and making hats, I look a right twit in one!
Theres no justice in life is there lol
Posted by: lyn lewis | July 03, 2010 at 01:17 AM
Oh my! I wasn't going to read this as I'm not a knitter, but...
The use of mchine stitches to stabilize ready knit "fabric" is an eye opener. I've only just converted pullover sweaters to cardigans before now.
You have given me such a great tool to make sure I don't waste or ignore sweaters that I have or might see in thrift/charity shops that have great motifs, colours, stitches etc.
Whee!
Posted by: Suella | July 03, 2010 at 03:14 AM
WHAT ARE YOU KNITTING NOW: Baby sweater
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT KNITTING: Would like to learn to knit socks with 2 circular needles
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU WERE KNITTING NOW: Baby Afghan for a gift
Posted by: Anita Adams | July 03, 2010 at 07:11 AM
Right now I am working on a Prayer Shawl. I am thinking about knitting a Ear Flap Hat. I wish I was knitting a lacy Victorian block quilt.
Posted by: Susan Spiers | July 03, 2010 at 08:09 AM
I wish I was knitting a baby blanket for my niece who is expecting. And since it's only a wish I would know if it should be pink or blue:) Then I would find the softest yarn possible.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
Posted by: Renee G | July 03, 2010 at 09:24 AM
What are you knitting now?
Now, nothing. Been sewing a bunch since the weather got warm.
What are you thinking about knitting now? Really want to find the time to pick up a sweater I was working on last winter and finish it for this fall!
What do you wish you were knitting now? Or this great baby blanket that I saw in a magazine. Or these adorable mini sweater Christmas ornaments...
What do you wish someone would knit for you? Socks. I love hand knit socks, but have a hard time making two of them...
or
Got a good hat story that just needs to be shared? The first baby hat I made for a friend was a wee bit out of scale (I was not yet a mother) -- my friend's husband wore it instead!
Posted by: Brooke | July 03, 2010 at 05:35 PM
i haven't knitted for awhile, so it would be fun to make hats for children. about that ball...it's a big as the baby's head! what a hoot. i would love for someone to make me socks...hint, hint, hint to my girlfriend who is working on her dissertation... i am willing to wait!
Posted by: f lynn rush | July 03, 2010 at 08:43 PM
I make a hat a night for chemo patients. Unfortunately, I cannot distribute them directly to the patients because of the HIPPA regulations (privacy issues). But the hats I have personally given away to chemo patients have helped to restore my faith in being a caring human being.
Posted by: CA Deen | July 03, 2010 at 11:04 PM
What are you knitting now?
A cabled vest for my 2 yr old grandson, a frilly scarf, and a plain scarf. Yes, I have all these on the go and switch between when I need a change.
What are you thinking about knitting now?
Another cabled vest for my older grandson to match his brothers. Some Dinosaur hats for the grandbabies and am looking for some different style hats for both adults and children to give as gifts, which is why the book would be a great asset.
What do you wish you were knitting now?
A cabled cardigan for myself with some beautiful soft wool I fell in love with.
What do you wish someone would knit for you?
Socks, to keep my cold feet warm.
Posted by: Gaila Bagdon | July 04, 2010 at 07:33 PM
Oh, that books sounds perfect to get me knitting again once it's a bit cooler again. Right now I am NOT thinking of knitting -- it's by far too hot! ;)
-- Birgit
Posted by: Birgit | July 09, 2010 at 06:44 AM
That is soooo clever ... and you did a terrific job with the technique.
Posted by: Eileen | July 09, 2010 at 03:20 PM