In the sixteenth century, King Edward VI popularized a beret with a brim very similar to the brim of a British beefeater (a flat-topped crown of medium height gathered into a headband with a medium-wide brim)—a black beaver hat that originated in the same period and was worn then by British yeomen and warders of the Tower of London.
The llama/wool blend I have used produces supple gathers and luxurious warmth. I’ve contemporized the overall shape, softening the crown and securing the outer edge of the brim with an upturned edge, but I have remained true to the hat’s original character. King Edward VI may not be remembered as a fashion icon, but the silhouette of his beret truly transcends the ages.
This hat is worked in the round, beginning with the crown. Then stitches for the brim are picked up along the edge of the crown, and the brim is worked downward to the lower edge.
Finished Size: Crown circumference: to fit 22 to 23" (56 to 58.5 cm) head.
Yarn: About 254 yd (232 m) of chunky (Bulky #5) yarn.
We used: Classic Elite Montera (50% llama, 50%wool, 127 yd [116 m]/100 g): #3813 black, 254 yd (232 m).
Needles: Size 9 (5.5 mm): 16" (40-cm) circular (cir) and set of 5 double-pointed (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions: Marker (m); tapestry needle; 34" (86.5 cm) plastic boning to shape brim (available at fabric and craft stores); about 8" (20.5 cm) smooth cotton yarn for knitted cord provisional CO; size J/9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook.
Gauge: 16 sts and 20 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in St st worked in the rnd (see Glossary, page 134, for working gauge swatches in the rnd).
With cir needle, CO 80 sts. Place marker and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Knit 2 rnds even. Inc as foll:
Inc rnd 1: *K3, work lifted inc (see Glossary, page 136) in next st; rep from * to end of rnd—100 sts.
Knit 2 rnds even.
Inc rnd 2: *K4, lifted inc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd—120 sts.
Knit even until piece measures 3½" (9 cm) from CO.
Dec as foll:
Dec rnd 1: [K10, k2tog] 10 times—110 sts rem.
Knit 1 rnd even.
Dec rnd 2: [K9, k2tog] 10 times—100 sts rem.
Knit 1 rnd even.
Cont in this manner, knitting 1 st fewer between decs every other rnd until 20 sts rem. Next rnd: *K2tog; rep from * to end of rnd—10 sts rem.
Cut yarn, thread tail on tapestry needle, draw through rem sts, and pull tight to secure. Weave in loose ends.
With cir needle and RS facing, pick up and knit 80 sts in unused loops of CO edge. Knit 2 rnds even. Inc as foll:
Inc rnd 1: *K3, lifted inc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd—100 sts.
Knit 2 rnds even.
Inc rnd 2: *K4, lifted inc in next st; rep from * to end of rnd—120 sts.
Knit even until piece measures 3¾" (9.5 cm) from pick-up rnd. BO all sts.
Boning: Shape plastic boning into a ring, overlapping 1/2" (1.3 cm). Machine zigzag or hand sew in place. Place boning on knit side along outer edge of brim and fold brim edge up and over boning toward hat center (purl sts will be visible on RS of work). With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, use a whipstitch (see Glossary, page 139) to sew boning in place.
Knitted cord band: With dpn and using a crochet chain provisional method (see Glossary, page 130), CO 4 sts. Work 4-st knitted cord (see Glossary, page 137) until piece measures about 22" (56 cm), or length to fit comfortably around head. Remove provisional CO and use Kitchener st (see Glossary, page 139) to graft cord ends into a ring. Place knitted-cord band around hat at boundary between crown and brim, and with yarn threaded on a tapestry needle and working with WS of hat facing you, use a backstitch (see Glossary, page 138) to stitch in place.
The glengarry is the old bluebonnet of the Highlanders—so-called because it has always been made of blue wool—but folded to make a crease in the top. A little blue or red tuft in the glengarry signified a clan chief. Traditionally, the glengarry has stiff sides and is banded with a plaid tartan pattern of the Stuart colors to memorialize Bonnie Prince Charlie.
With a bit of short-row engineering, I shaped this hat and knitted it all in one piece, with a center top graft to finish it off. The merino-and-silk yarn I used presents a fine dark blue heather for the traditional main color, complemented by red and white.
This hat is worked in the round from the sideband to the center top, and is shaped with short rows.
Finished Size: About 22½" (57 cm) circumference and 4" (10 cm) tall at highest point of side.
Yarn: About 218 yd (199 m) of main color and 109 yd (100 m) each of two contrasting colors of DK-weight (Light #3) yarn.
We used: Naturally Merino et Soie (70% New Zealand wool, 30% silk; 109 yd [100 m]/100 g): #108 very dark blue, 218 yd (199 m); #103 white and #107 red, 109 yd (100 m) each.
Needles: Size 6 (4 mm): 16" (40-cm) circular (cir). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge. Spare set of straight needles for Kitchener finishing.
Notions: Markers (m); tapestry needle.
Gauge: 20 sts and 28 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in St st worked in the rnd (see Glossary, page 134 for working gauge swatches in the rnd).
With dark blue, CO 112 sts. Place marker (pm) to denote cap back and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Purl 1 rnd. Work color work band as foll:
Rnd 1: *K3 white, sl 1 dark blue; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: *K3 white, k1 red; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 3: *K3 dark blue, p1 red; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 4: *K3 white, k1 dark blue; rep from * to end of rnd.
Rnd 5: *K3 white, sl 1 dark blue; rep from * to end of rnd.
