As with all hand knit items each one is unique and some pooling will occur with hand dyed as well as mass produced yarns. Due to the nature of how yarn is dyed I will not accept returns due to pooling. Pooling is a natural process and all depends on how the yarn was dyed and how big the garment is. If you are not a big fan of pooling I recommend using a colorway that does not have as many colors or a more solid color. I will do my best to control the pooling effect by alternating skeins if possible. I will also send you progress pictures to show you how the item is coming along if you like. All items come from a smoke free dog friendly home. My usual turn around time for hats is about a 1-2 weeks depending on style and yarns chosen. Please allow 2-3 weeks for finished items not including hats from the time the yarn reaches me. I try to get most customs done within a 3 week time frame, but I do have kids and a hubby and house to take care of too. If you are unhappy with anything please contact me and we can work to resolve the issue together. All items will be sent out First Class with DC unless you want to upgrade to Priority. Insurance is optional and recommended. I am not responsible for items once they leave my hands and become the responsibility of the Postal Service. Please remember that wool knits have lots of stretch in them and when measuring your child's head it may be wise to subtract an inch or two to account for this. My size chart lists the circumference of the finished hat, unstretched, and the age it generally fits, however, this is only a guideline and each child is different. Please measure your child carefully to ensure the right fit, as I will not accept returns on custom items that do not fit as a result of wrong measurements. If you unsure of how to measure your child for a hat, please email me before ordering. I do have pictures of a Child Size hat on my 8 yr old 3 yr old and 1 yr old to compare how it fits. Thank you!