Here are the four different versions of the Tamalpais Hat, named in honor of our local mountain.
Upper left: v. 1.0. Upper right: v. 3.0. Bottom right: v. 2.0. Bottom Left: v. 4.0. (I realize that the pattern is hard to see in 1.0, but look below for an additional shot of Melissa in the second hat I knit with this pattern.)
As you can see, they vary a bit in size and guage. Since I’m often knitting just to see “what if?,” rather than knitting for a particular person, I don’t worry too much about these when I start a project—just so long as the finished piece falls in a range so that it fits some sort of humanoid. Feel free to adjust yarn weights and needle size to achieve the results you want.
This hat has its genesis in a scarf I knit last fall for my mother that used a pattern from the Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns, which alternated 10-row bands of moss stitch with small, interlocking stockingette “teeth.” Version 1.0 remained true to the stitch as written, using one full pattern repeat and then enough moss stitch to build a hat around it. I cast on with a thick-and-thin rib intended to echo and emphasize the “teeth.” Here you see individual shots of the two hats I knit using this pattern:
V. 1.0 worked in Louisa Harding Kimono Angora. (I slipped a bit of paper towel inside the hat, so the eyelets show up as white dots if you look closely.)
V. 1.1 worked in Rowanspun Aran.
V. 2.0 came about as a result of some making-the-best-of-an-unfortunate-circumstance knitting.
V. 2.0 in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes and KnitPicks Merino Style.
I’d started this hat in Wool of the Andes, but the single skein I had in my chosen color wasn’t quite enough to work up the whole hat. So I frogged it back to the last row before the decreases and changed to Merino Style as I began the decreases. I figured that the best way to make the change look deliberate would be to emphasize it, so I switched to stockingette as well.
By the time I’d finished these hats, I’d decided I wanted to make three changes: first, I wanted to make the “teeth” bigger, so they’d really seem like “mountains”; because I was planning this change, I also wanted to rework the thick-and-thin rib to match the new mountains; finally, I wanted to work the mountains in moss, rather than leaving them in stockingette. And while I was at it, I decided to try reducing the number of moss stich rows I worked before beginning the mountains. This led to v. 3.0
V. 3.0 worked in Debbie Bliss Merino DK.
Now, this new version pleased me in some ways, but I didn’t like how the mountains looked moved down so close to the ribbing, and, while I liked the moss stitch on the mountains, I started to think the “sky” above the mountains was looking a bit too bumpy. I wanted more contrast between “earth” and “air.” So, I came up with v. 4.0, which moved the mountains back up and switched to stockingette for the top half of the hat. Because Melissa had requested a shorter hat that wouldn’t completely cover her ears and would work for warm-weather wear, I also changed the dimensions to make this hat more of a beanie.
V. 4.0 worked in KnitPicks Shine Sport.
This last version of the hat pleased me enough that I was finally able to move on to other projects.
And now for the patterns. In my next post, I’ll include some remarks on the various yarns I used working these up. I’ll also include photos of these hats being modeled by actual human beings when I get the chance.
Abbreviations that Apply to All Patterns
**: Stitch sequences between two asterisks should be repeated until a full round is completed.
K2tog: Knit two stitches together, resulting in a one-stitch decrease.
K3tog: Knit three stitches together, resulting in a two-stitch decrease.
P3tog: Purl three stitches together, resulting in a two-stitch decrease.
Sl 1 K-wise, K2tog, PSSO: Slip one stitch as if knitting. Knit the next two stitches together, then pass the slipped stitch to the left over this stitch, dropping it from the right hand needle, resulting in a two-stitch decrease.
SSK: One at a time, slip two stitches knit-wise onto the right-hand needle. Leaving these stitches on the right-hand needle, insert the left-hand needle into them as well from the opposite side, then knit the two stitches together through the back, resulting in a one-stitch decrease. If you prefer, you can simply K2tog through the back, which will look slightly different, but will work equally well.
YO: Yarn over needle to form a new stitch.
Tamalpais Hat V. 1.0 Pattern
Yarn: One ball of either Louisa Harding Kimono Angora (70% angora, 25% wool, 5% nylon, 124 yards per 25 gram ball) or Rowanspun Aran (100% wool, 219 yards per 100 gram ball) or equivalent.
Needles: 16″ circular U.S. size 7 and five U.S. size 7 double points.
Finished Measurements: Approx. 19″ diameter flat, stretches comfortably to 24″; approx. 9″ from edge to crown following the curve.
