Classic Woolly Toppers Q&A & Giveaway
I'm posting this late at night in my hotel room in Galway, as tomorrow we leave at the crack of dawn with our 25 lovely guests for a day of knit delights on Inisheer, Aran. So sad to leave Galway - a wonderful city of friendly people and great music (Mike Harding walked into the pub where we were having a lunchtime glass of the black stuff!), simply oozing with all things knitterly.
Outside one of the many music shops in Galway |
But I digress, the object of this post is to bring to your attention Woolly Wormhead's latest collection of hats. First of all I've got to say how much I like the design of the book. Clean and spare, from fonts to photographs this volume is well ordered and a joy to read. Techniques are explained and illustrated at the start of the book and there are interesting and helpful notes on Sizing, Style & Fit and Independent Publishing in the end matter. And that's just for starters, before I even begin to focus on the knit interest!
So moving on to the main course... Classic Woolly Toppers is a fun and funky collection of heavenly headgear. Woolly likes to walk on the quirky side of life and this is reflected in the ten hats, each with its own unique appeal. Here are my faves:
Unusual construction methods always intrigue me and this Erte-style wrap immediately caught my eye, bringing to mind his fantasmogorical headwear...
Imirago Photo © Woolly Wormhead |
Ravine Photo © Woolly Wormhead |
Sumner Photo © Woolly Wormhead |
Sumner Photo © Woolly Wormhead |
To see the whole collection, just click onto the gallery below. But first I've got a treat in store for you - Woolly agreed to answer a few questions to give us a glimpse into her world of hat design.
OK so lets kick off with the obvious question: why Hats?
I've always loved
Hats! In terms of knitting, I love their 3D element – I think in 3D. Sculpture,
Textiles Sculpture to be more precise, is my thing. How to create forms and
installations with the challenges that the many different fabrics bring
fascinates me. This all translates very nicely into Hat design, where my focus
would be on the structure of the Hat itself. When you consider a Hat as a 3D
object, which fits on a head which is almost spherical, you can start to
appreciate just how infinite Hat design is.
Then add in the
portability – I've always got my Hat knitting with me – they're perfect for
short attention spans like mine! And you don't have to knit two of them, and
they're a perfect project for learning (and teaching) new techniques.
Mostly though, I
them for their versatility as an accessory – they can make a mood or change an
outfit so quickly and perfectly. I've always loved to wear bright or unusual
Hats, even though I'm known for wearing mostly black clothes.
I like things to be
organic. Business has to fit in around my family and how we live. We live
simply and we're always close, physically, and that plays a big part in how and
when things get done. I've never been a great one for writing business plans or
setting targets; I find that sort of thing too clinical. We're always moving;
becoming static is one of my deepest fears, and that comes through in business
as well as life. Previously I talked about my love of Hats and why I like to
design them – working with Hats as my focus allows me to explore so many
different construction methods and forms, and I see the parallels with our bus
dwelling, where we can roam and explore so many different places yet always
have the comfort of our own beds.
If
you were putting on a catwalk show of your Hats, where would you stage it, what
would be the theme and what music would be playing?
Ooh – that's an
interesting question! The stage would have to be round, definitely
circular/spherical in nature, possibly moving... something everyday, maybe?
Like a carousel, but not in a traditional fairground style; something more
contemporary and architectural. Something made of metal, maybe. Everything
would be changing..the music, the lighting, the theme. I like the idea of using
something like a hugely scaled Anish Kapoor hollow half sphere, where the light
and perspective changes as you move; I love how Kapoor plays with space in his
work.
I’m
a big fan of indie publishing, it must be so liberating to take your vision
through from initial idea to end product. What advice would you give to designers
who may be thinking of taking the leap?
Indie publishing is
forever changing; it's a fast moving business, and it's worth keeping up to
date with technologies and expectations. That's not to say that you have to
have the best equipment/software on the market, but knowing the capabilities of
your tools and your own limitations are key.
