The majority of the Christmas knitting this year was of the toque variety. Everyone got a toque this year … it was a good exercise in stash busting. It was also nice to have items fly off the needles without hours and hours of commitment!
This actually isn’t the whole pile but I had to mail a couple off quite quickly for them to be there in time for Christmas morning in Ontario.
Let me show you the various patterns and designs for each recipient.
The first set of toques went to my sister-in-law and her fiancé.
I decided to knit my favourite men’s toque pattern for J, which turned out perfectly. There is something so satisfying about a fully reversible toque!
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in Grey (8401) and Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball in Grey (1507)
Needles: 4.00mm circs
For L, her favourite colour is baby blue so this was a no-brainer. I picked a pretty blue out of my stash and proceeded to find a colourwork toque for her that would have a little slouch to it as she looks great in beret-style toques. Just a side note, I looooved the decreases for this pattern – brilliant!
Needles: 3.00mm
The second set of toques were gifted to my brother and sister-in-law.
My brother, P, is always easy to knit a toque for since he loves them so much. It is so great to see him wearing the myriad of toques I’ve knit for him over the years. He looks best in blue so whatever I chose for him would be blue.
Yarn: Cascade Wool 220 Heathers in colour
Needles: 4.00mm
I used the same pattern for K as I did for L since the first one turned out so perfectly. Instead of the slouch version, though, I knit the beanie as K has a great beret from me already. I thought this would be more of a warm winter toque for her.
Pattern: Seasons Toque – beanie version – by Jared Flood
Needles: 3.00mm
Lastly, I gifted my mom and dad (aka Nana and Gramps) with toques.
For Dad, I knit off the top of my head (sorry for the pun!). He has a large head (25.5” diameter) and he likes his toques loose. I cast on 24” worth of stitches and just knit. I had picked up the ball of yarn on a whim at my LYS and I wasn’t wrong: It is perfect for him. I knit 3” of 2×2 rib, then 3 garter ridges, then straight St st until the toque measured 8” from the brim. I then worked decreases at 5 evenly-spaced points. Easy-peasy!
Pattern: My own inspiration (see above)
Yarn: Berroco Quasar in colour 8220 Ultraviolet
Needles: 6.5mm
Lastly, Mom’s toque was the most premeditated of the bunch. I had knit the same toque for her dear friend who is battling cancer in Halifax, NS, and we had mailed it off in November 2012. When Mom was trying (but having a lot of difficulty) choosing yarn for her friend’s toque, she kept showing me yarn that she liked. This particular skein she kept returning to, so I went back and bought it a week or so later. She loved the toque I knit up for her friend so much that I knit her the same one using the yarn I’d returned to buy.
Unlike my first version, I made this one the full length as Mom looks great in slouchy toques.
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Rios in colour 139 Pocine
Needles: 4.00mm
My only regret is that I didn’t get a toque knit for my husband – I literally just ran out of time. We are headed on our yearly retreat to Tofino, though, and I’m thinking I might get one finished for him while we are there. Wish me luck!
Merry (although belated!) Christmas!
How sweet! I love all these – especially the ones you made for your SILs and your mom. The one you made your mom has been in my queue for a while – maybe it's time!