attern: Knitted Beret

September 16, 2014 by Alicia Kellum 60 Comments

With fall coming up right around the corner, I have been inspired to start knitting lots of hats.
Hats are just the perfect accessory for when it’s freezing outside, you’re having a bad hair
day, or when you just want to add a little something special to your outfit.

I just finished knitting this gorgeous beret, and I absolutely love the way it fits and feels. It’s
extremely comfortable, very soft, and thick enough to provide a lot of warmth. The best part
is that it took hardly any time at all to complete. Who doesn’t love a quick project that ends
with great results? I hope you enjoy knitting this piece as much as I did!
 What You’ll Need:

• Any chunky weight will due, but I used Lion Brand’s Hometown USA in “Phoenix
Azalea”. One skein measures 64 yards, and I ended up using just a little over one of
them.
• size US13 and size US15 needles (I used straight needles for this pattern)
• Scissors
• Darning needle

• Some good music, hot tea, or a movie

Pattern:

• With the size 13 needles, cast on 38 stitches. This will fit a normal sized adult head,
but you can adjust accordingly.
• K1 P1 continuously, for every row, until you have ribbing about two inches long.
 • Now it is time to increase your stitches and your needle size. Switch your working
needle to a size 15. This means your stitches will still be on a size 13, while you’ll be
working with a size 15. Start increasing your stitches, just using a knit stitch, until you
have a total of 72 stitches. So, you will not increase every stitch, because then you
would end up with 76 and that will make it harder when it’s time to decrease. So only
increase to 72 stitches.
• You should now have all your stitches on a size 15 needle, so now you’ll begin
working with the other size 15. You have completed the switch from size 13 to size
15, while simultaneously increasing your stitches.
• Purl the next row, then alternate K and P for every row until your entire hat measures
4 1/2 to 5 inches long.
• Starting on the wrong side of your work, (the knit side), begin decreasing. You’ll start
out with *K6, k2tog* to end of row.
• Purl the next row
• *K5, k2tog* to end of row
• Purl the next row
• *K4, K2tog* to end of row
• Purl the next row
• *K3, k2tog* to end of row
• Purl the next row
• *K2, k2tof* to end of row
• Purl the next row
• *K1, k2tog* to end of row
• Purl the next row
• Continue this pattern until you have 12 stitches left on your needle. (You’ll end up
doing *K1, k2tog* for a couple of rows.) Just make sure you are only decreasing
on the wrong side of your work.
• Once you have 12 stitches left, decrease every stitch–this will leave you with 6
stitches.
• Now, making sure you have enough yarn to sew up the back, cut the yarn from the
skein, and put it through your darning needle. Thread the yarn through the last 6
stitches, slip your knitting needle out, and cinch the hat together.
• Turn the hat inside out, and sew together, creating a seam. Weave the ends back
through to secure it.
• Turn the hat right side out, and you’re finished!

If you prefer your beret to be a little less “slouchy”, follow the same pattern exactly
except:

• Cast on 36 stitches instead of 38, still on size 13 needles

• When it’s time to increase stitches, increase to 66 stitches instead of 72, and do not
increase needle size
• When it’s time to decrease stitches, start with K4, k2tog instead of starting with K6,
k2tog
• Follow same pattern to the end as written above to complete the hat

I did this with another beret (the yellow one) and here is the size difference:
 It still fits great, just slightly more snug, and it is not quite as slouchy.

Enjoy!

https://wakeandwhimsy.wordpress.com/2014/09/16/pattern-knitted-beret/