I’m not sure when I first noticed the trend for hand-knitted bobble hats with a fur pom pom, last Winter I think, but I know I was grateful for its return.
As any child of the Seventies will attest, the bobble hat was a staple of our Winter wardrobe and was invariably knitted by Grandma whilst we made the pom pom ourselves the traditional way – with two polo-shaped cardboard circles.
Looking back at this vintage 70s pattern (above), why do I think the models look embarrassingly outmoded compared to the same style today (below)? I mean, the yellow cable hat is virtually identical in both photos and yet, somehow, the models look ‘cool’ in the modern photograph.
No doubt we’ll look back in another forty years and laugh but, for now, I embrace the return of the bobble hat.
The hat I had in mind had to be cable, which meant it had to be a knitting pattern rather than crochet, and it had to be written for Aran weight yarn because I had a huge ball left over from a jumper project.
So, having Googled and Pinterest-ed my way through hundreds of bobble hat patterns, I decided on the one above which is a free pattern on the Debbie Bliss website.
Sometimes I work straight from the digital pattern on my iPad but, in this case, I printed it out as it was only one A4 page long.
The tweedy yarn was Stylecraft Special Aran With 20% Wool in ‘Oatmeal’ which is a neutral, goes-with-anything shade of beige.
I chose an Alpaca fur pom pom from Toft in ‘Stone’ to match, rather than contrast with, the hat. It’s the lightest, softest pom pom you could ever imagine!
I gave you a sneak preview in my #sundaysevens post, but here it is again under construction.
The pattern called for straight 5mm needles which meant a seam would be necessary – I remembered to reverse the seam for the part of the ribbing that would fold back and be on show!
Can you knit cable in the round on a pair of circulars? I don’t know.
Anyway, before seaming I would normally block my knitting but this time I hesitated as I like the raised texture of the cables and thought blocking might flatten them to a degree.
I asked No.2 Son to model it for me so I could see what it looked like on the head without having been blocked.
I like it – so it’s staying unblocked:)
Ready for some photos?
Just look at the size of that pom pom!
I love the band of wide 2×2 ribbing.
The cables are suitably reminiscent of the 70s when they were the height of fashion and the fur pom pom brings it bang up to date.
A quick ruffle through with the fingers and all signs of hat-hair are banished!
Yup, this is a new favourite and I can see myself making several more in different colours to go with different outfits.
Has anyone else succumbed to the lure of the pom pom bobble hat recently?
January 13, 2016 at 5:01 pm
I made lots in 2014. Was rather chuffed that Ms J aged 14 chose to wear hers on the school stage singing in the choir. I did make the most enormous pompom for the top which was apparently the envy of her friends. Nana ‘s make the best hats!
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January 13, 2016 at 5:07 pm
I second that – although I haven’t yet made one for our granddaughter as she’s still at the bonnet stage:)
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January 13, 2016 at 5:03 pm
I LOVE this! Beautifully modelled too.
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January 13, 2016 at 5:09 pm
Thank you:) It’s a great pattern which I spent ages looking for. You know when you have an image of something in your mind and you have to have exactly that? This was it for me. I’m very happy with it:)
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January 13, 2016 at 5:31 pm
What do you mean those 70s models aren’t cool? 😉 Lovely hat and just in time for the cold weather!
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January 13, 2016 at 6:05 pm
Well, they were cool at the time but it makes you cringe now, doesn’t it?!
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January 14, 2016 at 7:17 am
Joking apart – I was only young, but most of the seventies made me cringe. Far too cheesey!
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January 13, 2016 at 6:05 pm
I love that yarn! And the pom pom is adorable! It’s so big and fluffy-looking. Very lovely! I can’t wait to see if you make more 😀
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January 13, 2016 at 6:07 pm
I’ve already ordered yarn for a pink one for someone in the family after she saw it on Facebook:)
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January 13, 2016 at 6:28 pm
Love this – and I am sure we will get plenty of the right weather for wearing it!
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January 14, 2016 at 9:30 am
Thanks and yes, the colder weather is on its way – just 2°C on the school run this morning and ice everywhere. Of course, I forgot to wear my hat…
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January 13, 2016 at 7:06 pm
I’m not yet ready to embrace the bobble part but love the hat itself and might even search out the pattern to make one like yours! PS The bobble looks fantastic on YOU 🙂
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January 14, 2016 at 9:33 am
It has taken a year of seeing everyone in bobble hats over here for me to rid myself of the cringey Seventies connotations associated with them! It was a bit like when flares came back into vogue in the Nineties:)
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January 14, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Oh, 70’s Flares! That still makes me cringe! …………… even though I did wear some ever-so-slightly flared jeans for a while in the 90’s.
