Mar
So You Wanna Make a Beret
Okay so I made my first actual beret back in spring 2022 when I was basically living on my couch watching old episodes of The Office on repeat and needed something to do with my hands. The pattern itself isn’t complicated but there’s this one specific thing about the crown shaping that drove me absolutely insane and I’ll get to that in a minute.
First thing you gotta know is that berets are basically just flat circles that you attach a band to. That’s it. But the proportions matter way more than you’d think because if the circle is too small you end up with like a sad little disk on your head and if it’s too big you look like you’re wearing a deflated balloon.
What You Actually Need
I used Red Heart Super Saver in burgundy for that first one because it was what I had lying around and honestly it worked fine. The yarn was a little stiff but berets actually benefit from yarn that has some structure. For a spring/fall beret you want something worsted weight or maybe DK if you’re going lighter. I’ve also used Caron Simply Soft which is way softer obviously but doesn’t hold the beret shape as well unless you really starch it or something.
You need a 5mm hook for worsted weight or a 4mm for DK. I always use whatever hook makes the fabric not too floppy. Some people get really precise about gauge for berets but honestly just make sure your stitches aren’t so loose that you can see through them.
The Band Part First
This is gonna sound backwards but I actually start with the band. You chain enough to go around your head comfortably minus like an inch because it’ll stretch. For me that’s usually around 55-60 chains but measure your actual head or whoever you’re making it for.
Join with a slip stitch to make a circle and then you’re working in rounds. Do single crochet (or half double crochet if you want it slightly taller) for about 6-8 rounds. The band needs to be snug enough to stay on your head but not so tight it gives you a headache. I learned this the hard way when I made one for my sister and she couldn’t wear it for more than ten minutes without complaining.
One thing that annoyed me SO MUCH about making berets is that the transition from the band to the crown always looked lumpy and weird no matter what I did. Like you’re supposed to increase evenly but there’s always these little bumps where the increases are and it just… I tried different increase methods and it always showed. Eventually I just accepted that it’s gonna look slightly lumpy there and you can’t really see it when you’re wearing it anyway.
Starting the Crown Increases
So after your band is done you start increasing to make the flat circle part. The first round after the band you’re gonna increase pretty aggressively. I usually do increase rounds where you’re working like 2 stitches in every other stitch or something similar. The exact math depends on your stitch count from the band.
Here’s what I do and this is definitely not from any official pattern this is just what works: if I have 60 stitches in my band I’ll do the first increase round as 2 stitches in every 3rd stitch which gives me 80 stitches. Then the next round I do 2 stitches in every 4th stitch. Then every 5th stitch. You’re spreading out the increases more as you go.
The goal is to make the circle lay flat. If it starts curling up like a bowl you need more increases. If it’s ruffling and wavy you’re increasing too much. This is where you just gotta use your eyes and hands because every yarn behaves different.
How Big to Make the Circle
For an adult sized beret the circle part should be about 10-11 inches across. That sounds huge when you’re making it but remember it’s gonna slouch on your head not lay flat. I measure from edge to edge across the middle to check.
I usually do increase rounds until I hit that size which takes maybe 8-10 rounds depending on the yarn. In summer 2024 I made one with Lion Brand Wool-Ease and it worked up faster because that yarn is slightly bulkier even though it’s labeled worsted weight. My cat kept trying to lay on it while I was working which was incredibly annoying because cat hair and burgundy yarn don’t mix well.
The Flat Part Without Increases
Once your circle is the right diameter you stop increasing and just work even for a few rounds. This is the part that gives the beret its slouchy look. I usually do 3-5 rounds of just regular stitches no increases or decreases.
Some patterns tell you to do more rounds here but I think that makes the beret too floppy. You want enough to slouch but not so much that it’s falling all over the place. If you’re using a really drapey yarn like Caron Simply Soft you might want fewer rounds here.
Decreasing for the Top
Now you gotta close up the top of the beret. This part is pretty straightforward you’re just decreasing evenly around. I do decrease rounds where I’m doing like single crochet 2 together every 5th or 6th stitch depending on the stitch count.
You keep decreasing until you have maybe 10-12 stitches left then you fasten off and use your yarn needle to weave through those remaining stitches and pull tight to close the hole. Sometimes I put a little pompom or button there to cover the center but usually I just leave it plain.
Different Stitch Options
The beret I made in spring 2022 was all single crochet which is fine but kinda basic looking. You can use half double crochet for the crown part to make it work up faster and have a slightly different texture. I’ve also done one where I alternated rounds of single crochet and half double crochet which created these subtle ridges that actually looked pretty cool.
Double crochet makes the fabric too loose for a beret in my opinion unless you go down a hook size. The fabric needs to have enough structure to hold the shape or you just end up with a floppy mess on your head.
For texture you can do puff stitches or bobbles on the crown part but that adds weight and makes the beret less likely to stay in place. I tried this once with Bernat Softee Chunky and it was too heavy and kept sliding backwards off my head.
