beret hat

Over the last couple of days I've been working on a few hats. Two are the regular hats I normally make, but the third is a beret style, which is something different for me. It was a very easy pattern though it took a long time to do because it uses sock yarn.

The pattern is Big Button Beret and it can be found at The Adventures of the Gingerbread Lady blog. The instructions are very clear and there are numerous photos. One of the things I love about this pattern is the start of round. Rather than ch 3 and then work double crochets, the designer has you ch ONE, then work a dc in the same stitch. I love this! I didn't find it made a great difference in being able to see the beginning of rounds (though it might in a solid colored yarn), but when you go to join your rounds, you have an actual double crochet, rather than chains, to join into. Did I say I love this? Why did I never think to do this before? So I send thanks across the water to The Gingerbread Lady for that tip.

Essentially you start out making a regular hat. She starts with 10dc in ring, but after trying that I decided to go with my regular 12 dc in ring. That worked better for me, but 10 might do just fine for you. She makes other suggestions if you have trouble with bowing (or waffling - read the comments section).

Then you just increase as you would normally until you get to 28cm. If you are like me, you never did get use to using cm as opposed to inches. I pulled out my ruler and yes, it did have both inches and cm, but the manufacturers put the numbers opposite. IOW instead of starting at 0 on both, they start at 0 on inches and 30 on cm. AND the numbers are upside down. Why didn't they ask me before they printed up these things? I'm sure they have their reasons, but it annoyed me.

I will make it easy for you. 28cm is approximately 11 inches. Later on the pattern says to work the ending rounds to 10 cm. That is about 4". I didn't work mine to 4" though. I don't have a good reason. I just got tired of working it. heh

I used Patons Kroy Sock variegated yarn in Cyan Stripes and an F hook. It really was easy to do, just took time because of the thin yarn.

bottom (inside) of hat

Top of hat

After you get to the 11" (or however big you want it), you start decreasing. I followed her pattern for the decrease and that worked nicely. I worked until I got to about 72 stitches as when I make a regular hat that is the number I do before I start working even.

When I got to the 72 stitches (or thereabouts) I then worked even (supposedly to the 10cm).

So for specifics of MY beret, I worked the increase rows until I got to 12 dc between increases. That was 14 rounds if I counted right. Then I worked the decrease until I got to about 72 stitches. That was 10 decrease rounds. On the last decrease round, I only decreased 4 because my goal was to get to about 72 stitches.Then I worked even for another 7 rounds (which turns out to be about 2 1/2" - I really should have gone to 4" and suggest that if you want to turn the brim up and add a button). I did a total of 31 rounds.

If you are starting with 10 as in the pattern, you won't be following my specifics. Also if you are working with a different yarn or hook, yours will be different.

Here are some photos to wet your appetite.

You might also wear it as a slouch hat.

Besides that hat, I did make two other normal hats, modeled here by Logan and Megan. Megan is wearing the black cowl I talked about in a previous post and Logan has a scarf made using the same pattern. Lisa's Easy Baby Blanket.

That's all for now.



Happy crocheting!