Review: A Hat for Mrs. Goldman

Because I have a child who is still into picture books, I love it when I find children’s books about knitting.

Luckily the publisher sent me a copy of A Hat for Mrs. Goldman: A Story about Knitting and Love by Michelle Edwards, illustrated by G. Brian Karas.

The book tells a really sweet story about Mrs. Goldman, the neighbor lady who knits hats for everyone else and ends up with a cold head herself. Sophia got her first hat from Mrs. Goldman when she was a baby, then she made pom-poms for the hats Mrs. Goldman made.

“Keeping keppies warm is our mitzvah,” says Mr.s Goldman, kissing the top of Sophia’s head. “This is your keppie, and a mitzvah is a good deed.”

Sophia notices Mrs. Goldman’s head isn’t covered because she gave away her hat, and she’s too busy knitting for everyone else to knit herself a replacement. So Sophia decides to try to knit her one, even though she’d decided when she learned to knit that “knitting is hard. And it takes too long.”

While the hat doesn’t come out exactly the way she expects, it is a precious act of love and allows Sophia to feel “her heart grow bigger and lighter, like a balloon.” Just what it’s like to make something for someone else.

This book is geared toward readers ages 4 to 8, or for anyone who loves to knit and wants to celebrate the joy in the simple act of giving. There’s also a pattern for a flat-knit hat and pom-poms included.

About the book: 40 pages, hardcover with dust jacket, published October 2016 by Random House Children’s Books. Retail price $17.99.

Next Pattern:

Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]

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