Squirrels in the Forest Tam.

This is a development of my Red Squirrel Revival Tam, also on Ravelry. The chart has been reconfigured to make the design for 5 colours; it uses DK rather than fingering wool, on larger needles and with a different gauge/number of stitches. I devised this pattern to make use of my own handspun yarn from my own flock, in undyed, natural Shetland colours.

You can buy this wool in the right quantities to make the hat, as a kit from our Etsy shop, Naturally Woollen. Our Squirrels Tam Kit contains the right amounts of hand processed, handspun wool yarn in undyed natural colours from our own pedigree Shetland flock, all produced within our small holding. If you use commercial wool yarn to make it, chose Double Knitting. It makes quite a thick, warm hat, generously sized for an adult woman, or a closer fit as a beanie for a man.

Its motifs show squirrels playing in the forest high above frosted pine trees, while animals tracks cross the forest floor below. If you make it with the squirrels grey (Sholmit), rather than coffee-colour (Mogit,) you’ll have an American version!

I provide both written instructions and a full colour chart. It is knitted in the round from the ribbed brim to the centre of the crown. I have tried to keep things simple (for Fair Isle) by using only 2 colours on each round; making no more then 1 colour change at a time, avoiding colour changes on decrease rounds, and making the central final rounds in a single solid colour. I have made 1 change since knitting the photographed sample: an extra motif between the squirrels’ backs, to reduce the length of stranding on these rounds.

Skills needed: knitting in the round in 2 colours, knit, purl, increases and decreases (instructions given); reading a chart.

Materials.

DK wool yarn in 5 colours.
I suggest you use pure Shetland wool, which has the right texture (lofty and slightly fuzzy) for Fair Isle colourwork.

My own natural colours (easy to match in Jamiesons of Shetland DK range):

Natural Black (deep brown)
Natural White
Moorit (milk chocolate)
Mogit (milky coffee)
Sholmit (Silver grey)

You’ll need 50gms of Natural Black, 25 gms of the other colours (with plenty left over.) Or buy our kit at Naturally Woollen:

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/NaturallyWoollen