After teaching himself to knit, author Trond Anfinnsen found that pull-on hats—aka beanies or skullies—were the perfect-size project. As his pile of hats grew, so did his knitting skills, and soon he began personalizing the hats for family, friends, and friends of friends. Each person received a unique hat designed to suit his or her coloring, personality, and style—all for free. Trond eventually teamed with photographer Klaus Skrudland to document what had become an interactive art project, taking portraits of each recipient in his or her hat. Together, the two created, gave away, and photographed more than 200 hats.


HatHeads shares 50 of these hats, all the same beanie shape but with a wide range of designs, offering something for everyone. Each hat is modeled by its recipient, with a full pattern and a funny, affectionate description of how that person inspired the design. Readers then learn how to pick up where Trond left off and create unique, personalized hats for their own friends and loved ones.


Designed in a fresh, graphic style, HatHeads is as unique as its hats, a heartwarming celebration of people, knitting, and the joys of giving.