Is the yarn the right yarn for this design??
I chose the Full of Sheep yarn because I was curious as to how it would knit up with textured stitches. It is a soft yarn, much like Lopi Light, but perhaps less scratchy. It may not give very good stitch definition because of the fact it is not plied, but really is more a rather dense finger roving.
Getting the Pattern Set Up
I started this beret a couple of times, and was not at all pleased with how I was progressing. I wanted to have 6 pattern repeats at the beginning, and then expand the hat by adding them between. It did not work out right in my head at all – certainly not in the way I was knitting it up. I thought about it on the way home from work, and realized I wanted to have 24 stitches for the pattern set up, with a base of k2, p2 to start.
At home, I drew out the k2, p2 to total 6 repeats. From here, I worked backward to my 4 stitches at the bottom of the tab. This picture shows you my sketch. The 24 stitches eventually became Rnd. 3 in the table below.
Abbreviations Used
k = knit
kfb = knit front and back of stitch
p = purl
m1 purlwise = make one purlwise by slipping the left needle into the strand between the stitches, then purl through the back loop of the strand.
pfb = purl through the front of the stitch, then purl through the back of the stitch
yo = yarn over
Make 1 Purlwise
This video is a very nice demonstration of this purl increase.
Begin Body
Row 1: Using the doubled stitches of the I-Cord, kfb, k, kfb, k (6 sts)
Divide sts onto 3 dpns, pm. On Rnd 1, be sure to move some of the stitches onto needle with marker.
| Rnd 1: | *K1, m1 purlwise * to end | 12 sts |
| Rnd 2: | *kfb, p1* to end | 18 sts |
| Rnd 3: | *k2, pfb* to end | 24 sts |
| Rnd 4: | *k1, yo, k1, p2* to end | 30 sts |
| Rnd 5: | *k3, p1, pfb* to end | 36 sts |
| Rnd 6: | *k3, p, pfb, p* to end | 42 sts |
| Rnd 7: | *MCCO, m1 purlwise, p4, m1 purlwise* to end | 48 sts |
| Rnd 8: | *k2, p2, m1 pw, k2, m1 pw, p2* to end | 60 sts |
| Rnd 9: | *k1, yo, k1, p3* to end | 72 sts |
| Rnd 10: | *k3, p3* to end | 72 sts |
| Rnd 11: | *k3, p1, pfb, p1* to end
Note: I experimented with* m1 purlwise, p3* versus *p1, pfb, p1.* I decided that the p1, pfb, p1 looked better in the long run. |
84 sts |
| Rnd 12: | *MCCO, m1 purlwise, p1, k2, p1, m1 purlwise* to end
Note: Here I decided that maybe two rows of k2 would look better before beginning the k1, yo, k1, as was done in Rnd 4. |
96 sts |
| Rnd 13:
Note: This is where round repeats begin. |
*k2, p2* to end | 96 sts |
And here is how the pattern looks so far, stretched out onto the dpns.
The next needle will now be knit with the circular, and I will use the following pattern, which I think will become the basis for the rest of the beret until I begin to decrease for the brim.
| Rnd 13: | *k2, p2* to end (Note: Check for the MCCOs on this row) | 96 sts |
| Rnd 14: | *k1, yo, k1, p2 to end | 108 sts ? |
| Rnd 15: | *k3, m1 purlwise, p2, m1 purlwise* to end | ? |
| Rnd 16 | *k3, p4* to end | ? |
| Rnd 17: | *MCCO, m1 purlwise, p1, k2, p1, m1 purlwise* to end | ? |
Some Thoughts
The yarn is stretched out, so the pattern is taut on the needles. Does not look great now, but may when relaxed. I’ll look at it on the circulars later on.
When constructing the first few rounds, it is easier to create a purl stitch by doing a pfb rather than trying to m1 purlwise. However, once it becomes easier, it should be done; equally important is remembering to purl through the back loop, as done in the video, as the stitch is much nicer.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 