The Highland Clearances are one of the darkest episodes in Scottish history, which still shape the landscape of Northern Scotland today, and have changed the lives of many thousands of people of Scottish origin. Mainly in the 19th century, Highland crofters were driven out of their sustainable mixed small holdings to make way for huge estates of sheep-rearing. Their homes were burned in front of them to ensure they could not return, and those who survived homelessness were herded on to tall ships to transport them to the New World, where their descendents now dwell. The sheep destroyed the forests, and the Clearances have left us today with a treeless moorland landscape dotted with the sad, roofless remains of the crofting villages.

This tam is in memory of those times, and for all those affected by them. It includes (from the bottom) crossed sticks to symbolise the small holders’ resistance; the Saltire and thistle of Scotland; the burning crofts; and in the crown, the tall ships departing Westwards into the sunset for the New World with their cargo of dispossessed and grieving crofters. I have used gentle Highland colours reflective of the landscape, almost all of which can be made with vegetable dyes that would have been available to 19th century Scottish crofters.
It is good stash-busting project as you’ll need only small amounts of 6 colours in a fairly thin DK weight (I used my own veg-dyed handspun.) My test knit hat weighed 75 gms, of which half was in Eesit (oatmeal/grey).

It is knitted in the round in traditional Fair Isle shaping, with a cylindrical brim section, followed by a 6-segment design into the crown achieved by centred double decreases.

Skills needed: this is not a beginners’ colourwork project due to the complexity and asymmetry of the design, but it follows the Fair Isle tradition of using only 2 colours in any single round. You need to be able to read a chart, knit with 2 colours, weave in at the back, make centred double decreases (although I give brief instructions for this and there are many tutorials).

Naturals: Eesit (oatmeal/grey), Natural black.
Colours: (Jamiesons’ colour names, vegetable dyes in brackets) Scotch Broom (carrot), Cyclamen (ivy berry), Poppy (madder), Rosemary (acid dye).

3 mm and 3.75mm needles (circular or DPNS) for .
6 stitch markers to mark pattern repeats (if wanted)
Sewing needle to weave in yarn ends
Dinner plate for blocking , if traditional tam-shape is wanted.

Gauge:
24 stitches and 30 rows to 10cm, approximately on 3.75mm needle.
With handspun this varies slightly but works out OK. Blocking the hat once finished means that gauge isn’t absolutely crucial, but match it as closely as you can by changing needle size.

The pattern provides 2 separate PDF files, 1. a full colour chart of the whole design, and 2. detailed written knitting guidance.