Jojoland Berry Tam Hat Knitting Pattern

Jojoland Berry Tam

What Is Being Made

The Jojoland Berry Tam is a knitted hat featuring a classic tam silhouette with a 10-inch diameter when flattened. This intermediate-level project showcases decorative entrelac colorwork and textured construction, making it an elegant accessory suitable for various occasions and seasons.

Techniques Used

This tam is constructed using the entrelac knitting technique, a method that creates interlocking blocks of fabric with a distinctive woven appearance. The pattern employs knitting in the round, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a seamless, professional finish. The entrelac blocks are worked in a specific sequence, with the knitting direction reversing after each round of blocks to achieve the interlocking effect. The tam can be made using either a single color or two contrasting colors, with color changes occurring after each round of entrelac blocks when using the two-color option.

Stitches Used

• Ribbing (k1, p1): Forms the foundation of the tam with 9 rounds of alternating knit and purl stitches, creating an elastic edge approximately 1 inch in depth
• Stockinette stitch: Used throughout the entrelac blocks, worked at a gauge of 5 stitches per inch
• Knit and purl stitches: Combined to create the triangular and rectangular blocks that form the entrelac pattern
• Increase stitches: Applied in round 10 to expand from 80 stitches to 120 stitches, providing shaping for the tam's crown
• Decrease stitches (k2tog, p2tog): Used to shape and decrease stitches within the entrelac blocks
• Slip stitch (S1): Employed at the beginning of rows to create clean selvage edges for picking up stitches in subsequent blocks

Construction Sequence

The tam is built in distinct rounds, beginning with a ribbed cuff and progressing through multiple entrelac block rounds. Round 1 establishes the foundation with 9 rounds of knit-purl ribbing followed by an increase round. Round 2 introduces triangular blocks that form the base of the entrelac pattern. Rounds 3 through 12 continue with progressively smaller rectangular blocks, descending from 6-stitch rectangles down to 2-stitch rectangles, creating the characteristic tapered crown of the tam.

Materials and Tools

The Jojoland Berry Tam requires approximately 250 yards of yarn total. Knitters can choose from Jojoland Rhythm or Rhythm Superwash yarn (requiring just over 2 balls) for a single-color version, or Tonic yarn (requiring 2 balls) for a two-color entrelac design. The pattern calls for 4 mm (U.S. size 6) double-pointed needles, though circular needles may be substituted as an alternative. The specified gauge is 5 stitches per inch when working stockinette stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Skill Level and Complexity

Rated as an intermediate project, the Jojoland Berry Tam requires prior knitting experience, particularly familiarity with working in the round and understanding stitch abbreviations. The entrelac technique, while visually striking, demands careful attention to pattern instructions and the ability to pick up stitches along selvage edges. The pattern includes a glossary of abbreviations and notes that the accompanying chart provides simplified visual guidance for the entrelac blocks, though the chart representation differs slightly from the actual tam construction.