Fernando Gallego. Nacimiento de la Virgen. 1490.

Juan de Flandes. Raising of Lazarus. 1510

Master of the Catholic Monarchs. Marriage at Cana. 1495

Maestro de Milaflores. Degollación de San Juan Bautista. 1490-1510

Pattern

Materials:

US 10.5 dpns or circular needle

1 skein Cascade 220 (or 220 yards of any 100% wool worsted weight yarn)

Directions:

Cast on 120 stitches. Mark beginning of round.

Knit plain (stockinette stitch) until work measures 5 inches from cast on edge.

Decrease row: k3, k2tog around. 96 stitches remain.

Work plain until work measures 11 inches from cast on edge.

Crown shaping:

Row 1: (k10tog, k2tog)*

Row 2 and 3: knit plain

Row 4: (k8, k2tog)*

Row 5 and 6: knit plain

Row 7: (k7, k2tog)*

Row 8: knit plain

Row 9: (k6, k2tog)*

Row 10: knit plain

Row 11: (k5, k2tog)*

Row 12: knit plain

Row 13: (k4, k2tog)*

Row 14: knit plain

Row 15: (k3, k2tog)

Row 16: (k2, k2tog)*

Row 17: (k2, k2tog)*

Row 18: (k1, k2tog)*

Row 19: k2tog*

Break yarn and pass end through remaining stitches. Pull to close opening (not too tight, or the top will pucker), and weave in ends.

Felting:

Place the hat in a wash bag or pillowcase and put it in the washer with detergent and several towels (for added agitation). Wash the load on hot until the hat shrinks as much as you want – this is subjective, and the hat can be blocked to slightly different finished dimensions if you want it taller. Make sure the finished item fits the circumference of your head.

I blocked my hat over a kitchen bowl with the same circumference as my head. To form the tall, rounded crown, I padded the top of the bowl with a couple of plastic garbage bags, and then wrapped the bowl and bags in a plastic grocery sack. I stretched the damp hat over the form and smoothed the sides down with my hands to form the shape I wanted.

 I usually tie a ribbon, string, or piece of linen tape tied around the crease between the brim and sides of the hat to keep the brim from spreading the rest of the hat out of alignment.

Let your hat dry for several hours in front of a fan, or overnight.

Dry shaping:

Place the hat on your head over any foundation veils or head wrap you plan to wear along with the hat. Fold the brim up toward the crown of the hat and pin in place with straight pin. Tack the edges down with thread. Decorate with slashes, beading, or trim as desired.

Based on item #T.28-1975 in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The pattern is based on the extant coif, which some adjustments made based on the article “Elizabethan Coifs” from Drea Leed’s Elizabethan Costuming Page.

White linen outer and lining, embroidered with linen thread. Edged with narrow white cotton lace (purchased) and gathered at the back with linen lucet cording (handmade) drawn through buttonhole-stitched loops.

Total time: 125 hours