Crochet a Hat Tam or Beret
64Tam
Free Pattern for a Tam or Beret
One of the first hats I ever learned to crochet was a tam or beret. I used to make them for a hat vendor at the Renaissance Faires in the U.S.A. And I still keep a few on hand for my Etsy shop, or for gifts or to wear myself.
To crochet this hat you need to be able to make a circle. You need to know how to do increases and decreases. I decided the easiest way to teach this was to make a video so I'm uploading it here. If you can't see the video the basic idea is outlined here.
Get a G, H, or I crochet hook and worsted weight yarn. I usually use acrylic because it's washable and inexpensive. You can use wool or bamboo or whatever other worsted weight (medium weight) yarn you have.
First you do a slip knot and chain 5.
Join chain to form a circle.
Do 2 single crochets in each stitch in the circle.
From here on out, increase every six or seven stitches however many you need to keep the circle flat. Keep on this way until it's the size of a dinner plate.
Then do a few rows without any increases or decreases.
Then start to decrease at the same pace you did the increases on the first half, gradually pulling the circle in. When it's small enough to fit on your head finish the last row with slip stitches to give it a nice finished edge.
Add a drawstring if you wish.
A tam is slightly bigger than a beret. If you want to make a beret, make your basic circle a bit smaller.
My hat tutorial
Make stripes too.
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Thanks very much Zsuzsy Bee.
I love all the stuff I have read in your postings...I am a crocheter too!! I was looking for pagan baby shower ideas and found your article very helpful too!!
:-) have a great day!
Darushka.
I've been working with your tutorial and i am now finishing my second hat Wish I had had this years ago It is hard to find anyone to teach you to crochet All I ever made were blankets
Lori I'm so glad to hear it helped you. Circles open up a whole new world. Once you can do a circle you can make coasters, amigurumi toys and animals, circular pillows, vests, kitchen window curtains...a whole plethora of items.
Great pattern. I knit and crochet - can't wait to try this one.
i liked the haat thing its cool it made me want to crochet all kinds off things thanks for the great ideas (:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:
Thanks for explaining how to make a tam. You are the first to explain that it look like a dinner plate before it will look like a hat
nice! thanks alot
im lost, i made a circle joined changed 1 did 2 single in each st. now do i still do 2 singles in each st. or 1 single in each st and increase when i have to.
Shelbra I apologize for taking so long to answer. The goal is to make a flat circle, like a placemat. If it is rippling, you did too many increases. If it is gathering up into a bowl shape, you need to add more increases. Lay it down on a table every few rows to make sure it's staying flat.
It may help to use a stitch marker or a safety pin to mark each round. That way you can see if it's staying flat or running wild. After some practice, it really does get easier, I promise.
I am so apprciative of your approach, that we can crochet by the look and feel of the project, rather than counting, counting, counting. I can't tell you how confused I get with traditional crochet patterns. I have made several items myself, without patterns, because I find it easier to go by how it is looking. Thanks for validating my methods! Love your video, to really get some techniques shown. So many of us learn better by seeing it done, rather than by a mysterious series of encrypted steps. Thanks a bunch! Working on a hat for my dad! I'll let you know how it comes out...
Hi Ellie,
I'd love to see it when you are through.
My friend is very good at crochet but making hats mystified her. So I sat her down for about 20 minutes and showed her, and when I saw her a week later she'd already made four or five hats.
Wow, thanks a lot for this tuorial! I'm not very experienced and in the past I was always trying to count out my increases and decreases and it always came out too rippled. Makes a lot more sense to just watch what you're doing and judge what to do as needed. Silly me would have never thought of it, I guess I didn't trust my judgement and thought I needed a legitimate pattern. -_- You do a beautiful job and thanks again!
Hi Earelia,
I'm glad you are having good results. Sometimes we can't always find the yarn recommended in the pattern, and some yarns will need more increases than others. But now that you know how to eyeball it, you'll be able to tweak patterns to suit you.
You should explain the 'at the same pace' decreases. Many new crocheters don't understand such lingo.
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Zsuzsy Bee Level 3 Commenter 3 years ago
Moonmaiden! Love the new avatar.
Hope you had nice holidays.
Great hub regards Zsuzsy