Drop Stitch Tam

I made this tam to go with the Clapotis for my mother for Xmas. I used KnitPicks Shimmer, on size 3 needles. The tam is 20 inches around unstretched. I do still need to weave in elastic to the brim, alpaca doesn't take ribbing too well. I don't want the thing to fall off moms head every few minutes.

Basic Pattern: Check gauge before deciding how many cast-on stitches you need. I used a lace weight yarn, so I had about 8 stitches to an inch. I also found it easier not to use a bunch of stitch markers so I purled the stitches that were to be dropped.

Cast-on 162 stitches. Join without twisting. Place marker at the beginning of round and carry it through out project. Work 1 inch worth of 1x1 ribbing. Next Rnd: *k2tog, yo, k4* all the way around. For 5 inches *k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* each round.
Next Rnd: *k1tbl, drop next st, let it drop down several rows, pick up top bar with left needle to form a new st (make sure this st isn't twisted), k this and the next stitch tbl, k3, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round.

[Each of my decrease sections started with 18 stitches. I decreased 9 times every other row. 18x9=162 and 27x6=162 decide how many decrease sections you will want depending on your gauge. For instance if you are using a worsted weight yarn you will probably cast on something around 96 stitches. Which would mean you would have 8 decrease sections that are 12 stitches wide.]

Decreases: Rnd1:*k2togtbl, k1tbl, k3, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [17 sts/section]
Rnd2: *k2tbl, k3, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [17 sts/section]
Rnd3: *k2togtbl, k3, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [16 sts/section]
Rnd4: *k1tbl, k3, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [16 sts/section]
Rnd5: *k2togtbl, k2, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [15 sts/section]
Rnd6: *k1tbl, k2, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [15 sts/section]
Rnd7: *k2togtbl, k1, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [14 sts/section]
Rnd8: *k1tbl, k1, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [14 sts/section]
Rnd9: *k2togtbl, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [13 sts/section]
Rnd10: *k1tbl, (k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3)twice* to end of round. [13 sts/section]
Rnd11: *k2togtbl, p1, k1tbl, k3, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [12 sts/section]
Rnd12: k1tbl, drop next st, let it drop down several rows, pick up top bar with left needle to form a new st (make sure this st isn't twisted), k this and the next stitch tbl, k3, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [12 sts/section]
Rnd13: *k2togtbl, k1tbl, k3, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [11 sts/section]
Rnd14: * k2tbl, k3, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [11 sts/section]
Rnd15: *k2togtbl, k3, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [10 sts/section]
Rnd16: *k1tbl, k3, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [10 sts/section]
Rnd17: *k2togtbl, k2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [9 sts/section]
Rnd18: *k1tbl, k2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [9 sts/section]
Rnd19: *k2togtbl, k1, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [8 sts/section]
Rnd20: *k1tbl, k1, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [8 sts/section]
Rnd21: *k2togtbl, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [7 sts/section]
Rnd22: *k2tbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [7 sts/section]
Rnd23: *k2togtbl, p1, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [6 sts/section]
Rnd24: *k1tbl, drop next st, let it drop down several rows, pick up top bar with left needle to form a new st (make sure this st isn't twisted), k this and the next stitch tbl, k3* to end of round. [6 sts/section]
Rnd25: *k2togtbl, k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [5 sts/section]
Rnd26: *k2tbl, k3* to end of round. [5 sts/section]
Rnd27: *k2togtbl, k3* to end of round. [4 sts/section]
Rnd28: *k1tbl, k3* to end of round. [4 sts/section]
Rnd29: *k2togtbl, k2* to end of round. [3 sts/section]
Rnd30: *k1tbl, k2* to end of round. [3 sts/section]
Rnd31: *k2togtbl, k1* to end of round. [2 sts/section]
Rnd32: *k1tbl, k1* to end of round. [2 sts/section]
Rnd33: *k2togtbl* to end of round. [1 sts/section]
Bind-off and sew hole closed.