Cast on 88 stitches, place marker and close circle.
Work 7 rounds of *P2, K3, P2, K1* rib.
Work ten rounds of moss stitch as follows:
Odds: *K1, P1*
Evens: *P1, K1*
Work one full set of the six-round pattern stitch as follows:
Round 1: *YO, ssk, K3, K2tog, YO, K1*
Rounds 2, 4, and 6: K around
Round 3: *K1, YO, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, K2*
Round 5: *K2, YO, Sl1 K-wise, K2tog, PSSO, YO, K3*
Continue working in moss stitch, beginning with a *P1, K1* round until the piece measures approx. 6″. End with a *K1, P1* round.
Work decreases as follows, swtiching to double points and starting with 22 stitches each on 4 needles:
Round 1: *(P1, K1) 9 times, P1, K3 tog* (20 stitches remain on each needle)
All even rounds: *K1, P1*
Round 3: *(P1, K1) 4 tims, P3tog, (K1, P1) 4 times, K1* (18 stitches per needle)
Round 5: *(P1, K1) 7 times, P1, K3tog* (16 stitches per needle)
Round 7: *(P1, K1) 3 times, P3tog, (K1, P1) 3 times, K1* (14 stitches per needle)
Round 9: *(P1, K1) 5 times, P1, K3tog* (12 stitches per needle)
Round 11: *(P1, K1) 2 times, P3tog, (K1, P1) 2 times, K1* (10 stitches per needle)
Round 13: *(P1, K1) 3 times, P1, K3tog* (8 stitches per needle)
Round 15: *P1, K1, P3tog, K1, P1, K1* (6 stitches per needle)
Round 17: *P1, K1, P1, K3tog* (4 stitches per needle)
Round 19: *P3tog, K1* (2 stitches per needle)
Cut working end of yarn to 6″ and run counter-clockwise through remaining stitches on needles using yarn needle. Pull tight and draw yarn end to inside of hat. Weave in ends.
Tamalpais Hat v. 2.0 Pattern
Yarn: One ball each KnitPicks Wool of the Andes and KnitPicks Merino Style or equivalents.
Needles: 16″ circular U.S. size 7 and five U.S. size 7 double points.
Size: Approx. 16″ diameter flat, stretches comfortably to 25″ as this is a very elastic rib; approx.9.5″ edge to crown following the curve.
Follow directions for V. 1.0 using wool of the Andes until you are ready to work decreases, then work as follows, changing to Merino Style. Switch to double points when necessary.
Round 1 and all odd rounds through round 17: K around
Round 2: *K9, K2tog*
Round 4: *K8, K2tog*
Round 6: *K7, K2tog*
Round 8: *K6, K2tog*
Round 10: *K5, K2tog*
Round 12: *K4, K2tog*
Round 14: *K3, K2 tog*
Round 16: *K2, K2tog*
Round 18: *K1, K2tog*
Round 19: *K2tog*
Cut working end of yarn to 6″ and run counter-clockwise through remaining stitches on needles using yarn needle. Pull tight and draw yarn end to inside of hat. Weave in ends.
Tamalpais Hat V. 3.0 Pattern
Yarn: One ball Debbie Bliss Merino DK (100% merino wool, 110 meters per 50 gram ball) or equivalent.
Needles: U.S. #6 16″ circular and set of five U.S. size 6 double points.
Size: Approx. 19″ diameter flat, stetches comfortably to 26″ as this is a very elastic rib; approx. 10″ edge to crown following the curve.
Cast on 112 stitches, place marker and close circle.
Work 7 rounds of *P2, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P2, K1* rib.
Work six rounds of moss stitch as follows:
Odds: *P1, K1*
Evens: *K1, P1*
Work one full set of the eleven-round pattern stitch as follows:
Round 1: *YO, SSK, (P1, K1) 4 times), P1, K2tog, YO, K1*
Round 2: *K3, (P1, K1) 4 times, K2, P1*
Round 3: *K1, YO, SSK, (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, K2tog, YO, K2*
Round 4: as round 2
Round 5: *P1, K1, YO, (P1, K1) 2 times, P1, K2tog, YO, K1, P1, K1*
Round 6: *K1, P1, K3, P1, K1, P1, K3, P1, K1, P1*
Round 7: *P1, K2, YO, SSK, K1, P1, K1, K2tog, YO, K2, P1, K1*
Round 8: as round 6
Round 9: *(P1, K1) 2 times, YO, SSK, P1, K2tog, YO, (K1, P1) 2 times, P1*
Round 10: *K1, P1) 2 times, K5, (P1, K1) 2 times, P1*
Round 11: *P1, K1, P1, K2, YO, Sl 1 K-wise, K2tog, PSSO, YO, K2, (P1, K1) 2 times*
Work in moss stitch beginning with a *K1, P1* round, until piece measures approx. 6″. End with a *K1, P1* row.
