CANADIANA Tuque

I needed some properly fitting tuques with winter coming so I took it upon myself to create a design that was extremely warm, durable and had some flexibility for design. This was the first of three very different looking design tuques that I made, but which was essentially all from a one piece pattern to yield a double layered fleece tuque.

5 panel, 1 piece, double layer tuque pattern

The pattern is at left. Basically, sew all edges together with good face against each other. It looks like a big nut bulb when done with an open end. Just pull the closed tip end through the open end so the nut is right side out now. Then push the open end up to touch the closed end and put it on your head to get the shape right.

I highly recommend sewing each seam twice. I do a 3.5 mm (about 1/8 inch) seam allowance first, and go over the same seam but add another 1.5 mm to the left. Both used 3.0 mm stitch length due to the fleece layer thickness. This thing ain’t gonna be ripping at the seams, I guarantee you that!

With this pattern, you only have to worry about any panels matching at the top where things taper to a point, and not the cylindrical part of the tuque. That will give you some serious flexibility for design that I will show in a future design. I didn’t take advantage of this feature here because I wanted to use the two inverse maple leaf prints for some visual interest. To do that, though, I had to cut a horizontal band out of the middle of the pattern shown, then add seam allowance to all pieces. Since it was a straight seam, I was able to match the inverse prints as seen with one partially red and white maple leaf in the garment. Meanwhile, the underside portion that was not seen, I used a brown fleece that doesn’t get visually dirty easily, and which was also cheaper than special prints like the maple leaf. I also serged these straight horizontal seams for strength, they being straight and easy to serge.

Gold rating

This tuque fit me incredibly well, having made it the length of my head circumference, NOT factoring in the seam allowance to each side, making that the stretch factor (1 inch lost in 22.5 inches) for a snug fit. The double layers will keep me warm. The red and white maple leaf design is popular anywhere, though I’m not sure I have that much flamboyant winter clothing to go with it. Finally, it will also be very durable for how well it was sewn! I’m going to LOVE wearing this except I’ve made a couple more that I’ll also LOVE wearing so I guess I’m going to have to get outside a lot this winter to put them all to good use. 🙂

For all that, this tuque definitely deserves a gold rating! 🙂

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