Godey's Canadian or Templar's Cap

 A little housekeeping;

First, I am not a professional knitter. I am a sewist. My notes are most likely going to be using some sewing world terms, so if you have any questions please leave a comment and I will do my best to help you through any problems you may encounter.

Other notes of interest - READ ALL PLEASE

I do not know what year this is from. This appears in the book A treasury of needlework projects from Godey’s lady’s book. The author does not designate the issue which the patterns are from.

I used the knit cast-on method on the chin stitches, and I found that it lacked some necessary stretch under the chin. The rest of the ribbing makes up for it, but you should choose a more flexible cast on method when you add the 24 stitches to join the neck and start the neck ribbing.

Ribbing needs to be done in numbers divisible by 3.

I do not include stitch counts for different sizes.

You will need to know your basic head measurements and check the length of your knitting frequently to assure a good fit. I knit this with only the measurements included in the pattern and it fits me but I am small....like Victorian size small.

There is an error in the original pattern where it calls for 22 inches knit plain to shape the head piece. It should read 22 STITCHES.

Choose a yarn with S T R E T C H.

I add in slip stitches because it really helps with the construction.

I did not gauge as I use fingering, sock, baby or sport weight yarn in just about everything I knit.

I'm a heathen, I know. I don't gauge! The audacity! The horror!

Supplies I used:

1 hank of fingering weight merino with bounce 440 yards

4 14" long steel dpns - 3mm

6" long wooden ruler to check length as I went

Row Counter

Stitch Markers

Long stitch holder (those MCM aluminum giant safety pin things)

Snips

Needle

Lots of coffee and two glasses of wine...not all at once of course.

Original Pattern from

A Treasury of needlework projects from Godey’s lady’s book. Wiczyk, A. Z. (1972) ISBN 0-668-02702-9

The cap is knit in 6 Steps which I have labeled A, B, C, D, E and F in the drawing below.  First is the crown (A), then the bonnet (B). The face ribbing (C), then the piece is joined to knit the neck ribbing (D) in the round.  The piece is then separated to knit the back flap (E) and front flap (F) flat on separate needles.

I have numbered 1, 2 and 3 for the lengths you will need to alter to make the cap fit. 

1 is the width of the crown. Measure from your hairline to your crown to determine this measurement and cast on accordingly. The pattern calls for 72. My head is small and this worked for me, please measure your head and adjust accordingly.

2 is the ribbing. This measures 2 inches in the pattern. You can see how it fits on my photo, just covering my hair. You may wish to make this longer if you want the cap to cover more of your face.

3 is the length from the bottom of your ear to your shoulder. I knit 4 inches as the pattern called for and that worked for me, but again if you are not a teeny thing like me, measure this length on yourself and adjust accordingly.

Photos of my knit up

And now that I have completely bored you to death with all of the details

(told you coffee was required)

The pattern in original and modern terms:

Canadian or Templar's Cap, Worn by Gentlemen When Driving

Materials required are four steel needles, No. 12; two bone needles, with knobs, No.10; three ounces of Berlin fingering wool.

The cap is commenced by knitting the head piece. Cast 72 stitches on one of the steel needles; plain knit like a garter until you have done a length of five and a half inches.

To shape the Head Piece. - Knit plain 47 stitches, knit 2 together, *turn your needle (as you do in forming the heel of a stocking), slip first stitch, knit 22 inches <---this is a typo, it should say 22 stitches---> plain, knit 2 together; repeat from * until you have only 24 stitches left on the needle.

You next knit the ribbed bordering which goes around the face. Hold the cap as if on the head, and at the bottom of the right side, with another needle take up, and as you take up, knit all the stitches there are, then knit on the same needle half of the 24 stitches left after shaping the head piece. With a second needle knit the remaining 12 stitches, and take up down the left side the same number of stitches you had on the right. These stitches are to be ribbed backwards and forwards for a depth of two inches. The ribbing is worked thus: Knit 3 purl 3 alternately. If you have not taken up sufficient stitches to bring the ribbing exact, you must end with knitting or purling as many as there are, but be particular to keep the ribbing right by purling in back row where you knitted before, and vice versa. Cast off. This completes the head piece.

