The Evolution of The Wooly Monmouth

I've developed what my husband charitably refers to as "an interesting fixation." While watching the PBS series Colonial House I took a liking to their knit hats and wanted to make one. I knit it in green bulky wool on circular US size 10.5 needles from the bottom up, starting with a K2 P2 rib.


It wasn't quite right, so I did a little research and learned about the Monmouth Cap. I decided to try again, but this time knitted from the top down with a brim that folded under and was grafted to the inside of the hat. I only learned to knit on double pointed needles a few days ago and was a little intimidated to try and write a pattern while also knitting in the round so I knit it on straight needles, kirchener stitched the hem and tried to make the back seam as invisible as possible. Still not quite right. The back seam was too obvious and it was a little too large compared to reported measurements I found online. My gauge was off slightly too, but that had more to do with what I was able to find handy at my local yarn shop. I deally this should be worked in a super bulky hand spun wool or a close facsimile like Bartlett Bulky.


Back to the drawing board. I started again with some Lamb's Pride Bulky in brown which is the color most commonly associated with the Monmouth Cap. I worked it with 4 double pointed needles and it wasn't nearly as tricky as I expected (see photo below.) When it was time to graft the hem I got a little nervous. To work around the needles I'd have to do a kind of inverted kirchener stitch. Once I started though I had a little historical knitting epiphany. I don't know if the original cap knitters worked their caps from the top down or not, but as I worked the hem it naturally created a purl row that made it easier for the brim to be turned up and not only stay in place, but also have a neat decorative edge whether the brim was worn up or down. Sa-weeeeeet!


I chain stitched a back loop and washed and blocked it. The last thing to do is add a top button. For lack of more info on the original buttons used I made a sorry excuse for a traditional Dorset button such as these , except the bulky quality of the yarn made any detailed needlework impossible. I'm waiting for my Monmouth cap to finish drying so I can sew the button on.