Nonna Rosalie's Toque

I’m excited to say I have completed my very first self-designed knitting pattern!

I’m calling my pattern “Nonna Rosalie’s Toque”, in honor of my little Italian great-grandmother Rosalina Lombardi. Growing up, I heard stories of feisty “Little Grandma” and her bootlegging shenanigans in Denver during prohibition. She immigrated in November of 1908, stepping off a steamer in New York at the age of 15. The reality is that she likely had only a large scarf to cover her head and keep her warm. But I like to imagine her wearing a feminine and low profile head covering, more like the cloche that would become popular in the 1920’s.

With this picture in my head, I chose to create a double brim knit hat perfect for keeping the ears warm. The crown is covered in small bow knots, providing subtle pattern and texture like a vintage calico. Depending on the type of yarn you use, the texture is much more muted.