Knit Yourself A Tam

Lots of people are trying to get to my web site to find the Tam pattern and for some reason, even I can't get there some of the time (I did check and yes, I've paid my bill) Anyway, here's 4 of the tams I knitted back when I made up the pattern. I just love this tam in any color. Someone mentioned that she couldn't get it to match up in the center. As you can see from some of mine, neither could I sometimes. Its just a matter of sewing I guess, sometimes I did better than others. I think a pompom on the top hides the fact that it doesn't quite match up and personally, I wish I had put a pompom on all of them because I think it looks great with one. In fact I think I'll just go ahead and add one to all of them.

Meanwhile, here's the pattern for you. Its a knitting machine pattern, if you are a hand knitter, there's also a hand knit pattern written by my daughter, Miki, on my web page at http://www.pineymountaincottage.com/tam.html

The "Tammy", abbreviated from the Tam O'Shanter (after Burns' bibulous hero) became popular wear for young ladies in later Victorian times. The Fairisle version had a long popularity. Generally today stitches are cast on for the brim; there is a short ribbed band; the pattern is introduced and the stitches are increased to the widest part, and then reduced to form the crown. Some have continuous increasing and decreasing; others fit any change of size into plain rows between narrow bands of different patterns as is also done for some yoked jerseys. Some have a very little shaping between the brim and the beginning of the wheel pattern, relying on dressing to give the tammy its shape by stretching the knitting. The finished tammy is dressed on a suitably-sized plate or piece of firm card, and should lie flat. (from The Complete Book Of Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila McGregor)



MATERIALS: English 4 ply Main Color
Denys Brunton Magic Color for Contrast Color (cc) (or any English 4 ply)
Ribber Tension 3/3 II
Fairisle Isle Tension 7 (Gauge not too important
Gauge: Any electronic 24 stitch punchcard or electronic machine (instructions written for Brother knitting machine)

DIRECTIONS:RC 00
With ribber cast on 182 stitches and work 11 rows 1 x 1 rib, ending with carriage on left.
Transfer stitches to main bed.
At this point, make absolutely sure you now have needles 91 and 91 in work.

RC 00
Set carriage for Pattern # 1 and all-over fairisle (selector # 1, KC 1)
Work pattern. (you will have 2 plain rows in the end).
Remove ribber cast on comb.

Scrap off work into 26 stitch sections. Starting at the left side, take sts 66 - 91; 40 - 65; 14 - 39 off onto scrap yarn.. Then to the right side take sts 66-91; 40-65, 14-39 off onto scrap yarn. Leave the center 26 stitches on the bed.

*Pattern notes: You will not be knitting a single motif as opposed to all-over fairisle. There is no need to wrap stitches as normally done in single motif work. As you decrease, make absolutely sure you watch the selected needles. You could easily corrupt your star by not leaving the correct CC needle forward.

Set carriage for KC II or so that end needles are not selected. Set machine for single motif (selector 2 on electronic machines). Program Pattern # 2.
910 and 965 users, set FNP at Y 12.
Hang claw weights on remaining stitches.

RC 00 start pattern #2. (first 2 rows across will be plain MC, second row will select for pattern)
Decrease 1 stitch each end on 3rd row and every 3rd row to RC 18

RC 18: Decrease 1 stitch each side EOR to end of pattern
RC 25: Remove all weights. Set carriage for normal knitting. Break off CC.
Continue decreasing EOR until 1 stitch remains, take off. *

Repeat from * to * until all sections are knitted.

FINISHING: Sew seams carefully making sure star points meet and match.
When sewn, place a dinner plate inside the Tamm, working and stretching until the fairisle pattern between the first 2 argyle patterns is on the edge of the plate. Steam well, being careful not to steam the ribbing. When finished, your Tamm will lay flat. You can crochet a chain to put in the very center or put a tiny pon pon or a small tassel.

Copyright, Rosalind Porter, Piney Mountain Cottage
The information, patterns and images contained on this page are for personal use and may not be altered, converted nor uploaded to any electronic system or BBS nor included in any compact disk (CD-ROM) or collection of any type