It's not for
everyone – as well as the marathon designing, it's a huge project to manage
too. There's the photography, the layout, the editing, the marketing. There's the
budget to manage. It can be pretty daunting, but the upside is that it's all
yours. You can see your vision through to the very end. A self published book
is a more personal book; and that to me is why indie publishing is so
successful – a knitter is working directly from the designers' vision.
Yarn
selection is very important. What are the qualities you look for in choosing a
yarn for a specific Hat? Do you have particular yarns you like to work with and, if so, what makes them special for you?
It has to be
woolly, really! I've always loved wool, ever since I was a child, and there's
something so intrinsic and reassuring about the properties of it. I tend to
lean towards 2 or 3 plied yarns; multi strands can be a little springy and
single plies tend not to have the strength and resilience of plied yarns. That
said, I have used these yarns as well, as finding the right yarn for the
project is important, and if that's what the design needs then that's what the
design gets! Stitch definition and handle (drape, or the lack of) are the two
most important things I look for. I don't wander into cellulose fibre yarns;
they just don't work for me; I'm a loose knitter and my tension in a cotton
yarn looks awful!
Construction drives
my design process, so my style has changed with that. I still adore quirky
pixie style Hats – you just can't beat having a point or three on a Hat! I feel
as if I've become more refined in how I use and combine the elements of the Hat
– how a construction method works with a stitch pattern for instance. I've also
moved away from chunkier yarns, as the finer gauges provide more scope. That
said, I can feel my rebellious self needing to design something more... grungy,
more raw, so it becomes a matter of maintaining balance between my need to
explore and develop and my desire to challenge myself.
Taboosh Photo © Woolly Wormhead |
Classic Woolly Toppers is authored, photographed and published by Woolly Wormhead.
PDF 46 pages, full colour, 150 dpi, 5mb, product no WW204BClassicWoollyToppers
PRINT 44 pages, full colour, 7.75 x 7.75, 120g, ISBN/EAN13 1477610952 / 978177610954
Combined print & PDF £16.50 Ebook £9
Next stop on the tour is The Knit Girllls, Laura and Leslie - don't miss their podcast!
9th September 2012 The Electric Sheep Podcast hosted by Hoxton Handmade
13th September 2012 Subway Knits Podcast hosted by Maria MN
17th September 2012 Stolen Stitches Blog hosted by Carol Feller
21st September 2012 Tot Toppers Blog hosted by Kate Oates
25th September 2012 More Yarn Will Do the Trick Blog hosted by Jean Moss
29th September 2012 TheKnitgirllls Videocast hosted by Laura and Leslie
3rd October 2012 Sand And Sky Creations Blog hosted by Simone Van Iderstine
7th October 2012 Susan B Anderson Blog hosted by Susan B Anderson
11th October 2012 Dull Roar Blog hosted by Alex Tinsley
15th October 2012 rock+purl Blog hosted by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud
19th October 2012 Sheep to Shawl Blog hosted by Donna Druchanas
23rd October 2012 do stuff! leethal Blog hosted by Lee Meredith
27th October 2012 Bricoleur Knits blog hosted by Cirilia Rose
31st October 2012 Just call me Ruby Blog hosted by Susan Crawford
Next stop on the tour is The Knit Girllls, Laura and Leslie - don't miss their podcast!
9th September 2012 The Electric Sheep Podcast hosted by Hoxton Handmade
13th September 2012 Subway Knits Podcast hosted by Maria MN
17th September 2012 Stolen Stitches Blog hosted by Carol Feller
21st September 2012 Tot Toppers Blog hosted by Kate Oates
25th September 2012 More Yarn Will Do the Trick Blog hosted by Jean Moss
29th September 2012 TheKnitgirllls Videocast hosted by Laura and Leslie
3rd October 2012 Sand And Sky Creations Blog hosted by Simone Van Iderstine
7th October 2012 Susan B Anderson Blog hosted by Susan B Anderson
11th October 2012 Dull Roar Blog hosted by Alex Tinsley
15th October 2012 rock+purl Blog hosted by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud
19th October 2012 Sheep to Shawl Blog hosted by Donna Druchanas
23rd October 2012 do stuff! leethal Blog hosted by Lee Meredith
27th October 2012 Bricoleur Knits blog hosted by Cirilia Rose
31st October 2012 Just call me Ruby Blog hosted by Susan Crawford
I can't get into the CWT gallery but from the photos above I would knit Sumner first though I'm tempted by Imirago as well.
