Illuminate Your Wardrobe with the Notre-Dame Tam

The Notre-Dame Cathedral has been a work in progress since its construction started more than eight centuries ago. Built above earlier structures, including Roman temples, the current cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, known for its flying buttresses and incredible stained-glass windows. Renovations and repairs have been ongoing throughout the centuries.

Tragically, in 2019, a catastrophic fire ravaged portions of the cathedral, destroying the roof and spire. The three larger rose windows survived, thanks in large part to firefighters who carefully aimed their hoses away from the delicate glass. Unfortunately, the upper rose window of the south façade was destroyed, as it was part of the attic set in the timber frame that burned. With her Notre-Dame Tam, Laura Ricketts pays homage to this smaller window.

Cables and colorwork combine to create stunning architectural details in the Notre-Dame Tam.

A Knitted Kaleidescope

The Notre-Dame Tam begins with corrugated ribbing. The changing contrast colors vibrate with an ethereal glow as they shift throughout the brim section. The pattern then changes to spectacular textures created by bobbles, followed by spontaneous cables to mimic the cathedral’s trefoils. Finally, you’ll work cables and colorwork at the same time to create the rose shape of the stained-glass window for the top of the tam.

The Notre-Dame Tam is knit in Elemental Affects Shetland Fingering, a yarn composed of 100% North American Shetland wool. Selected for softness and blended into a natural heathered color before dyeing, Shetland Fingering is available in a wide range of gorgeous colors. In the colorways shown, it evokes a feeling of standing in a dimly lit cathedral with dappled light from the stained-glass windows playing above your head. Or select your own colorways to customize the Notre-Dame Tam to your wardrobe!

The Notre-Dame Tam is full of fun details that are fun to knit and combine beautifully in the finished project.

Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future

While the original cathedral took more than 180 years to complete, repair following the fire has happened at a spectacular pace. The beloved Paris landmark is set to re-open on December 7 and 8, 2024. Knit at a smaller scale than any stained-glass window in a huge cathedral, each round of the Notre-Dame Tam has something new to keep your interest and is sure to work up quickly!

We've just added the Notre-Dame Tam to the Farm and Fiber Knits Library. Whether you plan to visit the reopened cathedral or just want to celebrate from afar, the Notre-Dame Tam is the perfect accessory to knit this season!

Subscribers can find the Notre-Dame Tam pattern in the Farm and Fiber Knits Library.