History
Making a Pattern
Making the Toque
Sources

 

History  
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What is a Toque
    The toque seems to be a development from the fillet - seen in earlier years, worn by Saxon and then Norman women to hold a veil in place on the head. The bands became wider and stiffer, varying in width from one inch up to a maximum of around 4 inches, and could be left open or have a top inserted to form a kind of 'pill-box' hat (which later developed into the 'henin' type headdress of the 15th century).
   Closed toques were usually quite plain, being faced with either linen or silk; the open ones were sometimes pleated or made with a ruffled appearance.
   As far as I can make out the Toque has been worn variously from the middle of the 13th century until the middle of the 14th century, though seems to be most popular around the end of the 13th century.
 

Ways the toque could be worn:

 Rough Dates/Periods of wear:
- toque worn with wimple under 1216-72
- toque worn with caul under and chin strap over 1216-72
- toque worn with chin strap under and veil over 1216-72
- toque with chin strap under 1216-72, 1250, 1290, 1327-77

- open toque worn with chin strap and caul (a type of fancy hair-net) under

 1250-1300, 1272-1307, 1307-27
- open toque worn with wimple under, veil over 1260
- deep toque with wimple worn over 1272-1307
- closed toque with chin strap and veil under 1307-27
- toque with wimple and veil over 1307-27

Making a Pattern
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You will need:

  • a tape measure
  • 3 sheets of A4 paper
  • scissors
  • some string
  • sticky tape
  • a thick pen or felt tip
  1. Measure round the crown of your head with the tape measure and write this down.
  2. Next, cut a piece of string exactly the same length as this measurement.
  3. Stick the 3 sheets of paper together short end to short end to short end with the tape.
  4. Holding the ends of the string lay it on the paper and pull it towards the longest edge - so that the ends of the string are exactly on the edge of the paper. The string should make a curve less full than a half circle (about a third of a circle).
  5. Carefully draw round the string with the pen. This line is now the inside or head edge of your toque.
  6. Determine how tall you want the toque to be - between 3 and 4 inches is about right - any less and you're making a circlet). Mark this distance out from the first line and draw in.
  7. Cut out your toque pattern - the ends need to be angled so they butt together when you try it for fit.

Making the Toque
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You will need:

  • 50cm of fabric (115cm wide)
  • 30cm of flannel (115cm wide)
  • 30cm of nylon buckram or stiffening stuff (150cm wide)
  • one 35cm by 57cm sheet of plastic canvas
  • thread
  • decoration
  • your toque pattern
  • scissors
  • needle
  1. Using your pattern, cut out the plastic canvas, extending one end by about 2.5cm.
  2. Cut two sections out of the nylon buckram or stiffening, exactly to the pattern.
  3. Butt the edges of one of the buckram sections together and zig-zag stitch to hold it in place.
  4. Wrap the section of plastic canvas round the OUTSIDE of the buckram making sure the top and bottom edges match and stitch roughly together. Try to stagger the joins and stitch the ends down too.
  5. Wrap the other buckram section over the plastic canvas and stitch together, with the top and bottom edges matching and the ends butting as before.
  6. Cut the flannel section of the toque with a good seam allowance all round (about 2.5 cm)
  7. Wrap the flannel section round the outside of the buckram, folding under and lapping one edge. Make sure this join is away from all other joins. Stitch through all thicknesses round the top and bottom edge.
  8. Cut two sections of your top (fancy) fabric with seam allowances.
  9. Wrap one section of fabric round the OUTSIDE of the buckram, folding under and lapping one edge. Make sure this join is away from all other joins.
  10. Turn top and bottom edges of fabric and flannel to the INSIDE and pin in place (it's easier to do this if the pin heads protrude from the bottom edge of the toque). Carefully stitch the lapped edge down.
  11. Stitch the pinned edge of the fabric to the buckram - this is quite tricky, but do persevere. This doesn't have to be perfect as you'll be covering it up with the remaining section of fabric - it does need to hold in place though!
  12. If you are going to use a trim along the top edge - now is the time to stick or sew this in place.
  13. Stick or sew on any decoration as required.
  14. With the last section of fabric, it helps to iron under the seam allowances. You can then roughly pin the section in place on the INSIDE of the toque and stitch it down neatly. Remember to lap the seam and ensure it lies away from any others again.

Sources
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Simplicity pattern no. 8728
Historical Costumes of England 1066-1968 - Nancy Bradfield
Women's Headdress and Hairstyles in England from AD600 to the present day - Georgine de Courtais
Costume 1066-1966 - John Peacock
The Evolution of Fashion, Pattern and cut from 1066 to 1930 - Margot Hamilton-Hill & Peter A Bucknell
Medieval Art

 

© Rosie Monument 2001
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