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Classic Knit Beret
Our free Classic Knit Beret pattern has all the makings of the perfect beret… Tons of charm, elegant structure, and wooly warmth, plus a glorious mohair halo! Cast on with our Classic Knit Beret Bundle, which includes one skein each of our tweed Spindle yarn and our very special mohair-silk Tussock for a fabric that glows with luminous beauty.
The elemental geometry of a beret is simple, satisfying, and fun to knit! Holding your two yarns together, you’ll start with a ribbed brim and then let your beret bloom with a round of simple increases to widen the body out to that classic beret shape. Basic decreases bring you back to the center, before you finish it off with a dainty “cabillou,” which is the fancy French name for that easy little I-cord stalk that turns your beret into a béret!
Knitting Spindle and Tussock together creates a rich and complex fabric, sprinkled with colorful tweed burrs and illuminated by a soft halo. Both are fine lace-weight yarns that bloom on your needles, and when knit at a dense-ish gauge, they have plenty of structure to allow your beret to sit proudly on your head!
Lending lots of character, Spindle is a single-ply yarn made in the ancestral home of traditional Irish tweed yarns, but with a softer touch thanks to an artful blend of merino wool, cashmere, and mulberry silk. Tussock is made with 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% mulberry silk, an incredibly soft mix that captures the eye with vibrant colors and reflected light.
Our Classic Knit Beret Bundle gives you a skein of each yarn (enough to knit any size beret) in carefully chosen colors that will play beautifully together. Some pairings, like Spindle’s Fuchsia Rose and Tussock’s Alpine Phlox (our purple version) have a little more contrast for a dappled fabric, while others, like House Wren + Golden Lichen (our golden version) have a more subtle shimmer… All 15 bundles are absolutely stunning!
Pick up a bundle (or choose one color each of Spindle and Tussock!) and cast on… Your Classic Knit Beret will be everything you ever dreamed a beret could be!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 55 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. See even more of Gianna’s work on her Instagram!
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
Our Classic Knit Beret Bundle includes all the yarn you’ll need to make your own beret…
- Yarn A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Spindle, 80% merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% mulberry silk. Each skein of this lace- to fingering-weight yarn is 625 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 124 (147, 175, 205) yards required.
- Yarn B: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Tussock, 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% silk. Each skein of this lace- to fingering-weight yarn is approximately 328 yards/ 25 grams; approximately 144 (170, 203, 237) yards required.
You’ll also need…
- US 1 (2.5 mm), 12- or 16-inch circular knitting needles, depending on size you are making OR US 1, 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop
- US 2 (3 mm), 12- or 16-inch circular needles, depending on size you are making OR US 2, 32-inch circular needles for Magic Loop
- If using short circular needles: A set of US 2 double pointed needles
- A stitch marker
Choose from 15 colorful combos, shown above! We used Heirloom White + Beach Stone (top left corner), House Wren + Golden Lichen (top right corner), and Fuchsia Rose + Alpine Phlox (third row, left).
Or choose your own shimmering shades… Just pick up 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Spindle and 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Tussock!
GAUGE
28 stitches and 34 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, holding Yarns A and B together, on larger needles
SIZES
Toddler (Kid, Adult Small/Medium, Adult Medium/Large)
- Finished Brim Circumference: 15½ (16¾, 18¼, 19¾) inches, comfortably stretching 1–3 inches
- Finished Diameter: 8½ (9¼, 10, 11) inches
- Finished Height: 6½ (7¼, 8¼, 9) inches
SAMPLES: The Heirloom White + Beach Stone hat is Toddler size, and the Fuchsia Rose + Alpine Phlox and House Wren + Golden Lichen hats are Adult Small/Medium.
For help choosing a hat size, check out our complete guide on How to Knit the Right Hat Size!
PATTERN
BRIM
With one strand of Yarn A and one strand of Yarn B held together, cast 108 (118, 128, 138) stitches onto smaller needles. We used a basic Long-Tail Cast On.
Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Round 1: *K1, p1, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 1 inch from cast-on edge.
BODY
Switching to larger circular needles…
Increase Round: *Knit front and back (kfb), k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog). [160 (175, 190, 205) stitches]
Continue in stockinette stitch, knitting every round, until piece measures 3½ (3¾, 4, 4¼) inches from cast-on edge.
CROWN
NOTE: Change to double pointed needles if/when necessary.
Decrease Round 1: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [128 (140, 152, 164) stitches remain]
Knit every round for 5 (6, 8, 9) rounds.