Work decreases as follows, switching to double points when necessary and evenly dividing stitches among four double pointed needles:
Round 1: *(P1, K1) 12 times, P1, K3tog*
Round 2 and all even rounds: *K1, P1*
Round 3: *(P1, K1) 5 times), P1, K3tog, (P1, K1) 6 times*
Round 5: *(P1, K1) 10 times, P1, K3tog*
Round 7: *(P1, K1) 4 times, P1, K3tog, (P1, K1) 5 times*
Round 9: *(P1, K1) 8 times, P1, K3tog*
Round 11: *(P1, K1) 3 times, P1, K3tog, (P1, K1) 4 times*
Round 13: *(P1, K1) 6 times, P1, K3tog*
Round 15: *(P1, K1) 2 times, P1, K3tog, (P1, K1) 3 times*
Round 17: *(P1, K1) 4 times, P1, K3tog*
Round 19: *P1, K1, P1, K3tog, (P1, K1) 2 times*
Round 21: *(P1, K1) 2 times, P1, K3tog*
Round 23: *P1, K3tog, P1, K1*
Round 25: *P1, K3tog*
Cut working end of yarn to 6″ and run counter-clockwise through remaining stitches on needles using yarn needle. Pull tight and draw yarn end to inside of hat. Weave in ends.
Tamalpais Hat V. 4.0 Pattern
Yarn: One ball KnitPicks Shine Sport (60% pima cotton, 40% modal, 110 yards per 50 gram ball) or equivalent.
Needles: U.S. #6 16″ circular and set of five U.S. size 6 double points.
Size: Approx. 19″ diameter flat, stretches comfortable to 24″; approx. 8.5″ edge to crown following the curve.
Cast on 112 stitches, place marker and close circle.
Work 7 rounds of *P2, K1, P2, K3, P2, K1, P2, K1* rib.
Work ten rounds of moss stitch as follows:
Odds: *P1, K1*
Evens: *K1, P1*
Work one full set of the eleven-round pattern stitch as follows:
Round 1: *YO, SSK, (P1, K1) 4 times), P1, K2tog, YO, K1*
Round 2: *K3, (P1, K1) 4 times, K3*
Round 3: *K1, YO, SSK, (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, K2tog, YO, K2*
Round 4: as round 2
Round 5: *K2, YO, SSK, (P1, K1) 2 times, P1, K2tog, YO, K3*
Round 6: *K5, P1, K1, P1, K6*
Round 7: *K3, YO, SSK, K1, P1, K1, K2tog, YO, K4*
Round 8: as round 6
Round 9: *K4, YO, SSK, P1, K2tog, YO, K5*
Round 10: K around
Round 11: *K5, YO, Sl 1 K-wise, K2tog, PSSO, YO, K6*
Knit one round, stopping when seven stitches remain before the marker on the left-hand needle. Place a new marker here, then work decreases as follows, dropping original marker when you reach it. Switch to double points when necessary, dividing stitches evenly among four needles.
Round 1: *K12, K2tog*
Round 2 and all even rounds through round 22: K around
Round 3: *K11, K2tog*
Round 5: *K10, K2tog*
Round 7: *K9, K2tog*
Round 9: *K8, K2tog*
Round 11: *K7, K2tog*
Round 13: *K6, K2tog*
Round 15: *K5, K2tog*
Round 17: *K4, K2tog*
Round 19: *K3, K2tog*
Round 21: *K2, K2tog*
Round 23: *K1, K2tog*
Round 24: *K2tog*
Cut working end of yarn to 6″ and run counter-clockwise through remaining stitches on needles using yarn needle. Pull tight and draw yarn end to inside of hat. Weave in ends.
Shout Out: Props to Mimi for helping me take these pics, then reducing them and emailing them to Melissa, and to Mimi and Dana for long-term loaning me their spare digital camera! Props, too, to Melissa, who does all uploading of pics to this site and povides innumerable support services.