Gardiner Yarn Works Manzanita Tam Hat Knitting Pattern

Gardiner Yarn Works Manzanita Tam

What is Being Made

The Manzanita Tam is a women's knitted hat designed by Chrissy Gardiner for T-SPOT in Manzanita, Oregon. This intermediate-level tam is sized to fit head circumferences of 20–22" (Women's S-M) and is inspired by the ocean waves that lap the beaches of Manzanita, a picturesque town on the Oregon coast. The design combines a fitted ribbed cuff with a decorative stranded colorwork band, making it both functional and visually striking for keeping your head warm on stormy days.

Techniques Used

The Manzanita Tam is constructed using several key knitting techniques:

• Worked in the Round: The entire hat is knitted circularly, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a seamless, professional finish.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The tam is worked from the cast-on edge upward, beginning with the ribbed cuff and progressing through the colorwork section.
• Stranded Colorwork: The pattern features a two-color stranded technique, also known as Fair Isle knitting, where both the main color (MC) and contrasting color (CC) are carried across the back of the work. The pattern notes emphasize the importance of carrying the unused color loosely to avoid puckering in the colorwork band.

Stitches Used

The Manzanita Tam employs fundamental knitting stitches combined with shaping techniques:

• Knit (k): The primary stitch used throughout the stockinette sections of the hat.
• Purl (p): Used in the k1, p1 ribbing at the cuff to create elasticity and a fitted edge.
• Make One (m1): An increase stitch created by picking up the strand between two stitches and knitting it through the back loop. This technique is used to increase from 104 stitches to 156 stitches before beginning the colorwork section, shaping the hat to accommodate the larger crown.
• Stranded Colorwork Stitches: The colorwork pattern is worked using knit stitches in two colors following a 12-round repeat chart, which is repeated three times total to create the decorative band.

Materials

The Manzanita Tam requires the following materials:

• Yarn: Approximately 100 yards of main color (MC) and 85 yards of contrasting color (CC) in dk-weight yarn. The sample shown uses Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend, with color #3043 (juniper) for the main color and color #3019 (dove) for the contrasting color.
• Needles: One 16" size 4 (3.5mm) circular needle for the main body of the hat, plus a set of five size 4 (3.5mm) double-pointed needles (dpns) for working the crown when stitches become too few for the circular needle.
• Gauge: 24 stitches and 32 rounds over 4 inches in the stranded colorwork pattern.
• Additional Notions: A yarn needle for weaving in ends and a stitch marker to denote the beginning of each round.

Pattern Overview

The construction begins with casting on 104 stitches using the contrasting color and a 16" circular needle. The main color is then joined, and the work proceeds in the round with a k1, p1 ribbed cuff worked for 1 inch. After the ribbed section, a make-one increase is worked every other stitch, bringing the stitch count to 156 stitches. The contrasting color is then rejoined while keeping the main color active, and the stranded colorwork pattern begins, following a 12-round repeat chart that is worked three times in total. This construction method creates a tam with a snug, elastic ribbed edge and a decorative two-color patterned crown, combining both functionality and aesthetic appeal.