Sizing Issues I’ve Run Into
Kids berets are tricky because their heads are obviously smaller but the proportions are different. You can’t just make a smaller version of an adult beret because it’ll look wrong. For a kid maybe 5-7 years old I’d do a band that’s about 45-48 chains and make the crown diameter about 8-9 inches instead of 10-11.
For babies honestly I don’t think berets work that well because they just pull them off immediately but if you’re gonna make one anyway keep it really small like 7 inch diameter crown with a stretchy band.
The Blocking Question
People always ask if you need to block berets and the answer is it depends on your yarn. Acrylic yarn like Red Heart Super Saver doesn’t really block that well with water but you can steam block it which helps even out the stitches. Wool or wool blend yarn like the Wool-Ease I mentioned will block really nicely.
I usually just wet block my berets by soaking them in lukewarm water then laying them flat on a towel to dry. Pin the edges down so the circle stays round and flat while it dries. This makes a huge difference in how the finished beret looks trust me.
If you don’t block it the stitches look messier and the shape isn’t as crisp. But also like if you’re just making a quick beret for yourself and don’t care that much you can skip blocking and it’ll still function as a hat.
Color and Stripe Ideas
Solid color berets are classic but stripes are fun too. I made one with alternating rounds of cream and navy using Vanna’s Choice yarn and it turned out really cute. The trick with stripes in a beret is to carry the yarn up the inside so you don’t have to weave in a million ends.
You can also do the band in one color and the crown in another color which creates a nice two-tone look. Or do the band and the top few decrease rounds in one color with a different color for the main crown part.
Fair isle or tapestry crochet could work for berets if you’re into that but it seems like a lot of effort for something that’s gonna be slouching around on your head. Maybe for like a special occasion beret or whatever.
Yarn Weight Variations
I’ve mostly made berets with worsted weight but DK weight works nice for a lighter spring beret. You’d use a 4mm hook and the same basic construction just everything will be a bit smaller and more delicate. The stitch counts will be different too because DK is thinner so you need more stitches to get around your head.
Bulky weight yarn makes a really warm winter beret but it’s harder to get the slouchy look because the fabric is so thick. If you’re using bulky I’d say make the crown diameter a bit bigger like 11-12 inches so there’s enough fabric to slouch despite the thickness.
Fingering weight seems too thin for a beret to me like it would take forever and the fabric would be too drapey but I’ve never actually tried it so maybe I’m wrong. If you did use fingering weight you’d probably want to hold two strands together or use a really small hook to make a tight fabric.
Edge Finishing
The bottom edge of the band usually looks fine as is but you can do a round of slip stitches around it to make it neater. Or do a round of backwards single crochet which creates a little decorative edge. I’ve also seen people do a round of picots around the band edge but that seems too fancy for a casual beret.
Some patterns tell you to work the band in ribbing by doing back loop only stitches which creates vertical ridges. This looks nice and makes the band stretchier but it’s also more annoying to make because you have to pay attention to which loop you’re working into. I usually skip this and just do regular stitches.
Common Problems and Fixes
If your beret is too shallow and sits on top of your head like a pancake instead of slouching the crown diameter is too small. Frog it back to where you stopped increasing and do a few more increase rounds to make the circle bigger.
If the beret keeps sliding off your head the band is too loose. You can either frog the whole thing and start with fewer chains or you can add a couple rounds to the band to make it taller and therefore tighter around your head. Or run elastic thread through the band stitches which works but looks kind of janky from the inside.
If there’s a hole in the center top after you close it up you didn’t pull the yarn tight enough when weaving through those last stitches. You can go back in with your yarn needle and pull it tighter and weave in the end more securely. A small button or pompom covers this up if you can’t get it completely closed.
Lumpy increases like I mentioned before are just something you gotta live with or you can try doing your increases in a spiral instead of joined rounds which might make them less visible. I’ve never bothered with spiral increases because joining rounds is easier to keep track of but some people swear by it.
How Long It Takes
A basic beret takes me maybe 3-4 hours if I’m working steadily. That first one in 2022 took longer because I kept second-guessing the sizing and redoing parts but now that I’ve made several I can knock one out pretty quick. If you’re watching TV or whatever while you crochet it might take a couple evenings.
The band is the fastest part maybe 30 minutes. The crown increases take the longest because you’re constantly checking if it’s laying flat and counting stitches for the increases. The decrease rounds at the top go quick again because there’s fewer stitches.
Making It Actually Look French
Honestly any beret is gonna look French-ish because that’s just what berets are but if you want that classic look use a darker color like black navy burgundy or dark green. The stereotypical French beret is black but I think burgundy or navy looks better on most people.
Wear it tilted to one side instead of straight on your head. The slouchy part should be towards the back or side not centered on top. This took me forever to figure out I kept wearing mine straight and wondered why it looked weird in photos.
Wool yarn gives a more authentic look than acrylic if you care about that. But honestly Red Heart Super Saver in black looks perfectly fine for a beret and costs like four dollars so there’s that.
