Hip Hip Beret!

designed by Ellen Gormley

Technique used: Crochet

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference (at band): 19"/48.5cm, unstretched; 21"/53.5cm, slightly stretched.
Note: Circumference at band, can be adjusted to provide a custom fit.

Materials:

Vickie Howell for Caron Sheep(ish) (70% Acrylic/30% Wool; 3oz/85g, 167yds/153m):
#0013 Pumpkin(ish) (A): 1 ball
#0011 Taupe(ish) (B): 1 ball

One size US J-10 (6mm) crochet hook, or size to obtain gauge

Locking stitch markers (to hold band, when sewing band to hat)
Yarn needle

GAUGE
Rounds 1-3 measure 5"/12.5cm across (corner to corner); In double crochet, 15 sts and 7 rows = 4"/10cm.

STITCHES USED
Chain (ch), double crochet (dc), half double crochet (hdc), single crochet (sc), slip stitch (sl st)

SPECIAL TERM

dc2tog-over-3: Double crochet 2 together over 3 stitches—Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook (2 loops remain on hook), skip next stitch, yarn over, insert hook in next stitch and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook. Note: In this design, a dc2tog is always worked over the next 3 stitches, skipping the 2nd stitch. Sometimes the next 3 stitches consist of ch-1, dc, ch-1. Other times, the next 3 stitches consist of 3 sc.
dc3tog: Double crochet 3 together—[Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch and draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times, yarn over and draw through all 4 loops on hook.

NOTE
Beret is worked in two parts, the body and the band. The body is worked in joined rounds, with RS facing at all times. Join, but do not turn at the end of rounds. The band is worked separately, back and forth in rows, and sewn to the body of the hat.

BERET
Body
With A, ch 3; join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.
Round 1 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 2 dc in ring, [ch 3, 3 dc in ring] 3 times, ch 3; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—12 dc, and 4 ch-3 sps. Fasten off.
Round 2: With RS facing, join B with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, ch 3, *(3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 3; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—24 dc, and 8 ch-3 sps. Fasten off.
Round 3: With RS facing, join A with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, ch 1, *(3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—48 dc, 8 ch-3 sps, and 8 ch-1 sps. Fasten off.
Round 4: With RS facing, join B with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, ch 1, dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, *(3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—56 dc, 8 ch-3 sps, and 16 ch-1 sps. Fasten off.
Round 5: With RS facing, join A with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, ch 1, dc2tog-over-3 (inserting hook in each of next 2 ch-1 sps and skipping the stitch between the ch-1 sps), ch 1, *(3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, ch 1, dc2tog-over-3, ch 1; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—48 dc, 8 dc2tog, 8 ch-3 sps, and 16 ch-1 sps. Fasten off.
Round 6: With RS facing, join B with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same ch-3 sp (corner made), dc in next 3 sts, dc2tog-over-3, dc in next 3 sts, *3 dc in next ch-3 sp (corner made), dc in next 3 sts, dc2tog-over-3, dc in next 3 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—80 sts. Fasten off.
Round 7: With RS facing, join A with sl st in center dc of any 3-dc corner, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, *3 dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next 2 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—96 sts. Fasten off.
Round 8: With RS facing, join B with sl st in center dc of any 3-dc corner, ch 6 (counts as dc, ch 3), dc in same st as join, sk next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, dc2tog-over-3 (working over next 3 sc, skipping the center sc), dc in next 2 sts, sk next 2 sts, *(dc, ch 3, dc) in next st, sk next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, dc2tog-over-3, dc in next 2 sts, sk next 2 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—48 dc, 8 dc2tog, and 8 ch-3 sps. Fasten off.
Round 9: With RS facing, join A with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, dc in next 7 sts, *(3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp, dc in next 7 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—104 dc, and 8 ch-3 sps. DO NOT FASTEN OFF.
Round 10: Sl st in next 2 sts, (sl st, ch 3, 4 dc) in next ch-3 sp (corner made), dc in next 13 sts, *5 dc in next ch-3 sp (corner made), dc in next 13 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—144 dc. Fasten off.
Round 11: With RS facing, join B with sl st in center dc of any 5-dc corner, ch 3, dc in next 8 sts, *3 dc in next st (new corner made), dc in next 17 sts; repeat from * around to last 8 sts, dc in last 8 sts; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—160 dc. Fasten off. Note: The corners were moved to help round the beret.
Round 12: With RS facing, join A with sl st in center dc of any corner 3-dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same st, dc in next 19 sts, *3 dc in next st, dc in next 19 sts; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—176 dc. DO NOT FASTEN OFF.
Note: In the next round, dc3tog's are worked. Take care not to confuse dc3tog with dc2tog-over-3 (see Special Stitches).
Round 13: Ch 3, dc in next st, *dc3tog; repeat from * around; join with sl st in top of beginning ch—60 sts. Fasten off.

BAND
With A, ch 5.
Row 1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, turn—4 sl sts.
Row 2: Ch 1, working in back loops only, sl st in each st across.
Repeat Row 2 until band measures about 21"/53.5cm when lightly stretched, or to desired head circumference. Fasten off, leaving a 36"/91.5cm tail for sewing.

FINISHING
With yarn needle and long tail, sew first row of band to last row of band. Do not cut tail. With locking stitch markers, pin band around edge of body of beret. Whipstitch band to body of beret.
Using yarn needle, weave in all ends.