Janet

Well, after quite a long hiatus from blogging, and even longer from designing- or rather, taking notes and writing stuff up- here I am again with another hat pattern. Janet is a very special person and lovely friend, and when I had to go away I decided to knit her a hat. A special hat. So I scoured Ravelry for just the right hat and it... it wasn't there, not quite. I found a stitch pattern I liked and dove in with all my knitterly abandon, even marking down what I was doing with the half-formed notion of... another blog post, another design.

I have sadly not got myself charting software and my hard drive was wiped out so even my Excel is gone- however the urge to post has come over me and I will add a chart as soon as it is ready.

This pattern has not been proofread by anyone other than myself. I believe I got all the kinks out but if you see something wrong, please let me know.

This tam is worked in the round from the brim to the crown. A series of well placed decreases creates a floret at the crown from the lace pattern.

Materials:

-Worsted weight wool or wool blend, about 100 grams

I used "Alpaca Love" by Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. One ball was enough for gauge swatch and hat, with barely twelve inches left over. I'd suggest getting two balls.

-16 inch circular needles, size 5 (3.75mm) and 7 (4.5mm)

-4 double pointed needles, size 7 (4.5mm)

or size needed to get gauge

-stitch markers

-yarn needle

Gauge:

17 sts and 26 rows to 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette on size 7 (4.5 mm) needles

Size: To fit adult women's heads. The ribbing will stretch to fit fairly large noggins and big hair; mine is 21 inches around which I've heard is on the small side.

Lace Pattern as worked in the round:

repeat of 12 sts

rnd 1: k1, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog

rnd 2: k1, ssk, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog

rnd 3: k1, ssk, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog

rnd 4: k1, ssk, yo, k7, yo, k2tog

rnd 5: k1, yo, k3, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3, yo

rnd 6: k2, yo, k2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, yo, k1

rnd 7: k3, yo, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, yo, k2

rnd 8: k4, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k3

Cast on 90 sts onto size 5 circular and join, being careful not to twist sts. Place marker for beginning of round. K1,P1 for 8 rounds

Next Round:

change to size 7 circular needle

*k5, m1* repeat 18 times for a total of 108 sts.

Next Round:

begin lace pattern, making 9 repeats around hat.

Work the 8 rows, 4 times for a slouchy tam, 3 times for a less slouchy beret or a smaller head.

This one has four repeats and is fairly slouchy.

Begin crown shaping, switching to dpn's when stitches become too few to fit on circular.

rnd 1: *k1, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo k3, k2tog, k1, ssk, k7, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, k2tog* 3 times, placing marker at beginning of each section. (102 sts)

rnd 2: *k1, ssk, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog* 3 times (96 sts)

rnd 3: *k1, ssk, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog* 3 times (90 sts)

rnd 4: *k1, ssk, yo, k7, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo, k7, yo, k2tog* 3 times (84 sts)

rnd 5: *k4, k2tog, k1, ssk, k4, cdd, k4, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3* 3 times (66 sts)

rnd 6: *k3, k2tog, k1, ssk, k7, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2* 3 times (54 sts)

rnd 7: *k2, k2tog, k1, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1* 3 times (42 sts)

rnd 8: *k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1, ssk* 3 times (30 sts)

rnd 9: *k1, k3tog, cdd, k3tog,* 3 times (12 sts)

rnd 10: k12

rnd 11: k2tog 6 times (6 sts)

Cut yarn and thread with yarn needle through six remaining stitches, drawing them closed. Tie off yarn, weave in ends. Block hat to shape

on a plate and enjoy!

Find my project on Ravelry

Abbreviations:

k: knit

yo: bring yarn over needle

k2tog: knit next two stitches into one

k3tog: knit next three stitches into one

ssk: slip next two stitches knitwise, slip back to left hand needle and knit together

m1: insert needle into the horizontal bar between the next two stitches, pick it up and knit it twisted (to avoid a hole).

cdd: centered double decrease: insert needle into next two stitches as if to knit them together. Slip them onto right hand needle and knit the next stitch. Pass the slipped stitches over the it.