Knit Elegant Beret
Materials Needed:
2) Pick out your yarn. Have a style of hat in mind before you go about selecting your yarn. You should only need one ball; choose one of a reasonable thickness. Cotton is less stretchy and not as warm as wool. If you're a beginner, avoid a thin, skinny yarn. Thicker ones are much easier to work with and take less time. Check the yardage on the ball so you know you have enough for your finished product. If you're using a bulky weight yarn, you'll need between 125 and 200 yards (115 and 183 meters); if a worsted weight yarn, between 150 and 300 (137 and 275 meters).
Scissors
Stitch markers (safety pins work fine)
Measuring tape
Knitting
Step 2: Join your cast on stitches in the round. The circular knitting needle makes this ultra-easy to do. Be careful not to twist! Twisted rounds cannot be fixed; if you're not careful, you'll have to start completely over. What you end up with will not resemble a hat.
Step 3: Keep knitting. Around and around and around you go! Try your hat on at different times to gauge how many more rounds you should make. The circular needles create a brim that rolls automatically. Because of this, you'll need to knit for a bit longer to account for the lost length.
Finishing.
Step 1: Start decreasing. If done well, this part will leave your hat snug on your head. If you're unfamiliar with decreasing, stop now and do some research online. Place stitch markers every 8 stitches. When at 2 stitches before the marker, decrease (a fancy term for knitting two stitches together at once). Continue this pattern, decreasing every round. After decreasing for a bit, you'll notice your hat getting smaller and smaller. Don't be afraid to adjust your needles accordingly; this won't mess up your work.
Step 2: Cut your yarn. When you have just 4 stitches left on your needle, you're ready. Snip off more than enough to work with in finishing the hat, about 15-20 inches (38-50 cm).
Step 3: Remove the needle. Take a darning needle or crochet hook and pull the loose yarn through your remaining 4 stitches one at a time. This will tighten the top of your hat. After you've pulled the loose yarn through each stitch on the needle, slide the needle out.
Step 4: Hide the excess yarn. Grab the loose end and pull it down through the top of the hat with your crochet hook. The end should end up at the underside/inside of the hat. Cut it down to about a few inches. Weave in the end using a darning needle down the length of your hat. This will remain secure and tight and hide the seam. You can also hide the starting tail end by weaving it through the hat as well.
Step 5: Finished! Enjoy your knitted hat!