ReplyDeleteI would knit Camden. So cool!
ReplyDeleteI do like Ravine, but I'd start with the cap from the cover - perfect color and texture.
ReplyDeleteI'd make Ravine - it really caught my eye.
ReplyDeleteOooh, you can never have enough hats!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore the Camden cap, so that's the first thing that would jump onto my needles..
It's a tough choice but I'd make Sumner first because I think it would look fabulous knitted from handspun.
ReplyDeleteI would totally knit Sumner first! It's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh, it would have to be Imirago - in a lovely handspun yarn with just a bit of variation in the colour, I have a grey heathery one to hand that would be perfect!
ReplyDeleteI would love to tackle Sumner first - I think it's a very versatile hat that could go with a lot of things. Lovely interview.
ReplyDeleteHi folks!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry some readers are having trouble accessing my website this morning - a transfer kicked in today ahead of schedule and that's sent things a little wonky. I've got things straightened out this morning and it will take a few hours for the changes to filter through, but in the meantime, these links will work if the ones above haven't updated yet:
http://woollywormhead.squarespace.com/portfolio/classic-woolly-toppers/
http://woollywormhead.squarespace.com/classic-woolly-toppers/
Thank you so much Jean for the interview and being part of the blog tour, and to all your readers for joining the Hatterly fun. Again I apologise for the technical gremlins this morning!
I love love love the Summer one in grey! Beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI would knit Imirago first. I love the shape of the hat and it looks unusual. I love knitting Woolly Wormhead patterns as they are all a little bit unique which makes the finished project that much more satisfying:)
ReplyDeleteAren't Woolly's designs so great? Annular would be my first choice, but certainly not the last! Love the slouchiness of it so much.
ReplyDeleteI like summer. Not that I'd wear it during summer in Nebraska. : )
ReplyDeleteI love to knit Woolly's hat they are always so interesting and the names are always great. I think that I would start with Camden Cap and then Taboosh
ReplyDeleteI would knit Camden first. I love it!
ReplyDeleteI would start with Annular.
ReplyDeleteI like the lines of Taboush
ReplyDeleteI love Ravine!
ReplyDeleteSumner could be knit so many ways.
ReplyDeleteI would knit Imirago because of the asymmetrical and chic design.
ReplyDeleteMarrie
I would knit Imirago first, but I like all of them. Very nice book.
ReplyDeleteSo many of these lovely hats call out to me to knit - but the first would be Sumner - I love it!
ReplyDeleteI would knit Sumner first!! Winter is coming!!! Jo-Anne
ReplyDeleteSumner will be my first choice - in the same blue! Inge
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to knit up the Camden hat! Would love to win a copy!
ReplyDeleteThe first one I would do would be the Camden Cap. It is so out of my usual style but has called to me since the first time I saw it.
ReplyDeleteSo difficult to choose, but I would probably knit the Camden Cap first. Great patterns!
ReplyDeleteRavine because it is unusual. First. Then, many others!
ReplyDeletePhilhellene on Ravelry
I think I'd do the Ravine first, but really, they're all wonderful. She really knows how to make the most interesting hats!
ReplyDeleteRavine is so chic, definitely first on my list.
ReplyDeleteI think Ravine is lovely. I would knit that first, and if it doesn't suit me it can become a Christmas present for someone with a different face shape and hairstyle.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting a hat with ear flaps, so I would probably start with Karenin.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful hats! I think I would start with Camden, but would definitely knit others, as well!
ReplyDeleteBarbie
They are all lovely but I would.start off with Sumner.
ReplyDeleteSue K
Ravine
ReplyDeleteAnn Cook
Summer, no question! Although they are all fun! Sara
ReplyDeleteI think Ravine is adorable. That would be the one I'd knit first.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCamden Cap! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThe Camden Cap is my very favorite.
ReplyDeleteKarenin....perfect for me in New Hampshire!
ReplyDelete