Ok folks. You want to make a beret? Like to knit. Well I have a pattern worked out that is perhaps the simplest pattern on the face of the earth, that’s very very flexible. It’s so flexible that I don’t even need to give you a number to cast on, and you’ll still get a good hat in the end. I promise.
Cast On an even number of stitches, the precise number of your choosing, onto your smaller circular needle (I cast on using the large needle and then switch to the smaller, but whatever you prefer.) This needs to fit around your head. 90 is a good default, or starting point but alter depending on your needle size, head size, and yarn size.
Knit in K1 P1 ribbing for 5 rounds.
In the next round K4, M1 around.
Knit 4.5-6 inches in st st.
In the next round, K3 K2tog around. Knit 5 rounds even in st st.
In the next round, K2 K2tog around. Knit 5 rounds even in st st.
In the next round, K1 K2tog around. Knit 2 rounds even in st st.
In the next round, K2tog around. Knit 1 rounds even in st st.
In the next round, k2tog around, and draw yarn through remaining stitches.
Block/Felt/Full the hat as you see fit. For me this generally involves rubbing it vigorously in hot soppy water in the kitchen sink for about fifteen minuets, but I have experience with flat felting so it might take people without that experience a bit longer. I don’t generally trust the washing machine for small things like this. Whatever method you use, when it has felted down enough stretch the hat over an appropriately sized dish. Let it dry about half way, then take it off the dish and shape the brim so that the entire hat is round and lays flat. At this point you need to pay attention to the size of the head hole. Don’t use a measuring tape, but the dish tends to malform the shape a little and this needs to be corrected. With a steam iron, steam the hat in this shape, and let it dry the rest of the way.
And there you have it. A beret.
Read on for notes about the needle size I generally do the ribbing one or two needle sizes smaller than the main body of the hat. I’ve had good results using size 3s for the ribbing, and size 5s for the body. I’ve also had success with size 5s for the ribbing and size 8s for the body.
hmmm.don’t you need to use wool, if you want to felt it? will this work on washables?
if so, don’t the numbers change?
maybe posting a pic would help.
Comment by mom — 27 November 2005 @ 6:57 am
I’ll post pictures as I can get them.
Yes feltable wool is a must, sorry. I generally consider feltable wool a must for most projects.
And I screwed up the cast on number shpeil. Basically you need to have a multipe of five after the cast on round. So start with a multiple of 4 and then increase as noted. But other numbers would work too. I made one by casting on 90, and then I K3 m1, around…. (ending up with 120). There’s a lot of freedom. And that’s only if you want to be compulsive about the decreases linning up perfectly, which is really irrelevant, because you’ll never see any fudinging you have to do (I was worried about running out of yarn on the second one, and so I decreased too fast, and it looked all funny like untill I felted it, at which point it looked perfectly normal.
Cheers,
tycho
Comment by tycho — 27 November 2005 @ 9:37 am
I’ve been looking for a simple beret pattern for ages, this is just what i’m looking for!!
Thanks!!! Beth
Comment by Beth — 20 June 2006 @ 5:43 am
This page and this pattern has become somewhat popular, as I can tell from my handy webstats.
I keep meaning to post an updated version of this pattern, which is clearly still an alpha release.
That day isn’t today, I must say, but I thought I might say that: if you’re going to knit this pattern make sure the number that you increase to ends up being a multiple of eight. I need to play around with the math to make sure that it’s really as simple as I thought it was initially.
The other thing to note is that, even a very funny looking hat, prefelted, can look almost normal, post felting, so don’t fret.
If anyone has knitted this pattern, I’d love to hear your experiences. Email em on to me. tycho -at- tealart -dot- com
Comment by tycho — 21 June 2006 @ 12:09 pm
Could you post or send me a picture? Thankyou
Priscilla
Comment by Priscilla Wild — 4 September 2006 @ 11:12 am
Could you please tell me what M1 means. I understand everything else in the directions for knitting this beret except that.
thanx
Comment by Marilyn Maxcy — 2 November 2006 @ 3:54 pm
M1 is make one, or increase, it really doesn’t matter how you do this… I tend to do a raised bar increase of some kind, but if you like something else gofor that
cheers,
ty
Comment by tycho — 3 November 2006 @ 11:36 am
Wow, wonderful information. But you have gave me lot of useful informations… Cool… Lol…
Don Lapre Jones
webmaster@john-don-lapre-world.com
http://www.john-don-lapre-world.com
Comment by Don Lapre Jones — 2 January 2007 @ 8:17 am
I am making this for a birthday present with a scarf. I have already knitted the scarf in a worsted weight yarn. Can I not just knit the beret with this yarn and alter the stitches and no felting??
Many thanks, Monica.
Comment by Monica — 29 January 2007 @ 9:45 am
I’ve been looking for a felted beret–I can’t wait to do it…. but what does “shape the brim so the entire hat lays flat” mean.
Do you knit anything on it or just use your hands and steam it?
Comment by Sondra — 16 September 2007 @ 7:19 pm
ummmm…….. will size 8 brim and size 10 body work, with no felting? i have a really soft yarn i want to use but its not wool.
Comment by komirra — 2 November 2007 @ 3:09 pm
[...] Simple Beret (Be sure to read the comments before knitting the pattern works, if you’re careful.) [...]
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