Free Worsted-weight Ribbed Toque Pattern

I can’t think of an accessory more ubiquitous at this time of year than a plain ribbed toque. With a turned-up brim, worn pushed back on yer head to create some stylish slouch, or – as my co-worker Elaine has explained to me her husband prefers – “just long enough to cover the ears, no more, that’s the only way he’ll wear a hat”.

to each their own, eh

The ribbing ensures a stretchy hat that will fit close to your head and resist chilly winds, and is mindless enough for travel/TV knitting. (Also an excellent opportunity to try out the continental knitting method if you haven’t yet – it makes switching the yarn between back/front much faster!) So in honour of this toasty cold-weather accessory, and all who wear them, here’s a pattern for one in worsted weight!

Classic Ribbed Toque

Here for a PDF copy.

Sizes

Baby (16-18”) (Child (18-20”), Adult Small (20-22”), Adult Large (22-25”))

Keep in mind that the ribbed texture makes the hat incredibly stretchy, so it will provide a close fit even if it’s a bit too big/small.

Requirements

• 100g of worsted weight yarn, 5 stitch markers, yarn needle for weaving in ends
• 4.5mm circular needles/DPNs (whatever needle type is required for your preferred circular method – 40”/100cm for magic loop, or 16”/40 cm + DPNs, etc) If you are a tight knitter, I recommend going up to a 5mm.

In my example I used Rowan Pure Wool Superwash in their tonal colour Olive, on 24”/60cm US7/4.5mm Knitter’s Pride Cubics, pulling excess circular wire out when the hat started to decrease. I made the large adult size and had 18g leftover.

Abbreviations

ssk: Slip two stitches from the left needle to the right as if you had knit them, slip both back to the left needle as if purling them, knit them together through their back loops as if they are one stitch.

k2tog: Knit two stitches together as if they are one stitch.

s1k2togpsso: Slip one as if to knit, k2tog, pass the slipped stitch over the k2tog you just did.

Pattern

CO 64 (72, 80, 88) stitches. Join in the round, careful not to twist. Place marker indicating the start of your round.

Round 1: *Knit 1, Purl 1* repeat from * to * til the end of the round.

Work in established K1, P1 ribbing for 6.5(8.5, 9, 11) inches, slipping the beginning marker as you come to it.

• This length assumes you want a ‘brim’ to fold up and cover the ears, or worn long for a ‘slouchy’ style hat. Feel free to customize the hat by knitting the plain ribbed tube longer or shorter!

Decreases

Note: Instructions with * * indicate that the section within * and * is repeated four times per round. The Adult Large size begins at Row 1, Adult Small at Row 3, Child at Row 5, Baby at Row 7. Begin at the row for your size and follow the decrease instructions to the final row, Row 16.

Row 1: *PM (place marker), ssk, (k1, p1) 8 times, k1, k2tog, PM, p1* (80 stitches)

Row 2: Knit in pattern, slipping all markers as you come to them: *K1, (k1, p1) 8 times, k2, p1*

Row 3: *SM (slip marker), ssk, p1, (k1, p1) 7 times, k2tog, SM, p1* (72 stitches)

Row 4: Knit in pattern: (k1, p1) to end

Row 5: *SM, ssk, (k1, p1) 6 times, k1, k2tog, SM, p1* (64 stitches)

Row 6: Knit in pattern: *k1, (k1, p1) 6 times, k2, p1*

Row 7: *SM, ssk, p1, (k1, p1) 5 times, k2tog, SM, p1* (56 stitches)

Row 8: Knit in pattern: (k1, p1) to end

Row 9: *SM, ssk, (k1 p1) 4 times, k1, k2tog, SM, p1* (48 stitches)

Row 10: Knit in pattern: *k1, (k1, p1) 4 times, k2, p1*

Row 11: *SM, ssk, p1, (k1, p1) 3 times, k2tog, SM, p1* (40 stitches)

Row 12: Knit in pattern: (k1, p1) to end

Row 13: *SM, ssk, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, k2tog, SM, p1* (32 stitches)

Row 14: *SM, ssk, p1, k1, p1, k2tog, SM, p1* (24 stitches)

Row 15: *SM, ssk, k1, k2tog, SM, p1* (16 stitches)

Row 16: *remove marker, s1k2togpsso, remove marker, p1* (8 stitches)

Break yarn, weave through remaining stitches, pulling the yarn to bring the stitches together and close the hole. Weave it in on the inside of the hat. Weave in any other ends. Promptly stick on a loved ones’ noggin and wallow in their endless praise.

Chloe

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Five Projects for Your Fall Spirit

One of my favourite things about being a hand-crafter is creating very festive projects – it captures your seasonal spirit, and seems to infect everyone who sees it with said spirit!