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January 13, 2016 at 7:07 pm
I love your bobble hat! It looks so cosy. I think the problem with the 70s versions is that they are just a bit skimpy – those bobbles are certainly no match for yours!
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January 14, 2016 at 9:36 am
I think it’s the 70s fashion and hairstyles that make the bobble hat look bad. As you can see, the yellow ones are pretty much identical yet look nice on the up to date model. I don’t have a lot of yellow in my wardrobe but I love that hat, so maybe…
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January 13, 2016 at 9:07 pm
Am not a knitter, so-o-o… 😉
Don’t recall 70’s crochet hat styles, other than a now-favourite hat pattern. Come to think of it, although un-bobbled, there is the option of a pom-pom on top. Yours is lovely!
Yes, I believe it’s entirely possible to knit cables on circular needles. Just don’t ask me how! 😱
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January 14, 2016 at 9:38 am
I seem to remember 70s crocheted hats were much worse than the knitted ones! I’ve made lots of crocheted beanies but never added the bobble until now. You can do a cable effect in crochet, too, can’t you, although I’d have to look it up.
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January 14, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Yes, believe you can crochet cables (as well as bobbles, which I’ve never done), but would also have to look them up.
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January 13, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Brilliant and I love the huge pom pom. When my Dad died the one thing I wanted to have was his bobble hat, It was red, blue and yellow stripes and I have memories of it through my whole life, in the snow, bonfire nights, picking the apples, right up to a couple of years ago when he helped Hubby prune our tree. Bobble hats are just great 😃
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January 14, 2016 at 9:40 am
Bobble hats are the clothing equivalent of comfort food, aren’t they? Especially if they are associated with happy childhood memories. How lovely to remember actual occasions through looking at certain items of clothing.
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January 13, 2016 at 9:20 pm
I am sure my Mum had that knitting pattern in her collection!! Love the bobble.
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January 14, 2016 at 9:41 am
Quite possibly! Not much has changed really, I’m glad they’re enjoying a comeback:)
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January 13, 2016 at 10:10 pm
Fab! Love the vintage pattern and your version of it. Seen a lot around recently, very on-trend Sheila! Looks like the sort of item that would just make you smile every time you put it on.
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January 14, 2016 at 9:43 am
It does make me smile actually, especially when my hair needs a wash and I can just hide it all under a hat. I reckon a bobble hat suits everyone, too:)
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January 13, 2016 at 10:22 pm
WOW is all I can say. That fur pompom!!! I think I need to get out more, totally didn’t know pom pom hats were back in fashion. OMG. At least I know my daughters are on trend! My granny knitted S a hat with two pom poms on for Christmas 😛
I’m not really sure about Model A’s vintage hat – although I suppose it would be cosy, lol!
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January 14, 2016 at 9:45 am
I can say that I’m fashionable for once in my life! Yes, the balaclava does look a bit dodgy. Brilliant for kids though, but I’ve never seen one with a Pom Pom on top….
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January 13, 2016 at 10:49 pm
That’s the mother of all Pom Pom hats, I love it!
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January 14, 2016 at 9:46 am
Isn’t it just! And made from Alpacas that have died from natural causes, so ethically sound as well:)
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January 13, 2016 at 10:58 pm
Those seventies guys look like they were told to, ”fix a face for a veeeery long photo exposure’ LOL and, as I remember all clothing was quite, if not very fitted, seemingly hats being no exception as above!! ;-D
Your finished hat is ‘so now’ and suits you perfectly – love it – the huge pompom looks awesome 🙂
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January 14, 2016 at 9:49 am
Oh, the brown, ribbed, skin tight polo neck – very attractive! At the time it all must have been a good look, although vintage styles from the Forties and Fifties are so much more flattering, I feel:)
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January 14, 2016 at 8:19 pm
LOL they were so tight when you took it off, you had groove lines around your neck – remember it well ;-/!! Looking back, ‘elegant’ certainly wasn’t part of the every day fashion of the seventies
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January 14, 2016 at 8:24 pm
…just a thought…I wonder if that is why the term, ”groovy baby” became fashionable LOL ???!
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January 14, 2016 at 7:54 am
lol. Those older pattern photos. So very “posed” 🙂 makes me smile.
