This knitted cap is a careful reproduction of a sixteenth-century whaler’s cap based on a fragment found in a burial excavation of a Basque whaling station in Red Bay, Labrador, Canada. This knitted cap should fit an average-sized adult head but could be altered easily. Although it’s based on the ancient Phrygian style, today’s knitter will find it a very wearable cap.

Finished Size:
22 inches (55.9 cm) circumference and 12 inches (30.5 cm) deep

Yarn:
Jamieson and Smith, 100% Shetland wool yarn, 2 ply, fingering weight, 125 yards (114.3 m)/25 gram (0.9 oz) ball: 3 balls of #202 Natural

Needles:
Needles, circular, 16 inches (40.6 cm), size 2 (2.75 mm) and size 2.5 (3 mm), and set of 4 or 5 double pointed, size 2.5 (3 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge

Stitch markers and a tapestry needle are useful.

The gauge is quite dense to maximize resistance to wind and water.

Finer needles are used for the first half of the hem to make the inner band slightly smaller than the outer band, giving a snug fit and thus preventing the hem from flaring out. Knitting the working stitches together with the cast-on edge gives a neat, resilient hem and saves having to sew it later.