Noro Slouchy Beret Hat Knitting Pattern

Noro Slouchy Beret

What Is Being Made

The Noro Slouchy Beret is a relaxed, comfortable hat featuring a generous crown and a finished brim circumference of 18 (19½) inches with a total length of 11½ (11¾) inches. This easy-level knitting project creates a classic slouchy silhouette suitable for various head sizes through its two finished measurements.

Techniques Used

This hat is constructed using several key knitting techniques:

• Worked in the Round: The beret is knitted seamlessly in the round using circular needles, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a smooth, continuous fabric.
• Seamless Construction: The entire piece is completed without seams, contributing to the polished, professional finish of the finished hat.
• Stranded Colorwork: The design incorporates stranded knitting techniques to create the stripe pattern, with two colors worked simultaneously throughout the piece.
• Stripe Pattern: A repeating six-round stripe pattern forms the visual interest of the beret, alternating between the main color and contrasting color in a structured sequence.
• Crown Shaping: Strategic decreases are worked to shape the crown, transitioning from the body of the hat to the fitted top using knit two together and slip-slip-knit decreases.

Stitches Used

The Noro Slouchy Beret employs fundamental knitting stitches:

• Knit Stitch: Forms the primary fabric of the hat in stockinette sections.
• Purl Stitch: Creates textured rows within the stripe pattern, alternating with knit rows to build the design.
• Knit Two Together (K2tog): A right-leaning decrease used extensively in the crown shaping rounds.
• Slip-Slip-Knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease paired with k2tog to create balanced shaping in the crown.
• Crochet Cast-On: A specialized cast-on method using a crochet hook to create the initial stitches, providing a flexible edge for the brim.
• Corrugated Ribbing: A textured ribbing technique that alternates knit and purl stitches in two colors, creating a dimensional corrugated effect.

Materials

The Noro Slouchy Beret is constructed using premium yarns and needles:

• Main Color Yarn: 1 (2) hanks of Noro Shiraito in #24 serves as the primary yarn for the beret.
• Contrasting Color Yarn: 1 (2) 1¾oz/50g balls of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in #80 jade provides the accent color. This yarn is composed of merino wool, microfibre, and cashmere, offering softness and luxury to the finished piece.
• Circular Needles: One each of sizes 2 (3mm) and 3 (3.25mm) circular needles, 16 inches long, are used for the main knitting, with the size adjusted to obtain proper gauge.
• Double-Pointed Needles: One set of four size 3 (3.25mm) double-pointed needles (dpn) is used when stitches no longer fit comfortably on the circular needle during crown shaping.
• Crochet Hook: A size D/3 (3.25mm) crochet hook is used exclusively for the specialized cast-on method.

Gauge and Construction Details

The pattern requires a gauge of 21 stitches and 36 rounds over 4 inches when measured over the stripe pattern using size 3 (3.25mm) needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the proper fit and finished measurements of the beret. The construction begins with a crochet cast-on, followed by the establishment of the stripe pattern, which is repeated multiple times to build the body of the hat before transitioning to the crown shaping phase.