Cut off white and red. Cont with dark blue as foll: Knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd. Next rnd: K57, pm, k55, remove m from beg of rnd, k1, pm (the beg of rnd is moved forward by 1 st). Make ridges at center front and center back as foll:
Rnd 1: K53, pm, vertical double dec (sl 2 sts tog kwise, k1, p2sso; see Glossary, page 133), k53, vertical double dec—108 sts rem.
Rnd 2: *K53, lift a stitch from behind the front st of the double dec and knit it, knit the center st of the double dec, lift up the other st from behind the center st and knit it; rep from *—112 sts.
Rep these 2 rnds 4 more times, ending with Rnd 2—112 sts; piece should measure about 3" (7.5 cm) from CO. Remove marker, slip last st of rnd from right needle onto left needle, replace m onto right needle (marker now immediately follows the raised center st of vertical double dec), transfer slipped st back to right needle and count as first st of the 48 sts to be knit as short rows. Work short rows (see Glossary, page 136) as foll:
Short-row 1: K48, wrap next st, turn.
Short-row 2: P41, wrap next st, turn.
Short-row 3: K34, wrap next st, turn.
Short-row 4: P27, wrap next st, turn.
Short-row 5: K20, wrap next st, turn.
Short-row 6: P13, wrap next st, turn.
Short-row 7: K35, working wraps tog with wrapped sts as you go, ending at center front—one side completed. (Note: This will hide only half of the wraps; the remaining wraps are picked up after the short-row shaping on the other side of hat.)
Move center front marker 1 st to the right where it now immediately follows the raised center st of the vertical double dec. The st in front of the marker is now the first st in the rnd. Beg at center front, rep Short-rows 1–7 once to work the second side of hat, ending at center back. Knit 1 rnd, working rem wraps tog with wrapped sts as you go, keeping marker in place.
Purl 1 row for turning ridge. Beg at center back marker, k38, wrap next st, turn, p22, wrap next st, turn, k24, wrap next st, turn, p26, wrap next st, turn, k28, wrap next st, turn. Cont in this manner, working 2 more sts each row until you work the last 2 rows of this side as foll: P54, remove m and wrap center st, replace m, turn work, k56 (all sts on one side of crown). Hide wraps as you go by working them tog with wrapped sts. Rep from * for second side until you work k56 sts.
With WS tog, place 56 sts of each half of crown onto a straight needle for finishing, hold needles parallel making sure needle points are toward the working yarn. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle and using the Kitchener st (see Glossary, page 139), graft sts tog. Weave in loose ends. If necessary, steam WS of tartan border manipulating work to prevent a wavy edge. Turn hat to RS. Fold center top down along turning ridges and steam lightly (sides should lay flat).
The Emerald Isle has produced a wealth of beautiful cabled knit stitches for the world to admire, reproduce, and proudly wear. While they obviously reflect the ropes that are so much a part of the lives of a fishing community, cable designs have been part of Irish artistic culture since the first torques (neck rings made of gold or bronze wire twisted into a rope) were made by the Celts in the sixth century B.C.
Using the cable idea, I have braided a cable from knitted strips and hand-stitched the braid onto a ribbed stocking-hat foundation. The off-white wool made famous by knitters on the Aran Isles gives the hat a distinctive Irish flavor.
This hat is worked in the round from the brim/sides to the center top. The cable braid is worked in three separate strips that are braided together, then sewn to the crown.
Finished Size: About 20" (51 cm) circumference (stretches to 23" [58.5 cm]) and 7" (18 cm) tall. Each strip for cable braid measures 3" (7.5 cm) wide, before braiding.
Yarn: About 360 yd (329 m) of worsted-weight (Medium #4) yarn.
We used: Jamieson Soft Shetland (100% Shetland wool; 120 yd [109 m]/2 oz): #104 natural white, 360 yd (329 m).
Needles: Crown and Cable Braid Strips—Size 8 (5 mm): set of 4 or 5 double-pointed (dpn). Crown Shaping—Size 6 (4 mm): set of 4 or 5 dpn. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions: Marker (m); tapestry needle; long straight pins with colored heads.
Gauge: Lower Crown: 20 sts and 22 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in k2, p2 rib worked in the rnd on larger needles, stretched (see Glossary, page 134, for working gauge swatches in the rnd).
With larger needles, CO 112 sts. Place marker (pm) and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Work k2, p2 rib until piece measures 6" (15 cm) from CO. Change to smaller needles. Dec rnd: *K2tog, p2tog; rep from *—56 sts rem. Work k1, p1 rib until piece measures 1" (2.5 cm) from dec rnd. Next rnd: *Ssk (see Glossary, page 132); rep from *—28 sts rem. Cut yarn, thread tail on a tapestry needle, draw through rem sts, and pull tight to secure.
Work 3 strips back and forth as foll:
Strip 1: With larger needles, CO 12 sts. Work garter st (knit every row) until piece measures 25" (63.5 cm) from beg. BO all sts.
Strip 2: With larger needles, CO 12 sts. Work seed st as foll:
Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to end of row.
Row 2: P1, k1; rep from * to end of row.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 25" (63.5 cm) from beg. BO all sts.
Strip 3: With larger needles, CO 18 sts. Work k2, p2 rib until piece measures 25" (63.5 cm) from beg. BO all sts.
Stack the three strips, one on top of another and pin tog along short ends of all 3 strips (Figure 1). Loosely braid the strips, keeping each strip as flat as possible. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew the BO edge of each strip to its CO edge to form a ring. Adjust braid to hide seams. Place crown over a hat form or bowl of appropriate size, and pin braid for placement to lower edge of crown so lower edge of ribbed crown is hidden under the braid. Turn crown inside out, place over the hat form or bowl again, and with yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, work 2 rows of herringbone st to sew braid onto crown along center and near top of braid (Figure 2).