Decrease Round 2: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [96 (105, 114, 123) stitches remain]
Knit every round for 5 (6, 8, 9) rounds.
Decrease Round 3: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [64 (70, 76, 82) stitches remain]
Knit every round for 5 (6, 8, 9) rounds.
Decrease Round 4: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [32 (35, 38, 41) stitches remain]
Knit every round for 4 (5, 6, 7) rounds.
TODDLER SIZE ONLY
Decrease Round 5: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [16 stitches remain]
Knit one round.
Decrease Round 6: *K2, [k2tog] 3 times, repeat from * to end of round. [10 stitches remain]
KID SIZE ONLY
Decrease Round 5: *K2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. [18 stitches remain]
Knit one round.
Decrease Round 6: *K1, [k2tog] 4 times, repeat from * to end of round. [10 stitches remain]
ADULT SMALL/MEDIUM SIZE ONLY
Decrease Round 5: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [19 stitches remain]
Knit one round.
Decrease Round 6: K1, *k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [10 stitches remain]
ADULT MEDIUM/LARGE SIZE ONLY
Decrease Round 5: *K2tog, repeat from * to last stitch, k1. [21 stitches remain]
Knit one round.
Decrease Round 6: Knit 3 together, *k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [10 stitches remain]
ALL SIZES
Knit one round.
Decrease Round 7: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [5 stitches remain]
I-CORD
With remaining 5 stitches, work an I-cord for 4 rounds or approximately ½ inch.
Cut yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail.
Thread tail onto a tapestry needle; draw tail through live stitches; thread through I-cord and down through fabric at base of I-cord; then weave it into the inside of the Crown.
FINISH
Weave in remaining ends and gently wet block. To block your hat, lay flat in a circle (as shown in second photo below).
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Learn About This Yarn Bundle + All Our Beautiful Yarns
Our Classic Knit Beret Bundle includes one skein each of Spindle and Tussock! Together they make an incredibly luminous, complex fabric with a glorious halo. Both lace-weight yarns, single-ply Spindle is a true Irish tweed yarn made with 80% merino wool, 10% cashmere, and 10% silk, while Tussock combines 60% super fine kid mohair and 40% mulberry silk for a glistening strand as light as whisper. Pick up a Classic Knit Beret Bundle to cast on for this free knitting pattern and experience the joy of these two gorgeous yarns… together!
More Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collections of (mostly free!) Spindle knitting patterns and Tussock knitting patterns and cast on!
More Lace-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of lace-weight yarns
- If you want to use different yarns, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial and our Yarn Substitution article for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop merino wool yarn
- Shop cashmere yarn
- Shop silk yarn
- Shop mohair yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of free knitting patterns) and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Instead of a strand of both Tussock and Spindle, would this beret pattern work with one strand of Nigh DK?
Hi J.H.,
What a lovely idea! Nigh DK would create a wonderfully soft knit fabric, but I would recommend being extra careful when swatching to make sure you achieve the gauge of the pattern. 28 stitches in 4 inches is a bit on the tight side for Nigh DK, but it should be doable. You may just need to size down your needles!
All the best,
Lili
I really want to save this pattern to the knit companion app, but I can’t figure out how to do it. Please help!
Hi Linda,
I believe Knit Companion requires files to be in PDF format, and you can totally download any of our free patterns as PDFs! Here’s how to do it: If you’re on your computer, you’ll find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find the “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Click on this button, and a window will pop up where you can delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print. When you hover over any image or a text block, it will be highlighted in yellow and a “trash” icon will appear. Just click on this icon to delete anything that’s not necessary to the pattern! For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. Then, click on the “PDF” button in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up window. Once your PDF has finished downloading, just click the “Download PDF” button, and it will be saved to your computer!
All the best,
Lili
I copied this wonderful pattern. But the beginning casino instructions had overprint on it so the this section of pattern is ompossble to read.
Hi Eileen,
I’m so sorry that you’ve run into trouble printing this pattern! I’d recommend using the “print” function on our website to print out any of our free patterns, rather than printing directly from your browser. Here’s how to do that: If you’re on your computer, you’ll find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find the “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Click on this button, and a window will pop up where you can delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print. When you hover over any image or a text block, it will be highlighted in yellow and a “trash” icon will appear. Just click on this icon to delete anything that’s not necessary to the pattern! For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. Then, just click on the “Print” button in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up window!
