Those who live with extremely long hair and cold weather face a yearly conundrum. You just canʼt find a hat that…
a) is warm,
b) covers the ears snugly,
c) lets your hair hang loose and out of the way,
d) goes over a ponytail without squashing it,
e) goes over a heavy braid without letting cold
air in at the back of the neck, and
f) goes over a large bun without making your
head look horribly deformed.

Since youʼre not about to cut hair that took so long to grow, itʼs time to knit a more accommodating winter hat! This handsomely striped toque uses short rows to accommodate the longest tresses, the poofiest ponytails, the heaviest braids and the largest hair buns while keeping your head toasty warm. It cinches up around buns to give you that proper Iʼm-not-deformed-Iʼm-just-wearing-a-bun silhouette, but can also be loosened for other hairstyles. And itʼs a relatively simple yet interesting project, for both beginner knitters and those looking for a quick stashbuster (it only uses about 85 yards MC and 35 yards CC).