A toque is a fitted knit hat you can finish in a weekend

A toque is a close-fitting knit hat with a folded brim and a crown that tapers to a point or pom-pom. You knit it in the round on circular needles or double-pointed needles, starting at the brim and working upward. Most toques take 6 to 10 hours of actual knitting time and use one or two balls of worsted-weight yarn—roughly 400 to 600 yards total.

The basic structure is straightforward: cast on stitches around the brim, knit in stockinette stitch (knit every round) for 2 to 3 inches so the brim can fold, then continue straight for another 4 to 5 inches. After that, you decrease stitches every few rounds to narrow the crown until you have 6 to 8 stitches left, then pull the yarn through them and weave in the ends. The whole process follows the same pattern whether you are a beginner or experienced knitter—the only difference is how fast you work.

Key Takeaways

  • A toque requires circular needles (16-inch or 24-inch) or double-pointed needles, one or two balls of worsted-weight yarn, a yarn needle, and stitch markers.
  • Cast on 80 to 100 stitches depending on head size, then knit in stockinette stitch for the full height without shaping until you reach the crown.
  • Decrease stitches in the crown by knitting two stitches together at regular intervals every round, reducing the number of decreases as the hat narrows.
  • Finish by threading the remaining stitches onto yarn and pulling tight, then weave the yarn tail through the inside of the hat to find it.
  • A folded brim forms naturally when you fold the cast-on edge to the inside after knitting; you can sew it down or leave it loose depending on preference.

Choosing needles and yarn for your toque

You need circular needles in a size that matches your yarn weight. For worsted-weight yarn (the most common choice for toques), use US size 8 to 10 needles. A 16-inch circular needle works best because the stitches fit snugly without stretching. If you prefer double-pointed needles, buy a set of five needles in the same size—you distribute the stitches across four needles and knit with the fifth.

Worsted-weight yarn is the easiest to work with for a first toque because the stitches are large enough to see and fix, and the finished hat has good structure. Merino wool, acrylic, or wool blends all work well. Avoid fingering-weight yarn (too thin, takes much longer) and bulky yarn (the hat will be too thick and stiff). Buy yarn labeled 400 to 600 yards; most single balls of worsted weight are 180 to 220 yards, so you will need two balls.

You also need a yarn needle (also called a tapestry needle) with an eye large enough for your yarn, and at least two stitch markers—small rings or loops that slide onto your needles to mark where you decrease. Split-ring markers work best because they do not slip off.

Casting on and setting up your first round

Cast on 88 stitches using the long-tail cast-on method. This number fits an average adult head; if you are knitting for a child, cast on 72 stitches, and for a large adult, cast on 100. Distribute the stitches evenly around your circular needle—roughly 22 stitches on each quarter if you are using markers.

Join the stitches into a circle by knitting the first stitch with the working yarn (the yarn attached to the ball), being careful not to twist the cast-on row. Place a stitch marker after the first stitch to mark the beginning of each round. This is the most common mistake: if you twist the stitches before joining, the hat will have a spiral instead of lying flat.

Knit the first round plain—just knit every stitch. This round locks the join in place. From round 2 onward, you will knit every stitch in every round until you reach the crown. This creates stockinette stitch in the round, which looks like smooth V-shaped columns.

Knitting the body and brim of the hat

Knit every round without any shaping for 7 to 8 inches total. Count your rounds by marking every 10th round with a pen on a piece of paper, or use a row counter if you have one. The hat will look like a tube at this point, which is correct.

After 7 to 8 inches, you will fold the brim. The first 2 to 3 inches you knitted will become the folded edge on the inside of the hat, and the rest will be the visible brim. Some knitters prefer to knit the brim in ribbed stitch (alternating knit and purl stitches) to make it more elastic, but stockinette is simpler and works fine. If you want a ribbed brim, knit rounds 1 through 20 as K1, P1 (knit one stitch, purl one stitch, repeat around), then switch to stockinette for the rest.

