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Giveaway: A Head for Trouble

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a head for trouble giveaway

Congratulations to vanesseva!

Last week I told you about the fun new book A Head for Trouble by Julie Turjoman, which is full of hats and accessories inspired by the fictional lady detectives of the 1920s. In it you’ll also learn a bit about hat fashion and construction and get bios of the leading ladies who inspired these fun fashions.

It’s a great book if you’re into flapper style, and I’m giving away a digital copy this week.

If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, November 9. Why don’t you tell me if you could live in any other decade, which one would you choose. I think I’d go for the 1960s.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Comments

  2. I am sitting here knitting, and watching Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries- and I have to say, the roaring 20’s are it! I would have loved to have known some of the women of those times- the daring and brave, head strong and trying to succeed in a man’s world. Thanks for the great question, and I hope I win so I can don my flapper hat and charleston in style!

  3. While I enjoy late Edwardian fashions as well as the 20s (& 30s skirts) there isn’t any past decade I would want to live in. The future is where I look.

  5. Since I was young (this being the late 80’s/early 90’s) I’ve wanted to BE THERE in the late 1970’s, less than a decade before I was born… right in New York when post punk, hip hop and street art movements coalesced….the time of Warhol, grafitti, the scum manifesto, basquiat and the horrible music! Im drawn to the low income diy style of living from then….although i may not completely convey this look now…only a little bit 🙂

    Next choice would definitely be the mid century, preferably in the 50’s, as it reminds me of a childhood I dreamt I always had, surrounded with clean lines and colorful kitchen counters. While folks have just started to hoard this latest trend, I’ve always had an always building, eclectic mix of midcentury items since early high school. I would make quite a pretty penny if I wasn’t so attached to my things!

    Two totally different era’s, with completely different looks!

  6. I would chose to live in the 1920s – the style, the outfits, the music… I think I would really enjoy myself.

  7. I think I’d like to try out one of the decades coming up- didn’t all of the futurist’s writings make times like 2050 sound fantastic??? (I still want a flying car!) This looks like a lovely book- thank you for the giveaway! 😉

  10. Seeing as how I’ve already lived in 7 decades, EEEEEK!, I have to go pretty far back to find one that I’ve not already messed up in. In fact rather than choose a decade, I’d like to pick a couple moments in history that I wish I could have enjoyed.

    Since my all-time goddess of music is Ella Fitzgerald, I’d love to have been at the Apollo Theater in 1934 when she first appeared in their talent contest. Then I’d hop up to VE and VJ days to celebrate the (all too fleeting) peace after the end of WWII. After that it would be pretty kewl to jump to the 50s and watch myself arrive on the planet.

  13. I would like to try living in the fifties, with the war and rationing behind us and colour and style decorating all areas of life.

  21. I would love to go way back to the 1950s,When times were slower.GIVE ME MAYBERRY!!!! HA!HA!HA!!!!

  22. I have to laugh at the replies which said the 50s and the 70s since I grew up during those years—makes me start to feel old!! I would love to visit the roaring 20s. My grandmother always talked about them and how wild she was–would love the chance to experience those days with her. I love the clothing of the colonial era, but I do not think I would have made a very good pioneer. I do not care for cold weather and without the modern convenience of heaters, I would freeze for sure!!

  23. I was a teen in the 70s it was nice to be young but, I’d have to say the 90s because I really enjoyed raising my 3 children during that time.

  24. That’s a tough one! I was born in 1960 and I think it would have been fun to have been a young adult during the sixties rather than a little kid. I also like the 20’s, it sounds like it would have been an exciting time with lots of new discoveries and changes in the world.

    Thank you for the chance to win this book. These hats would suit my girls very well. 🙂

  25. I appreciate everything the past has accomplished …that I have the ability to enjoy life today and would love to experience far into to future… to have real peace…. Thanks for the giveaway!

  28. It would have to be the “taming of the west” days for me! Fresh air, growing your own food, making your own clothes – relying on yourself and other people. Would miss my computer friends but not the phone!!! 🙂

  33. I agree with “Kitten with a whiplash” in that I would love to visit certain periods in time but not actually live in any of them. All of the time periods have their good and bad times. Thank you for this contest.

  34. I would love to take a trip back in time to the 20’s,30’s and 40’s. The fashion of those times for women were amazing!! Love them.,

Have you read?

10 Knitted Christmas Bauble Patterns for a Tree Full of Handmade Charm

There’s always room for one more Christmas decoration, especially when it uses yarn you already own. That’s my reasoning, anyway. Those little leftover balls that aren’t quite enough for a hat suddenly look much more promising when you start thinking about knitted baubles.

I love the idea of adding a few handmade ornaments to the tree each year. They don’t all have to match, either. A traditional colourwork ball beside a slightly cheeky Christmas pudding feels far more interesting than a tree where everything arrived in the same box.

These knitted Christmas bauble patterns include flat-knit designs, festive characters and detailed colourwork ornaments. Most are free, with a paid collection included for anyone who wants plenty of designs to work through. Some suit newer knitters; others are small projects for practising skills you already know.

