Knitting Jenny Pattern 49: Fair Isle Inspired Tam o’ Shanter is a hat of Scottish origin that features a colorful design with triangular segments that converge into a complex kaleidoscopic crown.

Tam o’ Shanter is an eponym. Tam o’ Shanter is the name of the titular character in the narrative poem, written in 1790, by Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-1796). Tam is the Scottish sobriquet (or nickname) for Thomas.

In the poem, the lead character, Tam o’ Shanter, wore a traditional Scottish hat called a bonnet, with a flat crown, in the shape that is today referred to as a tam. Historically, Tam o’ Shanter hat designs were created by handknitting wool seamlessly, then washing and blocking over a round wooden disc to create a wide flat shape.

Knitting Jenny Pattern 49 includes knitting patterns, motifs, and instructions in the following inclusive formats:

• Color Charts
• Color Written Instructions
• Grayscale Charts
• Illustrations

The following tools are suggested for this pattern.

• 2.0mm knitting needles (for the brim ribbing)
• 3.0mm knitting needles (for the stranded colorwork)

The gauge (or tension) for this Knitting Jenny pattern is:

• 34 stitches and 40 rows to 4 inches (10 centimeters) over the stranded colorwork pattern, knit circularly with 3.0mm knitting needles, after washing, blocking, drying.

The Tam o’ Shanter is knit circularly, and is constructed as follows: cast on, knit the brim ribbing, rapidly increase, knit the stranded colorwork of the head, then systematically decrease at the crown.

Knitting Jenny Pattern 49 includes 8 repeats and is a large size. The book also includes sizing options for a small size and a medium size.

The Tam o’ Shanter was designed and knit with nine colors of Jamieson and Smith brand 100% pure Shetland wool in 2 ply jumper weight (or substitute any fingering weight or 2 ply equivalent to a 4 ply).

Fewer colors of wool can instead be used to achieve a simpler color palette.

A discussion of Color Dominance is included to support consistent, uniform stitch definition.

The book includes 10 illustrations and 32 pages.

The book is intended to be read electronically, in consideration of the environment.

Published in the United States in 2025 by Mall & Mall Press, a publishing imprint of Mall & Mall LLC.

The book is delivered as an immediate digital download in PDF format and therefore cannot be returned, exchanged, or refunded.