Do not cut the yarn or bind off yet. You will continue knitting straight up from the brim into the crown.

Decreasing stitches to shape the crown

Once the body reaches 5 to 6 inches above the brim fold line, begin decreasing. Place a stitch marker 22 stitches from the beginning-of-round marker. This divides your stitches into four equal sections.

In the next round, knit two stitches together (K2tog) at each marker. To knit two stitches together, insert your needle through two stitches instead of one and knit them as a single stitch. You now have 84 stitches (if you started with 88). Knit 5 plain rounds, then decrease again at each marker. Repeat this pattern—5 rounds plain, then 1 round of decreases—until you have 32 stitches left.

After that, decrease every other round instead of every 5 rounds. Knit 1 round plain, then knit two stitches together at each marker. Continue until you have 8 stitches left. The hat will look like a cone at this point, which is correct.

Closing the crown and finishing

Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail onto your yarn needle. Slip all 8 remaining stitches off the circular needle and onto the yarn needle. Pull the yarn tight to close the crown—the stitches will bunch together and the hole will disappear. Weave the yarn needle through the inside of the hat several times to anchor the tail, then trim any excess yarn.

Turn the hat inside out and fold the cast-on edge up about 2 to 3 inches. This creates the folded brim. You can sew the fold down with a needle and thread to keep it in place, or leave it loose so it can be adjusted. If you leave it loose, the brim will naturally stay folded because of the weight of the yarn.

Weave in any other loose ends with your yarn needle, working them through the inside of the hat so they do not show. Wash the hat in cool water with mild soap, squeeze out excess water (do not wring), and lay it flat or on a hat block to dry. This sets the shape and softens the yarn.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The most common mistake is twisting the cast-on stitches before joining them into a circle. If you notice a spiral in the first few rounds, you can frog (rip out) back to the cast-on and rejoin correctly. The second mistake is decreasing too slowly, which makes the crown too long and pointy. If this happens, you can knit fewer plain rounds between decrease rounds—instead of 5 rounds plain, do 3 or 2.

Uneven tension at the join (where the cast-on meets the first round) is normal and will disappear when you fold the brim. If the hat is too loose or too tight, the problem is usually needle size, not your tension. Loose stitches mean you need smaller needles; tight stitches mean you need larger needles. You can always unravel and start over—yarn is reusable.

If you drop a stitch, do not panic. Use a crochet hook to pick it up by inserting the hook through the dropped stitch from front to back, catching the horizontal strand of yarn above it, and pulling it through. Repeat for each row the stitch dropped, then place it back on the needle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size needles do I need for a toque?

Use circular needles in US size 8 to 10 for worsted-weight yarn, which is the standard for toques. A 16-inch needle works best because the stitches fit snugly. If you use double-pointed needles instead, buy a set of five in the same size.

How long does it take to knit a toque?

Most toques take 6 to 10 hours of actual knitting time, depending on your speed and experience. A beginner might finish in two weekends; an experienced knitter can finish in one long day. The yarn weight and stitch pattern also affect speed—worsted weight is faster than fingering weight.

Can I knit a toque on straight needles instead of circular?

No, a toque is knitted in the round, which requires circular or double-pointed needles. Straight needles are for flat pieces like scarves or blankets. You could knit a hat flat and sew it together, but that is a different project and creates a visible seam.

What do I do if my toque is too big or too small?

If it is too big, you can felt it in the washing machine on hot water with agitation, which shrinks wool yarn. If it is too small, you cannot stretch it permanently. For your next toque, cast on fewer stitches for a smaller hat or more stitches for a larger one. The difference between 80 and 88 stitches is roughly a half-inch around the head.

Do I have to fold the brim, or can I bind it off?

You can bind off the brim instead of folding it, which creates a finished edge. Bind off after knitting 2 to 3 inches, then continue knitting the body above the bound-off edge. The folded brim is simpler and more forgiving because it hides the cast-on edge, but binding off looks more polished if done neatly.