All the best,
Lili
Why is the bundle more expensive than buying the yarn separately? I am afraid I am missing something, but I don’t know what.
Hi Paula,
I took a look at the product pages for the Classic Knit Beret Bundle, Spindle, and Tussock, and I can confirm that the prices are equivalent! Spindle costs $26 ($20.80 at the current sale price), Tussock costs $23 ($28.40 on sale), and the bundle costs $49 ($39.20 on sale), which is the sum of the two individual skeins. Let me know if you’re seeing different numbers somewhere else though! We’re eager to correct any mistakes to avoid confusion going forward.
All the best,
Lili
Could you make this beret with a single strand of a fingering or DK weight yarn?
Hi Kim,
Yep, you can absolutely do that! The gauge of this pattern is 28 stitches and 34 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, so a fingering weight yarn would be the best match for that!
All the best,
Lili
I too wrote a question asking if this could be made with fingering weight, so feel free to ignore my original question because this answers it! But I do wonder what the needle suggestion is for fingering? Size 4, 16-inch circular? Then Size 4 double-pointed needles? Thank you!!
Hi Catherine,
To determine what needles to use, you’ll need to knit up a gauge swatch! I’d recommend swatching with the recommended needle size first, and then adjusting and swatching again if necessary. Once you find needles that you achieve the gauge of the pattern with, then you’ll be good to go ahead and start knitting!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you! Since the instructions call for 28 stitches and 34 rounds, does that mean the gauge swatch for this pattern should be done according to your “swatching for circular gauge” instructions?
Good question, and yes! Since this project is knit in the round, you’ll want to swatch in the round for the most accurate results.
All the best,
Lili
How about Linen Quill yarn? I’ve go tons of yardage left and it is such a fine yarn to work with
Hi Anna,
Yep, Linen Quill would be a fantastic choice!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks Lili!
I have followed the instructions for the beret pattern for adult m/l. After brim it says to kb/f knit 1 and repeat. I did but end up wit way more than 205 stitches. Am I reading this wrong or is it a misprint?
Hi Tita,
Thanks so much for reaching out! My math shows that this increase round is correct. It sounds like you might be increasing every stitch. For this round you’ll want to alternate kfbs and knits increasing every other stitch.
I hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Andrea
Would a single strand of Line Weight work? Thanks for answering so promptly!
Line Weight would be a great choice! It should be easy to achieve the gauge with that yarn!
All the best,
Lili
I love the idea of making a beret and have a lot of Santolina on hand–do you think I could adapt this pattern so I could use up my stash of that yarn? I bought a bunch to make that dishtowel pattern and I’m not in love with knitting those (sometimes you just have to try something to know!), so I’d love to be able to find something else to make (and yes I’ve searched your fingering weight patterns and have made some of them already but this caught my eye too). Thanks and have a great day 🙂
Hi Catherine,
Santolina would be a fun choice for this pattern! The gauge of this pattern is 28 stitches and 34 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, which is definitely doable with Sanolina. I’d just recommend swatching beforehand to choose the best size needles for your project!
All the best,
Lili
How can I switch needles while using a magic loop?
Hi Ruth,
Thanks for writing in! You can actually switch needles while using magic loop in the same ways you’d do so otherwise. The first method is to just begin knitting with the new needle so that by the end of the round, all the stitches are on the new needles. Alternatively, you could slip all the stitches to the new needle before beginning the next round. Either way works great, so you could try them both out to see which you prefer!
All the best,
Lili
Could this beret be made with larger needles, or something close to it? I have arthritis now and am supposed to use large needles only. I love the beret.
Hi Judy,
You can absolutely make this pattern with larger needles, and I would suggest choosing a thicker yarn (or yarns) so that the knit fabric is still dense enough. Perhaps you could use Hedgerow with Tussock since it’s very similar in fiber content to Spindle? I’d recommend using size US 7 or 8 needles with that yarn combo!
Once you’ve swatched and figured out your new gauge, you’ll also need to choose a new size to make so that the larger gauge evens out and the hat comes to the correct size for you. It’s a tad more complicated to figure out for this pattern than most, so if you reach back out to me with your gauge measurements, I’ll figure it out and walk you through the steps!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks, Lili. I just saw this after asking again. I’d go for US needles size 8. Thanks for the lead to Hedgerow. Is there a larger version of Tussock, or does that not matter?
Hi Judy,
Tussock is our only mohair yarn at the moment, but it will work wonderfully with Hedgerow!
