A Greenery Beret and a Ruche Beret

This week I finished a wonderful beret from the book “Weekend Hats” by Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa LaBarre. When I first saw the book at my local Barnes and Noble, I was enchanted. Already I could see several hats that I wanted to make and wear. Although the hats are all unique and have sufficient techniques to teach me something new and to challenge me, they are both knit-able and wearable. 

The red beret I’m modeling in these photos is the Greenery Beret from “Weekend Hats,” designed by Melissa LaBarre. The yarn used is Hollyberry Merino Style from KnitPicks. I have found yet another colorway of Merino Style that I love. The Greenery Beret surprised me by being much larger than other hats I have made. The finished beret is larger than my dinner plates! However, it's size is absolutely wonderful because it covers my ears, hair, and forehead with soft, textured warmth.

The cowl is knit from another KnitPicks yarn, this time, Wool of the Andes Sport. I happened to choose the Hollyberry colorway for this yarn as well. I did not realize how identical the yarns were. Aside from touch, where one can discern the difference in softness from the merino and the Peruvian Highland wool, they are indistinguishable. I designed this cowl with a drop stitch pattern. After seeing a beautiful drop stitch pattern on Ravelry that was selling for six dollars, I decided I could design my own drop stitch cowl. I knit the cowl in the drop stitch pattern for twenty-six inches, I cast off and crocheted the two ends together. 

I am very excited to have a new matching set in this lovely dark cranberry color. It reminds me of the fire-red leaves in autumn, and the red berries at Christmas, and now the cranberries that have made their way into my kitchen. 

I am currently knitting another hat from “Weekend Hats,” the Ruche Beret designed by Susan B. Anderson. I am knitting it in a wool/acrylic blend from Lion Brand Yarn called Amazing. It is a green yarn that slowly morphs from a light, sandy green, to the vibrant green of spring, to a brilliant, bright green of summer leaves, to the darker, deeper evergreens of winter. I am enchanted with this truly Amazing yarn. 

I am trying to make this Ruche Beret out of only one ball of Amazing. I have 147 yards. Will it be enough? If not, I will probably just buy another ball because I am already loving this hat and would not want to rip it out. 

So, my final consensus of this book is that it is excellent. I will definitely be making more "Weekend Hats" and wearing them for the entire week. There's nothing quite like a warm hat on a cold day to make you feel cozier.