For the Neck. - The four steel needles are now used. Cast 24 stitches on one needle; with a second needle take up, and as you take up, knit (beginning at left side of the head piece) along the neck 45 stitches; with a third needle take up 45 more stitches, which will bring you to the end of the neck. Rib these 114 stitches around and around like a stocking until you have done a length of four inches. The ribbing should be as before. Knit 3, purl 3 alternately.

To arrange the loops for the flaps. - Rib you 34 loops, and on same needle with them rib 16 more stitches. Rib the remaining stitches on next needle onto another. With a third needle rib all the stitches on last needle to within 17 of the end, which 17 you must slip on the needle with the 24 first cast on. You ought to have on it 57 loops.

For the flaps. - Take your bone needles and plain knit the 57 stitches on the one needle backwards and forwards until you have a length of 5 inches. Continue the plain knitting, but to round out the corners knit 2 together at the end of each row, until you have only 25 stitches left, when cast off.

The flap for the back is worked exactly the same, putting all the stitches on one of the bone needles.

------MODERN TRANSLATION------

1 hank of fingering weight merino or other yarn with bounce 440 yards

4 14" long steel dpns - 3mm

6" long wooden ruler to check length as you go

Your measurements (see diagram at the top of the page)

Row Counter

Stitch Markers

Long stitch holder (those MCM aluminum giant safety pin things)

Snips

Needle or other end weaving tool

Cast on 72 stitches.

Knit plain to 5 1/2 inches (42 rows)

To shape the head piece - 

k 47 stitches, k2tog.

The next part is worked as if working a sock heel.

Turn piece. *Slip 1, knit 22, k2tog* turn. Repeat from *until 24 stitches remain on needle.

Ribbing for face opening -

Using a second needle, pick up all stitches on the same side you ended the last stitching on. Continue knitting to bottom adding 1 extra stitch. (43)

Slip 1, knit 42 sts + 12 of the 24 stitches on first needle.

Use first needle with 12 stitches on it to pick up stitches on remaining side + cast on 1 extra (43)

Knit 12 + 43 (55)

You will now knit back and forth using a third needle.

Slip first stitch, knit 3, purl 3 to last stitch, knit last stitch, turn. (110)

Slip first stitch, purl 3, knit 3 to last stitch, knit last stitch, turn. (110)

Repeat the last 2 rows to create 2 inches of ribbing.

To form neck - 

Cast off in rib, leaving 1 loop remaining on needle.

Using that needle cast on 24 using a stretchy cast on. (25)

Join to main bonnet by picking up and knitting 16 stitches. (41)

Use the opposite side of the same needle to pick up and knit 17 stitches of the bonnet. (58)

Use an additional needle to pick up the rest of the bonnet stitches until you return to the start of the round. At this point you can either continue on 2 needles or divide the long cast on evenly onto 2 for a total of 3 needles. If you choose to knit in the round on a cable place stitch markers at the ends of the first 58 stitches you divided, it will make dividing for flaps easier for you later on.

Knit all in k3 p3 ribbing for 4-6" depending on the length of your neck. (Measurement 3) Add additional stitches to keep rib count divisible by 3 if necessary.

To form flaps - 

Take the 58 stitches from the front needle and move them onto a large stitch holder.

Arrange stitches of rear flap onto one needle.

Slip first stitch of each row.

Work rear flap in plain knitting for 5", or longer if you desire. When at desired length begin decreases. k2tog, knit plain to last 2, k2tog. Repeat decrease until 50 stitches remain on needle.

Use Icelandic bind off, snip, leaving a tail and weave in.

Rejoin yarn to the piece using a weaver's knot or method of choice.

Move to remaining 58 stitches, placing them from the stitch holder back onto a needle. 

Slip first stitch of each row.

Work in plain knitting for 5" or longer if you desire. When at desired length begin decreases. k2tog, knit plain to last 2, k2 tog. Repeat decrease until 25 stitches remain on needle.

Use Icelandic bind off, snip, leaving a tail and weave in.

Weave in all ends.

Enjoy!