November’s tomorrow–Sharpen those knitting needles and fluff up your wool!
Knitting season has begun. Are you a seasonal knitter too? Now that the months have cooled, my knitting habits have sprung back into action once again. (I just can’t get into it mid-August. The feeling of being piled high under heaps of wool in the heat is too weird!)
Knitting for me is both comforting and therapeutic. Do you know what I mean? The repetition of stitch after stitch, row upon row has an almost meditative rhythm to it. It’s easy to let your mind wander and zone out…
On a rainy day a few weeks ago I sheepishly popped into South Granville‘s luxurious boutique clothing store Black Goat Cashmere (with no intention to drop a dollar, obvs!). Let’s be honest– I had some time to spare and wanted to enter cashmere heaven as a little respite to escape the drizzle. While running my hands along some butter-supple cashmere woollens (creepy?), I came across this toque and was immediately inspired to make my own!
Here is my wanna-be, a tiny fuzzy ashen-grey toque knit with love in soft, silken baby alpaca wool. (It almost rivals cashmere, but doesn’t break the bank!) :)
The Jersey Toque
Supplies:
wool: 1 skein baby alpaca yarn Cascade 3046 Greystone Heather (100 grams) $20. needles: One 9 " circular needle, size 3mm. One set of five 3mm double pointed needles. misc: 1 yarn marker. (I used a safety pin.) Size: Fits an average sized adult head! (lol)
Pattern:
1. Cast on 90 stitches. Using the magic loop technique, join your knitting in in the round being careful not to twist your stitches. Place a marker/safety pin on the right needle’s tip at the beginning of your first round. This will help you keep track of your progress.
2. Knit toque’s rib: Knit 2, Purl 2 for 8 rounds or until rib measures 1 inch long.
3. Switch to stockinette stitch (on circular needles, this is continuous knit stitch) until toque reaches 14 cm/6 inches long.
4. Transfer stitches to your double pointed needles, saving one needle to use as your right hand needle. Start decreasing:
Good luck!
Pattern Credit: Adapted from Maria Carlander’s Little Scallops Pattern.
I hope you enjoy knitting your fuzzy little toques. The process of bringing these soft creations to life is almost as exquisite as the feeling of cashmere running through your fingers. Baby alpaca yarn is so delicately luxurious.
I hope you have a wonderful week full of snuggles into fuzzy woollens, the comfort of kind company and a Happy Hallowe’en tonight (boo).
PS: Nervous beginner? Watch my nerdy video on How to Knit.
PPS: This ballerina made my heart smile.
PPPS: Did you like my chicken photo shoot? Now you know where I get my fresh eggs from for all this baking business! :)
Blue Owl Treats 