Knitted Tams

Rating:
Summary: Why knit a tam o'shanter if you aren't a Scot?
Review: Because not only are these hats cute and flattering on nearly anybody, but they are terrific projects on which to learn color knitting technique. This book teaches you to make the traditional Fair Isle tam and has some lovely, flower-like patterns to knit. It's fun just to look at this book, but even more fun to make the hats. The moment you take the hat off the dinner plate where you are blocking it into a flat, circular shape, and put it on your head is one you won't want to miss as a knitter.

Tams are knit circularly, and use both circular needles and double point needles. A series of decreases shapes the hat. They use traditional Fair Isle patterns like OXO's or peeries (small designs of short repeating patterns.) If you choose one of the many delightful shades of Shetland yarn available in 3 oz skeins, you can make a minor masterpiece of shading, color and pattern.

If you intend to embark on a fair isle sweater, or just love the look of Fair Isle but want a quicker project, this book is just invaluable.

Rating:
Summary: She's no Elizabeth Zimmermann
Review: This book is dedicated to Elizabeth Zimmerman the knitting Guru.Thats about the only thing that gives this book credibility.Her directions for the basic tam start out okay but she doesn't tell you when to switch from circular to double pointed.then she tells you to decrease using one less stitch but from then on your on your own until the very end.I finished my Tam with no enthusiasm to try another.I anxiously await the arrival of knitting without tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann she lived a long life but I wish she was still around,I knit again because of her inspiration .I buy books to learn how and for guidance.I guess Mary forgot what its like to not know how to make something.Buy knitting without tears unless your experienced