Quest to make a good Balmoral bonnet

**piperdbh** · 31st March 10, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by tulloch

Thanks. I will give this a try. Do you think hot water followed by cold is the trick? Rub a lot on a washboard? Brush it?

hot water + just a little bit of soap + agitation + cold rinse = felting

Scrub it against itself as if you're washing a spot out of it. Don't brush it. You might pick the yarn and stretch a stitch out which would really hard to poke back in. If you use the washing machine, throw in a pair of blue jeans or 3-4 tennis balls to agitate the bonnet. Stop the machine every 5 minutes to see how the progress is going, and when the bonnet is still a couple of sizes too big, rinse it in cold water. That'll shrink just a wee bit more. If it's too big, throw it back in the hot water and let it agitate a bit more, then rinse again. This is a combination of felting and Jocking.

And make sure you post plenty of pics!

**tulloch** · 31st March 10, 02:36 PM

Ok then. Here is attempt #3 at a Balmoral. I finished this and it was a good fit but after a rinse and squeeze just to block it I found it a little large. EXCELLENT! I will give it a little of the felting / Jocking and see where I get with it.

Thanks for all your help. I will put this through the paces and see if I can keep it still fitting but looking a little more full-bodied.

**mull** · 31st March 10, 02:45 PM

Very nice, as is your tie/vest combination.
I can't believe you have knitted 3 bonnets in a week. But then knitting is incomprehensable to me.

Joe

**Ryan Ross** · 31st March 10, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by tulloch

Ok then. Here is attempt #3 at a Balmoral. I finished this and it was a good fit but after a rinse and squeeze just to block it I found it a little large. EXCELLENT! I will give it a little of the felting / Jocking and see where I get with it.

Thanks for all your help. I will put this through the paces and see if I can keep it still fitting but looking a little more full-bodied.

Looks fantastic, good Sir! One thing, though- felt carefully, and consider trying to let it dry as much as possible on your head. Stick it on there, shape it exactly how you want it, and let it stand. That should help, in the event that it wants to shrink up more than you'd deem ideal, and it will also allow you to get that much sought after "perfect" shape to the bonnet.

Great job, once again, and I look forward to seeing post-felting pictures.

**Friday** · 2nd April 10, 05:08 AM

Originally Posted by mull

But then knitting is incomprehensable to me.

Joe

Knitting is simple, there is just one stitch in knitting, the KNIT stitch. When viewed from the back it is called a Purl stitch. However, there seem to be 4 Billion 900 Million variations on that one stitch and they can take a while to learn.

If as a good Scott you have learned to "borrow" your neighbors cattle in the night, and get away with it, you should be able to learn to knit.

**piperdbh** · 2nd April 10, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Friday

If ... you have learned to "borrow" your neighbors cattle in the night, and get away with it, you should be able to learn to knit.

In the night? When it's dark? That's dangerous! Get them in the daylight when you can see what you're doing and get the ones you want.

I learned to knit when I was 12 or so, so you shouldna hae ony problem with it.

**tulloch** · 5th April 10, 06:26 AM

I washed the bonnet twice with hot water, each time setting it to dry for some hours and then wearing it to complete the process, (thanks Ryan), and it has indeed got a shape it remembers. I am pretty satisfied. What do you think?

Thanks all for your comments and suggestions. My next one will be black with red, white and black dicing and a red toorie.

**tulloch** · 5th April 10, 06:34 AM

So what exactly is the difference between a Balmoral and a Tam? I think, from what I have seen, that a Tam will have an overhang all around the head, (good for keeping rain off all around), while a Balmoral will be more beret-shaped - hanging down on one side. What do you think?

**Ryan Ross** · 5th April 10, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by tulloch

I washed the bonnet twice with hot water, each time setting it to dry for some hours and then wearing it to complete the process, (thanks Ryan), and it has indeed got a shape it remembers. I am pretty satisfied. What do you think?

Thanks all for your comments and suggestions. My next one will be black with red, white and black dicing and a red toorie.

Looks fantastic, sir! You certainly nailed it this time, I'd say. It has a great shape to it, and looks much more appropriate to regular wear than most Balmorals tend to, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by tulloch

So what exactly is the difference between a Balmoral and a Tam? I think, from what I have seen, that a Tam will have an overhang all around the head, (good for keeping rain off all around), while a Balmoral will be more beret-shaped - hanging down on one side. What do you think?

A balmoral is a very specific and formalized style of bonnet, but I think the term "tam" is more generally applicable. All of the bonnets based directly on the old Highland broad bonnet have the same basic form (and could maybe, kinda-sorta be called a tam), with different preportions. As for the overhang, or lack thereof, that mostly seems to come down to how it's shaped, post knitting.

**longhuntr74** · 5th April 10, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by tulloch

So what exactly is the difference between a Balmoral and a Tam? I think, from what I have seen, that a Tam will have an overhang all around the head, (good for keeping rain off all around), while a Balmoral will be more beret-shaped - hanging down on one side. What do you think?

As far as the military issued tams vs. balmorals....balmorals are made from one piece and have a shape to the crown. A tam is three pieces...headband, sidewalls, and top, all made of flat blanket type wool and cut to shape and sewn together. Both Tams and balmorals are typically canted to the right...the tam can be tilted to the front, however in more of a flat cap style if one prefers.