[Jennifer Z]

I have a family member wanting a Rasta Tam. I feel really lame, but I have very little idea what they look like...mostly from a google search I just did.

First, what is it made of? Is it a washable wool/, a felted wool?, is acrylic ok?

She is very mobile and tends to move from commune to commune, therefore would not be able to care for a specialty care item well. (I am thinking Euclen is not gonna get space in her backpack...lol). There are so few things that she has wanted over the years that I can give to her since she does not live a typical lifestyle, but I think I can do this. I just really don't know how yet. lol.

Does anybody have the basic dimensions to the hat? If I know some basic dimensions I can make up a pattern. Or, does anybody know of a good pattern?

Is there elastic in the headband or is just a ribbed knit? It looks to me like there is generally a narrow headband, a bunch of quick increases until you have about double the cast on stitches, a few inches of just knitting the knit stitches, then a quick decrease. Does that sound right to you guys?

She said something about a "rainbow hat". Is the style of the hats such that a varigated yarn would work, or does the style dictate stripes...wow, I really don't know much about how these things look. :LOL

Any advice would be helpful.

 

[mamajessica]

What comes first to my mind is to use mercerized cotton, but it may be hard to find it thick enough...maybe use a double strand??? HTH and let us know how it goes!

ETA: I think that stripes are a must! Varigated doesn't seem to suit the Rasta vibe in my mind!

But please don't only take my word for it!

 

[Jennifer Z]

Oh, cotton! Why didn't that occur to me? She is in a warm climate so that would work well for her. I will have to contact a hand-dying mama and see about getting some made in rainbow colors.

 

[Meiri]

If you do a search on "rasta hat" on ebay, you'll see loads of examples.

 

[Stormintheattic]

Is this familymemeber a true rasta? Does she have dreadlocks? If so she most likely will where a cut of pair of tights under the tam to keep it together an looking neat and pin the tam to the dreads with a couple of hairpins. I usually do.

Measurements vary, you'll need her headsize and you probably will need her hairlength too. I used to be able to get away with a newspaperhat but now that my dreadlocks have grown I need a little extra room in the back (not that little, I need about 5 to 6 inches in lengthe extra) to put all the hair in.

My basic pattern: ribbing for at least 2 inches around the head, then increase every second stitch, knit a couple of inches, depending on the hairlength, then decrease quickly and evenly to make a plat pancake back, the weight of the hair does the rest ;-)

In winter I like merino knit tams, for summer I usually wear cotton crocheted (more open) ones. 100% acrylic isn't very nice as it makes my hair stand on end...electric currents and such (sorry, English isnt my first language so I cannot come up with the rigth word for this)

If she is a true rastafarian, she probably likes stripes... The more new age hippy kinda rasta girl would go for anything as long as it looks cool....and to me a variegated tam sounds awesome! I need to make myself some new ones! So far I've been wearing silk scarves in my hear this year...getting to cold now though, rastahear (even if its european hair) doesnt like the cold very much.