Christmas Baubles Knitted Flat

The free Christmas Baubles—Knit Flat pattern from Tat’sgrans Treasures is worth a look if knitting tiny rounds doesn’t appeal. It includes three sizes and charted words such as Peace, Hope, Love and Joy, worked using intarsia. The flat construction is approachable, although the lettering adds a challenge beyond basic stocking stitch. I’d choose this for meaningful gift ornaments, particularly when one of those words suits the person receiving it.

Christmas Pudding Bauble

The free Christmas Pudding Bauble by Amanda Berry has all the appeal of a festive pudding without anyone debating whether they actually like eating it. Knitted flat in DK yarn, it combines shaping, colourwork and seaming, with a little holly topper to finish. It’s best for confident beginners with some experience rather than someone learning their first knit stitch. At approximately 6 cm tall, it would make a lovely tree decoration or an extra treat tied onto a wrapped present.

Rudolf & Friends Character Baubles

The free Rudolf & Friends Ornaments by Claire Fairall bring a playful touch to a handmade Christmas tree. These character baubles are knitted flat, and the instructions include illustrations for assembly and embroidery. Hobbii lists the pattern as suitable for beginners, making it a useful option for knitters who would rather practise finishing details than stranded colourwork. The finished ornaments measure approximately 8 × 6 cm and would also look cheerful tucked into a handmade wreath.

Cute Christmas Baubles With Little Faces

The free Cute Christmas Baubles from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days turn small amounts of DK yarn into cheerful character decorations. Worked flat and seamed, they use simple shaping, stuffing and added facial details to create their personality. They suit knitters comfortable with knit, purl, increases and decreases who enjoy a little assembly afterwards. I rather like Marianna’s idea of using them on the Christmas dinner table before adding hanging loops for the tree.

Rudolph’s Nose Christmas Bauble

The free Rudolph’s Nose Bauble from DROPS Design is a useful choice when you want a traditional ball-shaped ornament. Designed in DROPS Flora, it uses knitting in the round with increases and decreases to create the shape. Choose this if you’re comfortable handling a small circumference and want a project focused on construction. I’d make a few in coordinating colours to bring a little consistency to an otherwise wonderfully mismatched handmade tree.

Merry Mints Bauble

The free Merry Mints Bauble from DROPS Design offers another festive option, this time designed in DROPS Cotton Merino. The instructions include working back-and-forth rows and shaping, so it’s worth considering if you prefer that approach to tiny rounds. Read through the construction before starting and pay attention to the instructions for working yarn overs to avoid unwanted holes. This would be a nice project for a knitter who enjoys seeing a shaped decoration emerge from a small piece of knitting.

Caorann Fair Isle Christmas Bauble

The free Caorann Christmas Bauble by Sarah Berry brings delicate Fair Isle detail to a small ornament. It uses fingering-weight yarn and 2.5 mm needles, with instructions sized for an approximately 60 mm bauble insert. Worked in the round, the design includes both written and charted directions for its repeated segments. I’d save this one for knitters with some colourwork experience who want to make a particularly special keepsake.

A Dated 2026 Christmas Bauble

The free 2026 Christmas Bauble by Smaatterier combines the year with two traditional Selbu rose motifs. It’s knitted in the round using stranded colourwork across the middle, with either fibre filling or a suitably sized plastic bauble inside. The charted design is listed as intermediate and finishes at approximately 6.5 cm tall. This is a lovely choice for marking a first Christmas in a new home, a family milestone or simply another year of making things by hand.

Colourful Christmas Balls From Two Strands

The free Christmas Balls by Mary Ann Stephens are full of colourwork detail, with optional touches such as duplicate stitch and nupps. The designer also discusses I-cord hanging loops, which give the ornaments a pleasingly substantial finish. These are better suited to knitters comfortable following charts and managing several colours than complete beginners. Follow the updated download directions in the post to find the patterns on the designer’s current website.

ARNE & CARLOS Christmas Ball Collection

The paid Twenty-four Christmas Balls 2024 collection by ARNE & CARLOS includes a basic ball pattern and 24 different motif charts. The ornaments are worked in the round using stranded colourwork, with a linked tutorial to help you follow the process. Although the designer lists the collection as beginner level, I’d be comfortable knitting in the round and making increases and decreases before starting. This is the pick for someone who wants a whole collection of coordinated ornaments rather than just one small project.

Choosing Yarn for Knitted Baubles

Small decorations are tempting stash projects, but check the yarn weight before diving into that leftover basket. A thicker yarn can make a much larger bauble, while changing the yarn in a fitted cover may stop it fitting the recommended insert.

For colourwork, choose shades with enough contrast for the motif to show. Two lovely colours can look surprisingly similar once they’re knitted together, especially on something this small.

Smooth yarn also makes it easier to see your stitches. Save the fluffy, sparkly and slightly mysterious leftovers for a pattern where you’re confident they’ll work.

Getting a Nicely Rounded Finish

If your pattern uses stuffing, add it gradually and spread it evenly. You’re aiming for a rounded ornament without stretching the stitches so far apart that the filling shows through. For designs worked over an insert, check the diameter and follow the instructions for when to put it inside.

Give the finishing a little time, too. A neat seam, securely woven ends and a tidy hanging loop help a small decoration feel properly finished.

I’d start with a pair for the tree and one to give away. Of course, once you’ve laid out all those yarn colours, “just three” may become a rather flexible arrangement.