Saturday, September 27, 2008

Striking Doily Beret

Being on strike, I've had more time than usual to crochet lately. I decided to make myself a light, lacy hat to wear on the picket line - something I could pull over my ears to keep them warm but that wouldn't overheat my head. I started going through beret patterns on Ravelry, but couldn't find anything that seemed quite right. At some point the following thoughts went through my head: "beret circular... lacy doilies circular... use doily pattern to make lacy beret?"



Striking Doily Beret Pattern

I used Bernat Satin Sport yarn and a H / 5mm hook. Any soft sport or (probably) dk yarn should work.

This starts with rounds 1 - 5 of the Pineapple Round Doily pattern formerly at Celt's Vintage Crochet. This has disappeared from the Internet so I've copied them here.


Chain (ch) 4, double crochet (dc) in 1st stitch (st) of ch, * ch 3, 2 dc in same space, repeat from * 6 times, ch 3, join in 4th st of ch.


Round 2:  Slip stitch (sl st) to next loop, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, * 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in next loop, repeat from * 6 times, join.



Round 3:: Sl st to center st of next loop, ch 7, cluster over next 4 dc (cluster: keeping last loop of each st on hook work I dc in each st, thread over and work off all loops at one time), * ch 4, dc in next loop, ch 4, cluster over next 4 dc, repeat from * all around, ch 4, join in 3rd st of ch.


Round 4: Ch 1, 1 sc, ch 3, 1 sc in same space, * ch 4, dc in next cluster, ch 4, 1 sc, ch 3, 1 sc in next dc, repeat from * all around ending to correspond, join in 1st sc.


Round 5: Sl st into loop, ch 4, treble crochet (trc) in same space, ch 3, 2 trc, ch 3, 2 trc in same space, * ch 1, sc in next dc, ch 1, skip next loop, 2 trc, ch 3, 2 trc, ch 3, 2 trc in next loop, repeat from * all around ending to correspond, join.


Round 6: sl. st. to between the middle two treble crochet of the current group of three pairs of trc. ch 1, sc in same space, * ch 6, trc in next sc, ch 6, sc between middle two trc in next group of three pairs * repeat from * to * around, join in top of first sc.

Round 7: ch3, 5 dc in ch6 loop, *dc in next trc, 6 dc in next ch6 loop, dc in next sc, 6 dc in next ch6 loop,repear from * to * around, join.

Round 8: ch3, sk first dc, dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc, *dc in next 6 dc, 2 dc in next dc*, repeat from * to * around, join.

** for a larger slouchier beret work another increase row here (increase after 6 dc)

Round 9 - 11: ch3, sk first dc, dc in each dc around, join.

Round 12: ch3, sk first dc,dc in next 4 dc, dc 2 tog, *dc in next 5 dc, dc2tog*,  repeat from * to * around, join.

Round 13: ch3, sk first dc,dc in next 3 dc, dc 2 tog, *dc in next 4 dc, dc2tog*,  repeat from * to * around, join.

Round 14: repeat round 13

Beret should now fit head snugly but not tightly. If not work another decrease row (decrease after 4 dc) or rip out the last decrease row, whichever seems appropriate.

Round 15: Ch3, sk first dc, *fpdc (front post dc) around next dc, dc in next dc*, repeat from * to * around, join.

Round 16: Ch3, sk first dc, *fpdc around next fpdc, dc in next dc*, repeat from * to * around, join, fasten off and weave in ends.