All the best,
Lili
I am not sure what to do to swatch in the round. And not sure how to measure to decide adult small or Medium or large. and it says swatch with the larger needle. Is that a 2? I just have a rough time getting started . Thank you
Hi Catherine,
I’m so sorry that you’re having trouble getting started, and I’m happy to help! We have a wonderful tutorial called Swatching For Circular Gauge that demonstrates how to swatch in the round. To determine what size to make, first take a measurement of the circumference of your head. Then choose a size that’s about 1-3 inches smaller than that so that the hat stretches and fits snugly! And yes, the larger recommended needle size is a US 2, so I’d suggest swatching with that first and then adjusting the needle size if necessary!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I’m still new to knitting. If I did not want the I-cord piece at the end what would I do with those remaining 5 stitches? Thank you.
Hi Candice,
Thanks for writing in! I would recommend cutting your yarn and using a tapestry needle to bring the yarn through all 5 stitches before tightening it to secure the top of the hat! Then you can bring the yarn tail to the inside of the hat and weave in the end there.
All the best,
Lili
I’m so excited to begin making this adorable beret for my granddaughter.
I am making Adult Small/Medium size with Spindle and Tussock yarn. Which size needles should I use, US 1 or US 2?
When switching to the BODY of the piece, the instructions say:
“Switching to larger circular needles…”. Is this referring to larger needle size or longer circular needles in same size?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Carol,
That’s a great question! That instruction refers to the larger needle size (same length). In our patterns, we use the words “larger” and “smaller” to indicate needle size and the words “longer” and “shorter” to indicate needle length!
All the best,
Lili
I wrote earlier about which needles to use for the small adult size and help understanding in the instructions to go up a needle size when working on the body. I am using US 2 for my swatch and 28 stitches is only 3 inches–I haven’t finished 34 rounds yet but it’s going to be much shorter than 4 inches as well. I’m using a Clover #2 needle. Are others finding this same thing? If I go with a larger needle, will the fabric come out looking as nice? If not, is there a formula I can use to adjust the pattern to allow for more stitches and rounds to give me the same fabric texture with size 2 needles? Thank you!
Hi Carol,
I’m so sorry you’re running into trouble achieving the gauge of this pattern! I would recommend swatching with a larger needle in this case. When you hit the correct gauge, the knit fabric will end up with the same texture and density as our sample has. If you’re worried about space between stitches, I want to let you know that both these yarns respond very well to wet blocking, so that process will make them fluff up a bit and fill out any remaining gaps!
If you decide you want to knit the hat with a smaller gauge instead though, you can absolutely modify the pattern and cast on more stitches. There is no formula for this (and this hat is actually a bit trickier than most to modify), but essentially you’ll want to begin with a multiple of 2 stitches for the ribbing in the brim, increase to a multiple of 5 for the body of the hat, and then decrease down to the final 5 stitches for the crown before moving onto the I-cord!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili! This is so helpful. I tried US 3 needle and am getting the pattern gauge. I appreciate knowing the knit fabric will end up with the same texture and density as our sample as long as I match the pattern gauge regardless of needle size.
You’ve been a big help and offered wonderful information. Thank you again, Lili!
Hi!
I’d love to make this in a smaller size than the toddler one provided. If I decrease the cast on by 10 stitches, would that work?
Hi Christine,
Yes, decreasing the cast-on for the smallest size would work! If you decrease by 10 stitches, it will remain an even number, and then just make sure that you end up with a multiple of 5 stitches after the Increase Round of the BODY section. That’ll make sure the decreases in the CROWN section work out once you get up to that part!
All the best,
Lili
For the crown section, after the decrease row, do you then knit 5 additional rounds each time? Could you do less rounds if you want the beret to be smaller?
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in, and yes, you’ll work 5 rounds (or however many rounds for the size you’re making) between each Decrease Round. I would recommend sticking to that number though since changing it won’t really affect the size of the beret overall. If you work fewer rounds, that will make the beret stick up more since you won’t end up with a full-sized circle for the crown. I’d recommend sticking to the pattern in this case!
All the best,
Lili
I love the combination of spindle and tussock colors. Are there patterns for jumpers or cardigans that use these yarns?
Hi Sally,
Thank you for writing in! Isn’t that combination just lovely?? Unfortunately we don’t have any current patterns for sweaters with this combo but you can use it for any garment patterns that call for fingering weight yarns. Please let us know if there is anything else we can answer for you!
