Valley Yarns Holly & Ivy Tam Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Holly & Ivy Tam

What Is Being Made

The Holly & Ivy Tam is a small, decorative knit hat designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This tam features traditional Fair Isle colorwork patterns inspired by winter greenery, combining holly and ivy motifs in a classic beret-style silhouette. The finished tam measures 18" to 20" around the brim after blocking, with the widest part of the crown reaching 20" to 24" after blocking, making it a versatile fit for most head sizes.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting project employs several advanced techniques that create its distinctive appearance and structure:

• Stranded Colorwork (Fair Isle): The tam features traditional Fair Isle patterns worked with multiple colors held simultaneously. The Holly Band and Ivy Band sections showcase intricate color changes that create the winter greenery motifs throughout the hat.
• Seamless, Worked in the Round: The entire tam is constructed in one continuous piece using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming. This method creates a smooth, professional finish and allows for even tension throughout the garment.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The tam is worked from the brim upward, beginning with a cast-on edge and progressing through the body bands before shaping the crown.
• Crown Decreasing: The pattern includes a Crown Decrease Chart that shapes the top of the tam, with a special central double decrease stitch (sl2tog-k1-p2sso) used to create a neat, centered crown closure.

Stitches Used

The Holly & Ivy Tam incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined with colorwork techniques:

• Knit (k) and Purl (p): The brim begins with k1, p1 ribbing for 1.5 inches, providing elasticity and a finished edge.
• Make One Increase (m1): Used in the transition round to increase from 120 stitches to 144 stitches by knitting into the back of the strand running between needles, distributing the increase evenly around the hat.
• Central Double Decrease (sl2tog-k1-p2sso): A special stitch worked with the indicated color, created by slipping 2 stitches as if to knit together, knitting 1, then passing both slipped stitches over the knit stitch. This decrease is used in the Crown Decrease Chart to shape the top of the tam.
• Stranded Colorwork Stitches: The Holly Band and Ivy Band sections are worked using single knit stitches in three different colors (A, B, and C), with colors changed according to the pattern charts to create the Fair Isle design.

Pattern Structure and Bands

The tam is organized into distinct decorative sections:

• Ivy Band: A 9-round pattern repeat on a multiple of 12 stitches, featuring Merlot Heather (color C) and Light Green Heather (color B) in a leafy motif pattern.
• Holly Band: A 7-round pattern repeat on a multiple of 12 stitches, combining Light Green Heather (color B), Dark Green Heather (color A), and Merlot Heather (color C) to create holly imagery.

Materials

Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton Sport, a 100% wool yarn in sport weight. The pattern requires one 50-gram skein each of three heather colorways: Dark Green Heather (color A), Light Green Heather (color B), and Merlot Heather (color C). Each skein provides 164 yards of yardage.

Needles: US size 3 (3.25mm) circular needles in 16-inch length and/or double-pointed needles, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. Double-pointed needles are used for the crown shaping when the stitch count becomes too small for circular needles.

Gauge: Approximately 7 stitches equal 1 inch in the ivy band pattern when worked in the round. The gauge can stretch to 6 stitches per inch after blocking, allowing flexibility in the finished fit.

Finishing

After completing the tam, all loose yarn ends are sewn in securely. The tam is then finished by blocking—soaking the hat and