Built a Tam

[bubba295]

Well I went to Goodwill today with the better half, and I really mean that, to get some "new" bedding for the dogs crate. I was browsing the blankets and saw a knitted or crocheted throw that appeared to be made from wool yarn. Well with the St. Patrick's day sale today it was only a dollar.

I got home and threw it in the wash filled with hot water, and ran it for two cycles. I pulled it out and stretched it out and let it dry. It felted nicely, and was fairly thick once it was dry, kinda concerned me.

But I dug out my copy of the Troop 7 instructions and went to work.


The picture show me wearing the Tam wet. Damn cold when I first put it on. I has warmed up some now, and I'm just waiting for it to dry. Not perfect, but I like it. Still debating on the toorie.

[Jock Scot]

Oh, well done laddie!

[bubba295]

Thank you Jock.

Thinking about the Toorie.........would I use a wool yarn, or a polly mix? I'm concerned that the Toorie may felt if I use 100% wool yarn for it.

Thinking about a Khaki colored Toorie, or maybe black. Give me your opinions please.

[Jock Scot]

Thank you Jock.

Thinking about the Toorie.........would I use a wool yarn, or a polly mix? I'm concerned that the Toorie may felt if I use 100% wool yarn for it.

Thinking about a Khaki colored Toorie, or maybe black. Give me your opinions please.

Gosh, I don't know! I assume that the various bonnets with toories on that I have worn over the last 70 something years have been made of wool. Many will have lived a pretty hard life and never once has one felted. I am sure there are those that will know far better than me on such matters, but I think as long as you keep too much heat out of the equation then the wool is fine.

Just a quick look at my present balmoral does show the toorie is now quite a tight knit ball of wool, but I would not call that felted, rather more that the threads have broken off, bent, battered even, overtime to create what is there now.

As for colour, any will do, just pick one that you like.

[Mr.Charles Anthony]

Readers;
There is no Law requireing a Torrie; you can leave it plain. A nice touch would be the Plant Badge of your clan, on one side. I/we do not see that often enough. I suspect it is because of the rise of the Family Tartans to make kilts.
If you make a Torrie, use wool yarn, pre-shrunk first, then make up the Bobble.

[Ryan Ross]

You've now got a SERIOUS piece of headgear. Well done, sir!

As for the toorie, if you decide to make one, I would try to use 100% wool, if you can. It will only felt if you subject the bonnet to further washings with hot water and agitation... but if you do that, the entire hat will also continue to felt and shrink, so you'll want to avoid it anyway.

Also, if you use superwash wool, the odds of felting decrease to almost nothing, and yet you're still dealing with 100% wool. Win-win.

I'd say to take the bonnet to a yarn store and pick out the color by direct comparison in several different lights.

Also, don't think that you're bound to a specific size of toorie. The toories of the past tended to be much smaller than the toories of today, and that's a look that many seem to enjoy.

Best of luck in your quest!

EDIT:

If you make a Torrie, use wool yarn, pre-shrunk first, then make up the Bobble.

You can't pre-shrink wool, in the way that you can cotton.

Wool will continue to shrink and felt, almost infinitely. Also, there is no way of attempting it with wool yarn, as the fibers will start to felt together and the qualities of the yarn will be lost.

Just a bit of a warning.

[georgeetta]

in NW Mounted Police movie with gary cooper ..about canadians ..epitome of aging scot in looks accent ..mannersims "scout todd macduff" ...wears this red bonnet ..knitted ..like a kid's ..winter hat ..this guy was THE most "scottish" guy I'd seen in movies and thought ..that's a cool tam [/B]..common folk bonnet ..the other primo scottish dude i'd' ever seen was on ..Lovejoy about Scottish political guys looking for lost gold coins ..the guy was also fetaured in Hamish MacBeth TV series and was this funny half lit laborer guy with a heavy Glaswegain accent reminded me of my cousin from Buckie ..he was the funniest I'd ever seen .

In a daniel boone fess parker "sequel" ..he had a recurring .."ex slave" character ..seemed a very nice man ..with maybe a Bible name ..who wore the same bonnet ..this time with an eagle feather !! identical ..I need that bonnet !! or the like of it ..a knitted tam like a wife would have made at home .
NOT Rosey Greier ..
feedback ??

thanks
dave

[madmacs]

Assuming you have the rest if the blanket... There's the wool for the toorie... Just have to use multiple lengths probably...

Should be a good colour match...

[Harold Cannon]

Wow that is an awesome color! I would love to have one like that.

[georgeetta]

how do,

ma made me one I drew up years ag it came out snug ..it was like roger's rangers thing ..I like the rmy style of WW's and `1950's my Uncls were in Argylls and thye had a big bonnet for dress and regular tos duty ..Phiob Mhor in Blairgowrie has old army patterns a Kilmarnock is a bigger thing thna a Balmoral ..they'd make me one I would not have same colors as Army since I wasn;t a soldier but Like to have one to remind me of my Uncle David ..nto a Glengarry guy but the guys like them for field or did ..

so i saw articles on women in WW2 makign tos's ..like to find that again ..also like to see what they were wearing in French and Indian War when they came to New York in early War ..

please reply
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