All the best,
Gavriella
Dear Purl Soho,
Thank you so much for providing such a Lely free pattern.
Before I begin, I want to check I’m using the right needles as here in the UK, a US1 is sold as a 2.25mm needle and a US2 is sold as 2.75mm.
Please would you clarify if I should indeed be using the conversion above, or 2.5mm/3mm needles as stated in the pattern notes?
Many thanks,
Emma
Hi Emma!
You will need a 2.5mm for the smaller needles and a 3mm for the larger needles. Since mm sizes are universal, we always recommend going by that rather than the US size since that can always vary from brand to brand.
Happy knitting!
Gavriella
Thank you so much for your quickly reply Gavriella, I will cast it on this evening!
You are so welcome! Happy knitting!
I’m making the Good wool and tussock scarf and was interested in making a matching hat with this pattern. What are your suggested adjustments for using good wool instead.
Thank you,
Alma
Hi Alma,
I’m afraid Good Wool is a bit too thick for this pattern as is but you could probably go down a size with and use a larger needle to make it work!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I just purchased the kit and now getting my materials together. For the brim, why would you need to work a magic loop? Couldn’t you just start off with a US1, 16in (for large) and then switch to a US2, 32in for the body?
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for asking! I’m happy to clarify! For this pattern, you’ll start off with the smaller of the two needle sizes listed for your hat. This means you’ll begin with the US 1 needles (not referring to the cord length). You can use whichever needle style feels most comfortable before switching to the US 2 in the Body section of the pattern. I hope this helps, but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Sorry for my previous comment, after rereading and rereading pattern I realised I was interpreting it incorrectly!
Apologies and I will carry on. I could not understand why no one else had queried it , but I was reading it wrongly.
Thanks for all your marvellous patterns!
Will this lovely pattern work with Echo cashmere yarn?
Hi Kathe,
Thanks for reaching out! Echo Cashmere would be a wonderful choice for this pattern!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I made the adult small/medium with Spindle and Tussock. I loved knitting it and it turned out beautiful. However, I wore it today for the first time and it stretched so much it slips down over my eyes, despite blocking. Help! What can be done at this point? I am not a loose knitter and I don’t have an unusually small head!
Hi Donna,
Thank you for reaching out! One easy fix is to add a strand of elastic to the inside of the brim. It’s completely invisible when worn and helps the fabric spring back to the tension it needs so the hat stays put. I hope this helps, and please feel free to reach out if there’s anything else we can answer for you!
All the best,
Gavriella
Would line weight be a substitute for spindle?
Hi Cindy,
Yes, Line Weight is a beautiful substitute for Spindle! As always, knitting up a gauge swatch before you cast on is the best bet for making sure your knit fits. If you’re not used to knitting gauge swatches, our All About Gauge Tutorial will get you off on the right foot.
Please let us know if you have any more questions, and we’d love to see your beret when you’re done… It’s a really fun knit!
Best,
Whitney
Hello! I love this combination of yarns. I have several Rowan skeins of 70% super kid mohair and 30% silk. I’d like to use what I have and purchase a skein of the Spindle. Could you advise on whether using my Rowan yarn will work on this project?
Hi Jocelyn!
Thank you for your question! Yes, your Rowan kid mohair/silk held with Spindle will absolutely work for this project. The blend and weight are very similar to what the pattern calls for, so you should get a beautiful result. I’d just recommend knitting a quick gauge swatch to make sure everything matches up before you dive in.
Warmly,
Megan
It looks like the pattern is incorrect for the largest size. Cast on 138, and if you kfb and K2tog for the last two stitches that is not 205 total number of stitches. Am I correct? Does this change the pattern when working the crown?
Hi Gretchen!
Thank you for your question! For the largest size, the numbers do work out, but the Body Increase Round can be a little sneaky. You cast on 138 stitches, then on the increase round you’ll: Work kfb, k1 repeatedly until the last 2 stitches, then k2tog those final 2 stitches.
What’s happening in the math is: Each kfb, k1 uses 2 stitches and turns them into 3 (an increase of 1 stitch). You do that 68 times (136 stitches total), then use the last 2 stitches for k2tog, which decreases 1 stitch. So overall: 138 + 68 − 1 = 205 stitches, just like the pattern says.
So you’re all set, and the crown instructions will still work as written with that stitch count.
