Construction: knitted in the round.

Sizes: S/M/L to fit head size, approx.: 54/56 cm - 56/58 cm- 58/60 cm (after bloacking).

Materials: DK
MC 50g/110m
CC1 25g/55m, CC2 25g/55m

Ideas for the colorwork hoop motif: the basic pattern works on the basis of two contrast colours, but it is possible, of course, to use as many contrast colours as you like. deal for using up your DK end of balls.

Similarly, the chart shows the CC motif as being a hoop, or ring, rather than a solid circle. There are 40 hoop motifs across the whole beret, and for variation, I would suggest you make some of the hoops solid circles (just keep going with your MC where the chart shows the ‘centre’ of the hoop in CC).

For further variation, once the beret is complete, you might also Swiss Darn over the MC hoop centre in a contrasting CC, to give a two-colour solid circle.

Gauge: 22 stitches x 26 rows = 10 cm square (after blocking).

Needles: 4.5 mm/4 mm (if using circular 40cm in length).

Blakeney is a small North Norfolk (UK), coastal village set in North Norfolk’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It was once a thriving harbour and fishing community, but the harbour has long since silted up, and the iconic flint cottages of the fishing families are now mainly holiday lets for visitors. That aside, nothing can detract from the wild and eerie beauty of the salt marshes that sit between the mainland village, Blakeney Point and the open sea.

Blakeney has long been one of my most favourite places, loved since I was a small child taken on trips on the boats, out to the Point, and to see the seals. It’s one of the main reasons we moved back to North Norfolk and the coast.

However, it is also a raw, elemental place, with winds from the artic that sweep across the marshes, and strange lights seen at night, thrown up by the marsh gases. All winter, and early spring walks, definitely need a head covering of some sort, and a beret, for me, is the perfect hat. Berets are so versatile, they can be worn pulled down over the ears for warmth or arranged at a jaunty angle for a bit of elegance and style.

The berets I have made here for the pattern, are knitted in a plant dyed DK from a flock of sheep just down the road. But really, any DK will do – and the pattern is designed to enable you to let your colour imagination run wild – and use up all those end of project mini-yarn balls you have lurking in a cupboard. Do upload pics of your berets, it’s always a delight to see what people make from my patterns.