Literally no one has been able to resist these since they appeared last week!

Therefore, if you’re feeling particularly Halloween-y lately, and not sure what you can make in the short time we have left, I thought I’d share some of my favourite ideas~!

1. Pumpkins

Stuffed pumpkins can be made in all shapes and sizes, and there’s nothing to throw away at the end of the season! I like the idea of decorating with felt faces, or maybe using surface crochet to add a message! I used both Knit Pumpkins by Katrina McNerney and Tosca Pumpkin by Tina Laiho. For crochet there is also Spice & Clove by Hannah Maier or Pumpkin by June Gilbank which look great!

2. Monsters

Just look at those beady little eyes! I’ve been positively haunted by Megan Schmidt’s stuffed monsters such as the Frankenstein & Bride above, as well as her Wicked Witch & Dracula, since I laid eyes on them earlier this month. There’s also a Halloween Mini Spook eBook full of adorable crocheted monsters. Ghosts, Spiders, Zombies – all would make fantastic companions while handing out candy to trick-or-treaters!

Now, how about those of you who are thinking a little less October and a little more Autumn?

Ahhhh! So small and cute!

3. Leaves

I enjoyed working up Pin Oak by Linda Dawkins, and am finding it hard to resist Maple Leaf by HappyBerry – I mean, she has a video tutorial? What excuse can I use to not make something so wee! There’s also Autumn Leaves by Elizabath Murphy and Crocheted Fall Leaves by Deborah Schliegel. While most of the other projects on this list need specific colours, leaves you could work up in any odd left overs and they’d still look lovely! Many project notes seem to mention they make useful coasters – but I’m thinking you could add a pin and wear it as a festive brooch.

4. Apples/Food in general

This may be the first but it will absolutely not be the last time my fascination with knitted/crocheted food comes up. There’s something about decorative food that I suppose appeals to my inner craft glutton? There are apples, like the one above by Linda Dawkins or a crochet version. But why not PIE! WHO DOESN’T LOVE PIE? As the weather gets colder, I can’t think of a more fun table center-piece. There’s candy corn, or potatoes, or fortune cookies… whatever might spark any of your memories, or favourite family jokes, you can work up and keep around to amuse any visitors. It also, of course, makes great children’s toys, but more importantly adults seem to find them endlessly charming. And, I’m about to blow your mind, Ravelry has an entire section of their search dedicated to food.

5. Let’s Get Useful

If you’ve gotten this far without casting something on, I’m going to guess you fall under the Useful species of knitter/crocheter. One of our shop instructors, Effie, is like that. “Chloe,” she’ll say as she sees me knitting replica garlic, “what is that FOR?” Fortunately for you, you can get festive with potholders that happen to look like pie or pumpkins; dishcloths such as these Apple Tawashis by Salihan Laugesen or the Pumpking by Teresa Gregorio; even coasters such as Apples by Annemarie, Candy Corn by Brittany Coughlin, Ghosts, or Peppermint! Particularly useful and adorable, at the same time!

What’s great about all of these festive treats is that they allow you to use up leftovers, don’t require swatching, and make fantastic housewarming/host gifts!

And, I mean, there just can’t be anything wrong with knitting pie~

Chloe

A Very Canadian Thanksgiving

Just in time for Thanksgiving,

we had some highly anticipated BUSHELS of yarn arrive at the shop…

These bushels came courtesy of a Canadian company called Briggs & Little. Located in New Brunswick, they’ve been operating since 1857, and under their current name since 1916. There’s something special about knitting with a Canadian yarn that has so much history!

We are currently carrying three Briggs & Little lines;

1-ply Sport, which offers a fantastic 393m/430yds per 113g skein,

Heritage, a 2-ply worsted/aran weight with 196m/215yds per 113g skein,

and Country Roving, a 5-strang bulky yarn offered in 141m/155yd 227g/8oz pucks!

all of the Briggs & Little products are a lovely sheepy pure wool – Perfect for the warmest, winteriest, Canadian-est projects!

Also in this week…

Arahapo, a wool/acrylic super bulky, and with it some very intense, long bamboo straight knitting needles

Nevado, a llama/wool/nylon blend chunky yarn where the soft animal fiber is “blown” through a nylon tube

Facile Easy, an acrylic super-bulky that comes in both solids & multis

& finally, Kid Color, a laceweight mohair/nylon blend that stripes!

Now the absolute best part of Thanksgiving – food, yes, family, mostly – but you get that extra long weekend day to sit back and catch up on your knitting as your family does the dishes We will be closed for Thanksgiving Monday, but look forward to seeing the results of your weekend knitting when we re-open on Tuesday~