Columbia beret
New version of the pattern added 28 January 2010.
By popular request (and my own long-delayed intention), the Columbia pattern has been modified to include a medium size that will fit smaller heads or those who like a real beret rather than a beret/snood. Get the new version here:
The wool I used is a soft 2-ply Columbia wool from Oregon’s Imperial Stock Ranch; you could substitute any worsted weight wool, but a fuzzy woolen-spun will give you a cohesive, warm fabric. The slouchy beret is worked on needles slightly smaller than recommended for extra structure and a felt-like hand. Lines of yarnover eyelets swirl decoratively up to a knit-on garter-stitch topper. The Columbia wool will full quite readily if you wish to tailor the fit after knitting.
Posted: December 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
don’t know which is cuter, you or the beret. happy holidays.
Posted: December 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Wow, that is a really nice pattern! I typically don’t like knitted berets, but this one is very appealing.
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 1:45 am
i am a sucker for berets and this one has it all. and i would knit it any day although i would never get to look like a modern audrey hepburn in it. thanks for the instructions. and i wish you and mr. g a lovely christmas and a happy and prosperous new year and i hope for a lot of lovely knitting from your hand in the coming year.
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 6:02 am
That beret is adorable. I love berets and can’t wait to try this one out. Thanks for the pattern!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 6:12 am
Ooh, swirls! Kudos on a great pattern
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 6:30 am
What a great beret pattern! Thanks!!
I have 1 lone skein of that yarn marinating in stash, which would be the perfect use for it!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 6:54 am
Too cute! It looks so perky on you. I’ve only tried a thinner yarn (fingering/sport?) from Imperial Stock, and I loved it! So natural and earthy, plus they have wonderful, rich colors.
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 6:55 am
super cute!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 7:10 am
Very cute pattern! I love the swirls. Thanks for sharing your hard work!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 7:40 am
Adorable! Thank you so much for sharing the pattern with us!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 8:08 am
Oh that is so sweet and vintage-y! My previous beret didn’t come out with the stiffness I think it should have, so I may try this one soon.
I hope you and your family have a peaceful Christmas and good new year, despite your recent loss. Will you be home, or flying eastward? We have lots of snow here!!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 8:14 am
I love this! Thanks for sharing the pattern!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 8:50 am
This hat is so cute, and it really sets of your elfin features wonderfully! So adorable. I like the beret I have, but I’m not convinced that mine is as cute on me as it is on everyone else. Maybe this one will be better (or maybe I shouldn’t be wearing berets).
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 8:56 am
What a beautiful beret. Thank you for sharing the pattern. Happy Holidays!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
So beautiful! I love the way the yarn overs work into the decrease lines – lovely!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 am
That hat is super cute! I have so many hats I want to knit now. Thanks for making the pattern available to us!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 10:02 am
It looks so great on you! I am not really a beret-person, but I think something like this would look great on my mom. Thanks for sharing the pattern!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
OMG that hat is sooo cute! i love the little tie at the top. Super cute!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Thank you so much for sharing your pattern. My daughter loves berets – perfect. I agree with the first person to comment – you are cuter than the hat : )
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 5:14 pm
That is really cute on you! Happy holidays to you!
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Such a beautiful and imaginative design! Thank you! Hmmm, I have a ball of Mountain Colors in Green tweed and 2 balls of Debbie Bliss tweed in pale blue…decisions…
Posted: December 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Super cute! I really like it.
Posted: December 24th, 2008 at 4:27 am
Oh!! What a great little beret! I am going to knit this up for my mother-in-law for Christmas! Less than 24 hours to go!!
Thank you so very much for sharing and as one of my favorite blog writers, I hope you have a merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Posted: December 24th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
It’s beautiful! Thank you for writing it up
Posted: December 25th, 2008 at 10:22 am
So cute! I’ll have to go stash-shopping to make this one!
Posted: December 27th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Sarah, this is beautiful! I think this will be my next step on the never-ending search for a hat that looks normal on my head….
Thank you for the lovely pattern and your lovely and inspiring photos!
Posted: December 27th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Thank you thank you thank you! I’ve been looking for a pattern just like this for ages, it’s perfect! I cast on at lunchtime and have it half-knitted already. I’m hoping to finish it and wear it tomorrow!
Posted: December 27th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I finished it! I love the pattern, and it’s a fabulous beret – thanks so much for inventing it and giving it to us for free. Check mine out at http://www.knittingsheep.blogspot.com
Posted: December 29th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Lovely. Just lovely. The color is perfect. I look hideous in hats, berets being no exception. But if I were to pop one on my big ol’ curly topped head, this would be the one.
Posted: December 30th, 2008 at 3:35 am
I just posted pictures of my Columbia beret on ravelry and will soon do a post of the finished project on my blog.
I loved making it and other than the silly mistake I made in one round it was fast and easy. I will have another on the needles soon and will share the pattern with my knitting group. Thank you so much for this and all your great patterns!
May you and your family have a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Posted: January 1st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
That’s quite lovely!
Posted: January 2nd, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I am working on the Columbia Beret pattern. I have come to the crown decreases and have hit a snag…….in round 2 it says K13, k2tog, k1* around omit last k1. How are you suppose to do that???? The last k1 is a yo stitch.
Posted: January 17th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I begin the decreases and I’ve got the same question ? what do you mean with “omit last k1″? I’m sorry, I’m french and my english is not very good !!!
I love that pattern, thanks !
Posted: January 18th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
I’ve responded individually to those with questions, but since the crown decreases are flummoxing many, here’s the reason it’s written “omit last k1″:
That k1 is actually the first stitch of the round, because of the way the decreases shift the beginning of the round. I could have written “k12, k2tog, k1, *k13, k2tog, k1*” instead, but I thought that might be more confusing. The line of decreases is going to slant continually right in just the way you’d expect, with the yarnovers following on appropriate rounds. You’re going to knit that yarnover from the round below, but it’s going to be the first stitch of the next round’s directions. Email me if you’re still confused!
Posted: April 13th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
LOVE the band!!! I’m just discovering how great berets are for not giving a hat-hair-day! Thanks for making the battern available.
Posted: November 13th, 2009 at 12:19 am
What a lovely beret! Thanks a lot for the pattern!
Posted: December 19th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Hi Sarah-
I love this pattern but I have a big head that measures around 23 inches circumference. Would this hat be too small?
Thanks,
Bethany
Posted: January 28th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
[...] long and indefensible procrastination, I have posted new versions of the Columbia beret and the Twisted Tree pullover on the Patterns page. There is now a smaller size of the beret [...]