purlJam

# Little Acorn Beret

A simple, slouchy beret knitted seamlessly from the bottom up in soft sport-weight yarn. The snug k2p2 ribbed brim hugs the head, while a gentle increase creates the classic beret silhouette. Finished with a tidy star-shaped crown. Perfect first beret project!

**Difficulty:** Easy
**Construction:** Bottom-up, seamless, in the round

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## Sizes

| Size | Age | Head Circumference | Finished Brim Circumference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6–12 months | 42 cm (16½") | 40 cm (15¾") |
| 2 | 1–2 years | 46 cm (18") | 43 cm (17") |
| 3 | 3–5 years | 50 cm (19¾") | 47 cm (18½") |
| 4 | 6–10 years | 54 cm (21¼") | 50 cm (19¾") |

Instructions are written for Size 1, with sizes 2, 3 and 4 in parentheses: **Size 1 (2, 3, 4)**.

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## Materials

- **Yarn:** Sport weight (5-ply) wool or wool blend, approximately:
  - 120 (140, 170, 200) m / 130 (155, 185, 220) yds
  - One 50 g ball is typically sufficient for all sizes.
- **Needles:**
  - 3.25 mm (UK 10 / US 3) circular needle, 40 cm length, for brim
  - 3.75 mm (UK 9 / US 5) circular needle, 40 cm length, for body
  - 3.75 mm (UK 9 / US 5) double-pointed needles (DPNs) for crown
- **Notions:**
  - Stitch marker (1)
  - Tapestry needle
  - Optional: 6–8 cm pompom for top

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## Tension (Gauge)

**24 sts × 32 rounds = 10 cm (4")** in stocking stitch in the round, using 3.75 mm needles, after light blocking.

Always work a tension swatch — a correct tension is essential for proper fit.

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## Abbreviations

- **k** – knit
- **p** – purl
- **k2tog** – knit 2 stitches together (1 st decreased)
- **kfb** – knit into front and back of stitch (1 st increased)
- **m1** – make 1: lift the bar between stitches and knit through the back loop (1 st increased)
- **st(s)** – stitch(es)
- **pm** – place marker
- **sm** – slip marker
- **rnd(s)** – round(s)

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## Pattern

### Brim

With smaller (3.25 mm) circular needle, cast on **96 (104, 112, 120) sts** using a long-tail cast-on.

Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Place marker for beginning of round.

**Ribbing Round:** *K2, p2; repeat from * to end of round.

Repeat this round until brim measures **4 (4, 5, 5) cm** / 1½ (1½, 2, 2) inches from cast-on edge.

*Check: 96 ÷ 4 = 24 repeats ✓ | 104 ÷ 4 = 26 ✓ | 112 ÷ 4 = 28 ✓ | 120 ÷ 4 = 30 ✓*

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### Increase Round (Creating the Slouch)

Change to larger (3.75 mm) circular needle.

**Sizes 1 & 2 only:** *K4, m1; repeat from * to end of round.
- Size 1: 96 sts ÷ 4 = 24 increases → **120 sts**
- Size 2: 104 sts ÷ 4 = 26 increases → **128 sts** ✓

**Sizes 3 & 4 only:** *K7, m1, k7, m1; rep from* — adjust as follows:
- **Size 3:** *K7, m1; repeat from * to end. 112 sts ÷ 7 = 16 increases → **144 sts** ✓
- **Size 4:** *K15, m1, k14, m1; repeat from * to end. 120 ÷ ((15+14)+? Use simpler version below.

**Size 4 simplified:** *K4, m1, k3, m1; repeat from * to end of round. (15 × 8 = 120 sts; 16 increases) → **152 sts** ✓

You should now have **120 (128, 144, 152) sts** on the needles. All counts divide evenly by 8 — perfect for the crown shaping ahead.

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### Body

Work in stocking stitch (knit every round) until piece measures **11 (12, 14, 15) cm** / 4¼ (4¾, 5½, 6) inches from cast-on edge, including brim.

This gives approximately 7 (8, 9, 10) cm of plain stocking stitch above the brim.

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### Crown Shaping

You will decrease 8 stitches every other round. Switch to DPNs when the work becomes too tight for the circular needle.

**Set-up:** Place a marker every 15 (16, 18, 19) sts to divide work into 8 equal sections. (The beginning-of-round marker counts as one.)

*Check: 120 ÷ 8 = 15 ✓ | 128 ÷ 8 = 16 ✓ | 144 ÷ 8 = 18 ✓ | 152 ÷ 8 = 19 ✓*

**Decrease Round:** *Knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm; repeat from * to end. (8 sts decreased)

**Plain Round:** Knit all sts.

Repeat these 2 rounds until **16 sts remain**, then work **Decrease Round** once more — **8 sts remain**.

**Round counts to reach 8 sts:**
- Size 1: (120 − 8) ÷ 8 = 14 decrease rounds ✓
- Size 2: (128 − 8) ÷ 8 = 15 decrease rounds ✓
- Size 3: (144 − 8) ÷ 8 = 17 decrease rounds ✓
- Size 4: (152 − 8) ÷ 8 = 18 decrease rounds ✓

**Note:** For the last 2–3 decrease rounds, you may omit the plain round between to tighten the crown if desired.

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### Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving a 20 cm tail. Thread the tail through a tapestry needle, draw through the remaining 8 sts twice, pull snug to close the crown, and secure on the wrong side. Weave in all ends.

**Blocking:** For the classic beret shape, wet-block over a dinner plate approximately 22–26 cm (9–10") in diameter, sized to suit the wearer. Allow to dry completely before removing.

**Optional pompom:** Attach a 6–8 cm pompom to the centre of the crown using the long tail or a separate length of yarn. Secure firmly on the inside.

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## Care

Hand wash in cool water with wool-friendly detergent. Reshape over a plate and dry flat away from direct heat or sunlight.

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*Pattern designed in UK English. Happy knitting!*