What is a Toque?

Seeing this picture got me thinking of a discussion that I had in June. We were at the trade show in Columbus to see the new yarns for fall. There were hats on display in many booths and when talking to one supplier I called it a toque. He looked at me like I had 3 heads. I repeated toque and he had a glazed look on his face. Then I remembered that toque is a Canadian term. I finally got him to understand that I was talking about the hats.

I took this from wikipedia

In Canada, toque, or tuque /ˈtuːk/, is the common name for a knitted winter hat, or watch cap (also called a beanie). The Canadian English term was assimilated from Canadian French tuque. Toque first appeared in writing around 1870.

The fashion is said to have originated with the coureurs de bois, French and Métis fur traders, who kept their woollen nightcaps on for warmth during cold winter days. Such hats are known in other English-speaking countries by a variety of names, including beanie, watch cap or stocking cap; the terms tuque and toque are unique to Canada and northern areas of the United States close to the Canadian border.

Bough is a new pattern from Brooklyn Tweed. There is a toque and a cowl. We don't have it in the store yet. If you need to start right away it an be purchased on Ravelry...

While I was at the meetings in Vegas a few weeks ago I put my hand up and I'm now in charge of communications for the Yarn Group.

The Yarn Group is a Product Segment Group of The National NeedleArts Association

We are the people behind the independent yarn industry: store owners, fashion designers, yarn designers and distributors, book and magazine publishers, product manufacturers and their representatives and teachers.

We all work together to bring new products, new ideas, new fashions and new stitches to the knitting and crocheting community around the world. We do this through trade shows, events, television appearances, books, magazines and retail stores.

I've written my first newsletter which will be going out next week. We've resurrected the Yarn Group Facebook page. Please like us.  I will be writing blog posts and newsletters and doing social media. It is going to cut a bit into my knitting time but I'm happy to get more involved in the yarn industry.

I stopped writing to watch Big Break and actually picked up my knitting. Here is Windward. 70 rows to go. Rows that are getting shorter and shorter which is a good thing. Here are a few pictures. It's not the easiest scarf to display without a mannequin.