Triangles Tam

Three posts in two weeks! I'm guessing that by now it's pretty obvious that school is out for the holidays :) I've been merrily knitting away on the couch, starting a new Christmas tradition: savouring every version of Pride and Prejudice I can get my hands on. I've watched four so far!

Anyway. What I'm supposed to show you is this:

Oops. That one's rather blurry, isn't it?

It's a slouchy tam to match the Triangles cowl. I wanted to knit my paternal grandmother a hat this Christmas. She taught me how to knit when I was 7 or 8, those long, skinny, striped garter-stitch scarves that I never quite figured out how to cast off and finish... She kept them in a pleather trunk by the television, where I was to leave them before I went home, but was always welcomed to pick up again on our next visit... She looks beautiful in deep, bluish reds, so I dug through my stash and was really pleased to find two skeins of Louisa Harding Kashmir DK.

If you'd like to knit your own, I'm happy to share what I did!

Triangles Tam

EDIT MARCH 2014:

**I see that the hat tuned out too large for some knitters. I've recently knit my third Triangles Tam and it really is very loose-fitting. Please consider using fingering weight and size US 4 needles rather than my recommended DK weight with US 6 for a closer-fitting hat.**

Materials:

~~US 4 DPNs~~ US 2-3 DPNs or circular needles for ribbed band.
~~US 5 or US 6~~ US 4 DPNs or circular needles for the body of the hat
1.5 skeins (I used well under 2 skeins) of Louisa Harding Kashmir DK, or any other ~~DK yarn~~ fingering weight yarn that gives you a gauge of 22 stitches over 4” with a US 6 needle.

Sizes: The size I knit is for my 24" noggin (circumference when measured from top of forehead, down one ear, accross upper neck where it meets my head, back up over the other ear, back to the top of forehead.) Best to try it on after the first row on triangles have been completed to check fit.

Mini triangles chart:

Using size US 3 ~~or US 4~~ DPNs or a 16” circular needle (or longer, if using magic loop method), cast on 112 stitches. Join to knit in the round.

Place marker to indicate start of row.

Work in 2x2 rib for approximately ¾ of an inch, or 7 rows.

Change size ~~US 5~~ US 4 needles, and work the next row as follows:

Row 1: *Purl one stitch, purl in front and back of next stich. Repeat from * until the end of row. This is fiddly, it’s true, but you’ll only need to do it for this row, I promise!
(Here’s a good video on how to do the purl in front and back move: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPJCawekDfY)
You now have 168 stitches, which appears like a regular purled row.

Row2: Begin working from 2^nd row of triangle chart. (Chart reads from right to left each row.) Repeat these 6 stitches from row 2 of triangle chart until the end of row.

Rows 3-7: Work according to chart.

Now work the entire 7-row triangle chart 3 more times.

You now have completed 4 repeats of little triangles.

Next row (decrease row): Purl 11 stitches. For the 12^th stitch, work a double decrease: [slip 2 stitches from the LH needle to the RH needle as if to purl. Purl the next stitch on the LH needle. With the LH needle, bring both slipped stitches together over the purled stitch off the RH needle]. Repeat these 12 stitches to the end of row.

Work rows 2 – 7 of triangle chart.

Next row: Purl 9 stitches. For the 10^th stitch, work a double decrease as described above.

Work rows 2 – 7 of triangle chart.

Next row: Purl 7 stitches. For the 8^th stitch, work a double decrease as described above.

Work rows 2 – 7 of triangle chart.

Next row: Purl 5 stitches. For the 6^th stitch, work a double decrease as described above.

Work rows 2 – 7 of triangle chart.

Next row: *Purl 2 stitches, work a double decrease. Repeat from * until the last two stitches, purl 2.

Next row: *Purl 1, work a double decrease. Repeat from * until end of row.

Next row: Repeat as above until last stitch, purl 1. Break yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches. Pull gently to close hole, and weave in end.

I blocked mine over a mixing bowl: