Crocheted Hoods and Cowls: 20 Enchanting Designs for Women—7 Adorable Animal Hoods for Kids

Crochet and knitwear designer Flores presents easy-to-make designs of headgear for women and children in this introductory guide to crochet. Indeed, the word “easy” appears almost as often as “cozy” in her brief headnotes, which include instructions, measurements, gauges, and supplies. Her 20 adults patterns concentrate on simple stitches. One snood uses a scalloped shell stitch; another, a faux cable stitch. Another snood uses one basic stitch worked in continuous rounds, with no need for joining. Flores’s hooded scarf works a textured stitch; a plain hood—with a “pixie feel”—is made with a ribbed stitch. The designs themselves are a mixed bag that when pictured on the models in the book often look more like medieval armor than winter garments. Luckily, the book includes seven darling headpieces for children with designs for foxes, dinosaurs, and giraffes—the bear and bunny are especially cute. All the projects are ideal for beginners, but the finished products are generally less than inspiring. (June)