Love your hat, the yarn is one of my favourites, and the pattern is perfect! I need to get fur pompom really soon. 🙂
Simply beautiful. Love it!
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January 14, 2016 at 9:51 am
Thanks Joey, the yarn is such good value and feels really good to wear actually, despite being 25% wool. I’ve ordered some really expensive yarn for my next one for myself and hope it’s worth the extra money:)
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January 15, 2016 at 7:26 am
I know what you mean, and totally agree. I have been pleasantly surprised at times with “cheaper” yarns that are just stunning and washes so well. The expensive yarns are real treats to us, and normally wear so gorgeously, I am sure yours will be worth it as well. I am also contemplating a “smallish” yarn order, even though its still summer. Not that I need yarn. 🙂 (yet) 🙂
Enjoy your new yarn when it arrives.
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January 14, 2016 at 8:59 am
Oooo so pretty! And that pom pom is GORGEOUS! 🙂
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January 14, 2016 at 9:53 am
Isn’t it the best Pom Pom you’ve ever seen? I got this one whilst it was in the sale, but have just ordered more and wish I’d bought more at the time. You can’t always tell what it’s like from a web photo, can you?
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January 17, 2016 at 2:29 pm
No, squishyness and cuddle-ability are not always clear. But looks like you found a winner there!
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January 14, 2016 at 12:37 pm
I made a pom pom hat before Christmas but only wore it for the first time yesterday. My pompom has just been trounced. I should’ve gone bigger!
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January 14, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Ha ha! The bigger, the better! I knew they were bang on trend though:)
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January 14, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Fantastic hat. The pom pom makes the whole hat. To look back at what we wore in the 70’s is hysterical. We just knew we were styling and profiling. LOL You did a great job on yours. I love it.
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January 14, 2016 at 5:42 pm
Haha, I love looking through vintage knitting patterns, the catalogue posing never fails to make me smile 🙂 That is one lovely pompom, the hat looks great on you!
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January 14, 2016 at 9:44 pm
The fellow on the right in each picture seems like his “smile” has caused his face to freeze. Haha. I LOVE this bobble hat! It’s cute to start, then adding that giant pom-pom is fabulous! You can’t help but stay warm and cozy. And just look how happy you are in it. What a lovely job you’ve done here.
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January 18, 2016 at 7:08 pm
Oh! I ❤️It, ❤️ It, ❤️ It! You totally rock it!
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January 21, 2016 at 9:46 am
Brilliant! I have just ordered some pompoms for my aran hats – my daughter says these pompoms are ‘right on trend’! Thanks for the heads-up as I had no idea!!! I put your blog address as where I heard about them on the Toft order form – hope that is ok. xx
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January 21, 2016 at 9:54 am
Thank you, glad to be of service – it’s the first time I’ve ever been trendy!! You’ll love the Pom poms, they’re incredible. Hope we get to see a picture of them on the hats:)
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January 21, 2016 at 10:24 am
Oh yes! I’m sure to be blogging about them when I have them all done. I was planning to make 8 for all my grandchildren, but now I seem to be surging on to cover their parents’ heads as well – so 14 hats in all – am I mad!!!
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January 21, 2016 at 10:34 am
I’ve just read about them on your blog and, yes, you are mad!! Having said that, I’m on my third bobble hat after family saw my blog post and fell in love with mine:)
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January 21, 2016 at 10:41 am
Ha!Ha! the best form of madness! Who would have thought that bobble hats would come back into fashion. I’m not surprised yours are so popular!
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February 2, 2016 at 7:11 am
Love your pom pom hat so much that I commissioned my mum to make me one too. She has knitted the hat already and I decided to splurge and order a pom pom from Toft on your recommendation! Thanks for the inspiration and cannot wait to wear my new hat. I have ordered a cream pom pom as mine is in a traditional cream Arran which mum had in her stash xx
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February 2, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Fantastic! I’d love to put a photo of it on my blog if you send me one over? It’s just the best feeling when you know you’ve inspired others to have a go at something you’ve featured on the blog, so thank you for taking the trouble to get in touch:)
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February 2, 2016 at 10:22 pm
I will certainly send you a piccy x
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February 9, 2016 at 6:56 am
I saved the pattern of this hat! It is really lovely!! It’s on my to do list 🙂
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February 9, 2016 at 11:28 am
It’s easy to knit, too, in about 10-12 hours. Look forward to seeing it:)
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