Warmly,
Megan
Hello! I am very interested in buying the bundle for this pattern, but a fair number of Ravelers have noted the large quantity of leftover yarn after completing the beret project. In the interest of using most or all my yarn, is there a suggestion you know of to get another project out of the remaining yarn? Perhaps if I bought another skein of the yarns? Or maybe a pair of hand mitts? Thanks!
Hi Elli!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful question! You’re absolutely right — depending on the size you knit, you’ll likely have up to about 500 yards or less of Spindle and around 184 yards or less of Tussock left over. That’s a great amount to play with for a second project!
A pair of hand warmers would be a lovely way to use up the leftovers. Our Timeless Hat + Hand Warmers pattern would be a perfect option — you could even shorten the cuffs slightly to stretch your yardage and make the most of what you have!
Happy Knitting,
Megan
It was a bit of a rocky start with this lovely pattern because of the tiny needles and fine yarn, but once I used stitch marker for every 20 stitches, together with another marker for the end of a row, everything fell into place. Counting turned out to be very important because of an occasional slipped stitch or a split yarn. Right now I am on the final decrease row and excited to soon see the finished beret, a gift for my sister.
It would be nice in the future to offer patterns with yarn and gauge alternatives.
Hi Patricia!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience — we’re thrilled to hear you stuck with it and that everything clicked once you added those stitch markers! Tiny needles and fine yarn can definitely make for a tricky start, but it sounds like you found a great system. How exciting that you’re on the final decrease row. Your sister is going to love her beret!
We really appreciate your suggestion about offering yarn and gauge alternatives. While we can’t always include those directly in every pattern, you’re always welcome to reach out and ask. We’re more than happy to help with substitutions and adjustments whenever we can. Happy finishing, and thank you again for knitting with us!
Warmly,
Megan
One last question: I am ready to knit the I-cord but I can’t visualize how and where it is eventually attached to the inside of the beret.
Is the top of the beret closed first and the I-cord knit separately?
Where is it attached inside the beret?
Hi Patricia!
Great question! You actually don’t close the top first and then add the I-cord separately. Once you’ve decreased down to 5 stitches, that is essentially the top opening of the beret. From there, you knit the I-cord directly from those same live stitches, so it becomes a natural extension of the crown. The I-cord acts like a little stem at the top, and the tail travels down through it to secure everything neatly inside the hat — no separate attachment step needed!
Warmly,
Megan
I’ve been gifted a couple of balls of Novella… I think it would make a beautiful beret. I’ve made a swatch with size 5 needles and it *seems* to work out? Does that seem right (and if so… do I size down to size 3 for the brim?
Secondly… do I understand the pattern correctly, that there is only one increase round? Or is that row 1 repeated?
Thanks as always for your help!
Hi Miriam,
Thanks for asking a great question!
To change to a different yarn, I recommend knitting and blocking a swatch to make sure you can make gauge and you like the look and feel of the fabric. If your gauge matches up on US5 needles, you should be good to go! I would recommend going down to US3 needles for the brim as you suggested to make sure it fits nicely.
You are right- there is only one increase round in this pattern! You add a lot of stitches in the increase round, so you’ll only need one.
I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Warmly,
Andrea
Hi – I’m not sure what size to choose… S/M or M/L. I’m getting 8 SPI on size 2 needles, my head measures 21.25″. Every time I knit a hat it always ends up being too tight or too loose.
Hi Chantal!
Thank you for writing in! Since the pattern gauge is 7 stitches per inch and you’re getting 8 stitches per inch on a US 2, your fabric is coming out tighter than intended. That would definitely make the hat feel too snug. I’d recommend going up to a US 3 or even a US 4 to get closer to 7 stitches per inch. That should help the finished circumference match the measurements listed in the pattern.
With a 21.25″ head circumference, the Adult S/M (18¼″ unstretched) is designed to stretch 1–3 inches, so once you’re on gauge, that size should fit you well without being too tight. If you knit it at 8 SPI, though, it would likely feel too small.
I’d swatch on a larger needle and recheck your stitch count before casting on. That should save you from another too-tight or too-loose hat! I hope this helps!
Warmly,
Megan
It says pattern is free.
Why doesn’t this site allow me to pin or save so I can come back to this?
Thanks
Hi Theresa!
Thank you so much for writing in with your question! In order to save or pin a pattern for later, you’ll need to create an account on the website with your email address. After that, you should be able to save it!
I hope this helps and that you enjoy knitting your Classic Knit Beret!
Hills