Blocking Hats and Tams

Tams and blocking them have always befuddled me, so to accompany “The Tam O’Shanter” by Eileen Lee, here are some tips from expert hat knitter Susan Rainey. —Pat Olski, editor, PieceWork

Hats are one of my favorite things to knit, and I’ve made dozens. They are quick projects that allow you to experiment with different techniques such as Fair Isle, lace, beaded knitting, or cables, with very little investment in time or materials. As with all knitting, your gauge is a factor, but even if your gauge is off, a hat will probably fit someone you know.

The typical hat has three sections: the bottom ribbing or brim, the body, and the crown. A standard beanie (or toque) is the most popular style and can be close fitting or slouchy. The shape is relatively straight from brim through the body, and then tapers to a rounded dome shape at the crown. [PAYWALL] A well-fitting hat is usually sized with “negative ease,” which means it is smaller around than the person’s actual head measurement. Tams, on the other hand, start with a close-fitting brim and then balloon out to create the standard tam profile. The crown tends to be flatter.

Three shapes of hats, left to right: standard, slouchy, and tam

Blocking is magical and can transform one’s knitting from “so-so” to near perfection. Blocking serves three main purposes: to improve the appearance, to soften the fabric, and to attain the desired size. Wet blocking, which is when the item is immersed in water and then laid out to size, achieves all three. Sweaters are easy to lay out flat for drying, but hats can be challenging because of their three-dimensional shape.

Steps for Success

To block a hat, start with a good soaking. Place the hat in a bowl of tepid water for 30–60 minutes. If the hat is wool, you may add a few drops of wool wash. Remove the hat from the water and gently squeeze out the excess water without wringing. Wrap the hat in a bath towel. Remove as much water as possible—stomping on the towel-wrapped hat is my preferred method of ensuring that I remove as much water as I can!

Superwash yarns may spread out quite a bit when soaked. The fabric tends to become looser and floppier than it was pre-blocking, so items knitted from superwash yarn may greatly benefit from time in the dryer. Remove the item while it is still damp, lay it out to size, and then allow it to fully dry.

To shape a beanie-style hat, lay it out flat on a dry towel with the crown folded forward to keep its round shape. If additional width at the brim is needed, you can insert a piece of cardboard (cut to the desired size) inside the hat to gently coax it into shape while it is drying. Remember to round the top corners of the cardboard to avoid sharp points. To help the hat to dry more quickly, place the hat on a wire rack so air can circulate all the way around it.

Some people use balloons to shape their hats, though I have never tried this method. You can, however, be creative with your choice of blocking tools: I have used bowls and other contraptions over the years, especially if I need to block the hat to make it slightly larger. And a bowl does show off the beauty of a Fair Isle crown!

Buggiflooer Beanie, designed by Alison Rendall for Shetland Wool Week 2023 and knitted by the author.

Tams are traditionally blocked over a large dinner plate, 10–12" in diameter, depending on the hat. Soak and remove as much moisture as possible, as above. To create the shape, thread a tapestry needle with a smooth waste yarn and weave it around the brim, as close to the cast-on edge as possible. Place the damp tam over the plate and tightly cinch up the waste yarn, making sure the plate is carefully centered. Dry completely.

Lace tam designed by the author and blocked using the waste-yarn method.

The waste-yarn method can also be used on a regular beanie if the brim is too large or is stretched out. (Omit the plate.) Just cinch up the waste yarn slightly and let it dry.

Pom-poms and tassels are popular embellishments for hats and should be added after blocking. I usually add them to the hat after the initial blocking, and I often remove them before washing/re-blocking the hat, so that they maintain their form and look fresh.

Now, let’s knit some hats!

Interested in using these techniques on your own tam and need a pattern? Visit the Farm and Fiber Knits library for the Tam O’Shanter pattern by Eileen Lee.

Susan Rainey is a lifelong passionate and enthusiastic knitter and knitting instructor who continues to be inspired because of the amazing variety of the craft–lace, cables, knitting with beads, colorwork, you name it. She shares her passion for knitting with her equally obsessed sister, Sally, on their The Rainey Sisters blog and group on Ravelry. Visit Susan at theraineysisters.com, lv2knit on Ravelry, and lv2knitmn on Instagram.