Project Focus: Monmouth Caps

Monmouth Caps, Elsa Style

elsa@hailmog.org

I like to remember why I get myself into rabbit holes, and this is an important one in my personal and SCA life. 

This was one of my all-time favorite projects, for a friend with a Norse persona. The hat itself is wool; the horns are cotton, stuffed with fiberfill - and removable. The white dots around the brim are counted to 6, to imply Baronial status in our Kingdom - recipient was a retired Territorial Baron of Northkeep. 

No Kidding, There I Was, watching my younger brother stumble in the front door around Fall, 2010, covered in concrete dust, wearing only two layers in the beginning chill of fall. And I said to myself, "Self, my little brother is going to get himself sick by working construction without proper head covering in the coming cold and rainy season." So, I got working on an answer to this problem. 

I needed a style that was acceptable to modern aesthetics (because, my family still isn't quite sure about my weird "nerd hobby"), plus respectable to a garbed community (because, my "nerd hobby" is important to me, and I want it to be warmed and fed). All to the Glory of MOG if I could foist upon my brother a case-in-point about how medieval things aren't necessarily weird, and can be quite functional and attractive in everyday life.

So, I made my brother a Monmouth cap.

Pile of "Libby Hats" for a friend's Elevation to the Order of the Pelican - she wanted them as largess for the friends who helped her set-up and run her vigil area, since the vigil/elevation were at an event in the middle of winter. 

Then, his coworkers, who were also my friends working outdoors in the gathering cold, wanted hats. And then more of our mutual friends also wanted hats. And then SOs and other family members also wanted hats. And then it was just the reasonable thing to do to make up a bunch of spare ones in Liondragon Guard colors just in case. I quit counting (but kept knitting) at 400. 

This hat style is a treasure: simple, clean lines; looks acceptable (cozy, even) in modern company; has street-cred for medieval-recreation company; warm-but-not-overheaty in brisk temperatures; easy care; not itchy. 

Citations - aka Historical Street-Cred: 

This stylish cap follows a fashion phenomenon mentioned by Shakespeare (Henry V, Act IV, Scene 7) among others. Identifying features include a hemmed brim, a loop at the back, and a button on the top, and was often felted. I omit the button (simplicity) and felting (materials), but (mostly) maintain the silhouette (right shaping, wrong thickness). 

Jennifer L. Carlson. "A Short History of the Monmouth Cap."
Mistress Talana's site was the first I looked up, because I have seen her work "in the wild." I learned how to create these caps from her descriptions and photographs. Her historical analysis includes a discussion with a living history researcher at Colonial Williamsburg. 

Caleb Johnson's Mayflower History. "Things the Pilgrims Brought on the Mayflower."  
The provisions list cited by Mayflower historians is my favorite document to reference when I talk about these hats: this cap style was so "in" that it was referenced by name, recommended for settlers coming to the New World.

Getting Started

Yarn: 

• Medieval: Coarse-spun wool, around "bulky" weight. Manufactured in the Monmouth region of Leistershire (I think that's right-ish). [will add citation next time I fall down that rabbit hole] 
• Talana style: LionBrand, Wool-Ease Thick and Quick

• Elsa style: LionBrand, Hometown USA, Super Bulky Acrylic Yarn; wash cold, air dry. 

Colors:

• Medieval: brown or red, monochromatic.
• Talana style: monochromatic; whatever she had on hand, or tailored to the person/occasion

• Elsa style: dual-chromatic; whatever I have on hand, or tailored to the person/occasion 
• MC = Main Color - Crown
• CC = Contrast Color - Inside brim and hanging loop

Needles: 

• Medieval: Probably double pointed needles (DPNs) of metal wire.

• Elsa style:  Size 11 (circulars with 16” cable are nice). For kids hats, I use exactly this pattern but on size US 10.5 DPNs. 

Pick-up Tool 

• Medieval: I imagine this was handled with another needle, but haven't seen anything definitive.
• Elsa style: I like a crochet hook for this (sized around G-J, doubles as finishing tool). 

Finishing Tool 

• Medieval: no idea. Finishing work is hidden, and when complete, unremarkable. 
• Elsa style: Same crochet hook as above, large enough to snag most of the strand to secure it to the WS fabric. 

Elsa Hat Directions:

• In CC, leave a tail about the length of your arm – fingers to shoulder. This will be the hanging loop. You might want to finger-crochet the tail to make the length more manageable while you’re working around it.
• Cast on 48 sts. 

• PM and join in round. Knit 5 rounds, weaving the tail between rows. 
• Purl 1 row.  The tail should hang out the RS. Cut the yarn, leaving a tail to join the next color. 
• Join the MC, and knit 5 rounds, maintaining the tail on the RS.

• Free up the tail. Pull it snugly along the CC brim rows, and finger-crochet the length evenly - it should be long enough to wrap around two fingers in a closed loop. Leave about 2 inches of tail after securing the chain. Pull the tail through the fabric (at the purl seam is a nice place) and secure it on the WS. (I usually tie it and also weave it into the purl bumps for security overkill.)

Take a deep breath – this is the tricky part: 

In less alarmist terms: this is a three-needle join.

• Use the crochet hook (hook end leading) to pick up 6-8 stitches of the cast-on row. Hold the crochet hook and left needle parallel, WS together. (The purl row should make this look natural.)

• K2tog across, using one stitch off the crochet hook and one stitch from the needles. Keep working until all stitches of the cast-on row are secured – this will seal up the hemmed brim. (The last one or two k2togs will probably be a little wonky - mine still are, and I don't have a clever answer for that.)

It's all smooth sailing from here!

• Knit even for 18 rows.

Shaping: 

• (K4, k2tog) to end of row

• Knit 2 rows

• (K3, k2tog) to end of row

• Knit 1 row

• (K2, k2tog) to end of row

• Knit 1 row

• (K1, k2tog) to end of row

• (k2tog) to end of row - 8 sts

Cut yarn and thread the tail through the live sts. Pull snug and dress on WS.

Enjoy!

Pelican-style Monmouth Cap. I started making this style for that same aforementioned friend on the occasion of her Elevation to Pelican, which coincided by the same-order Elevation of another friend - the timing simply spoke to me.