I am glad someone made modifications for thinner yarn. I wanted to use some of my stash to make one and I had nothing bulky!

Cute doggies to boot.

That turned out great! I love the yarn!

that looks really great:)

What a bunch of cuties!!

I'm going to use your basic beret pattern to make an infant beret out of fingering weight yarn!! I'm making the Mabel Traditional dress by Erika Knight for a friend's as-of-yet unborn daughter and I think a simple baby beret would be adorable!

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Fiber artists are just the best peoples in the world!

And you're right; GREAT pics!

[She obviously went to the Laurie School of Great Picture Taking.]

Have a great weekend!
.

Great pics! I hope LaSoba didn't see that you actually allowed dog pics on your blog - I get the feeling that will not be allowed when she rules the world!

Yay Alicia! Now you have me wanting to try it on itsy-bitsy needles ("Cast on 546 stitches..."), and I may one of these days.

Very cute dogs.

I have to try this hat in my silver gray Patons Up Country. I don't have enough of it to make a sweater but several hats would be great. Then knit the same hat in bulky Noro Silk Garden. It sure looks good on those beautiful models.

I have two golden retrievers also, both of them sweet babies and the best dogs ever!!!

Thanks Laurie/Alicia! Terrific - I will knit this one too. It looks very pleasant to knit and I'm in the middle of 'math' and coordination problems with a couple of baby sweaters and I need something pleasant. (The baby sweaters are top down type, verry easy, except for me and my non-knitting-coordination). I have a Cap-beret in big yarn and now I'll have a lightweight one. Great pix.

Wow - Alicia's hat is so pretty! Exactly what
I want. I made the beret in Sensation yarn
(cherry red) and it turned out fine, but THIS
with the finer yarn, is what I want. Thanks, Laurie, thanks Alicia!

I have great hopes for actually knitting this one in the lighterwieght yarn. Will you be doing a gallery if you get a good response?

I'm psyched - I'll try it tonight!

Oh, this makes me happy. I have size 9 dpns, I have size 11 dpns, I have some yarn (Patons) in the same gauge...and, I have hours of knitting time ahead of me this weekend, taking boys to the indoor skate park on Saturday, and sitting at a Volleyball tournament on Sunday, for oldest DD. Kind of have a cramp in my hand from knitting everything on size 4's and 7's, 9's and 11's will be a nice change of pace!

Josie, for the upCountry stick to the original pattern -- I used it and it turned out great. Of course, if you are a much looser knitter (ha!) you may be able to use this for a smaller needle size.

Trash Lou -- I don't think I'll be doing any galleries in the near future. The cat sweater gallery almost bested me!!

All patterns are better with puppies. I look hideous in berets, but have been tempted by this pattern anyway -- such is the power of the Purl.

cool pattern ladies!
Have a good weekend.

Oooooo!!! Puppies! (sorry, I like dogs more than Cats...sorry Soba, Bob and Frankie!)

I'm still a newbie knitter (I make good scarves tho) and I might just attempt this hat pattern tonight. (sadly, I'm not a hat wearer) I want to learn how to do more knitting techniques so I can eventually be as good a knitter as I am a crocheter. I have some tinky dinky knitting needles, so I think this might be something to do tonight while watching Numb3rs with my dad. (gotta love geeks! and cute guy's playing macho FBI agents)

One thing I've noticed is that it's so much easier to knit with the tinky dinky knitting needles and thin yarn, than it is to crochet with the tinky dinky crochet hooks and thin yarn. I'd love to make doilies but the skinny hooks dont like my fingers. (or my fingers dont like them)

So cute!!! The beret, Alicia, Judah, and the doggies!!!

Awesome! I generally look hoooooorrible in hats, but I like knitting them, and I have a special place in my heart for the fast and chunky. I'm totally gonna give it a go!

ok, seriously. i want to know how much you would charge me if i wanted you to make me a beret as gorgeous as the ones i am seeing on your blog. i am SO coveting one. please...please...please let me know!

This will be a great way to use up some of my leftover Paton's Rumor from forever ago, and it will make a nice sidekick to my huuuge, uber-floppy beret that I made following the first version of the pattern.

Also, I got a compliment on my faithful old basketweave scarf today - the first thing I ever knitted, following your pattern! (SWS, I love thee.) How the knitting obsession has spiraled out of control in the last year and a half, with none other to thank but yourself!

Hey Laurie, I just discovered your blog a few days ago and I'm loving it and you!
I've been knitting for many years but I still enjoy a project that I can crank out quickly. And I've always loved a big floppy beret. I think a snug beanie emphasizes my fat face a wee bit too much. Another possible yarn is something like Paton's Classic Wool held double. That would knit up the same as a bulky yarn. And sometimes I make a summery version with cotton, like Peaches and Cream or Lion Cotton.

Her beret total rocks and looks fabulous on her! Love the smiling dogs.

I can't wait to try this pattern! For So Cal weather, a lighter yarn on smaller needles will be perfect through 'June Gloom'. Thanks again! Have a great weekend!

Like your wordy patterns? They are only one of many things I come here for. I love your patterns!

Eeeeek!! I'm so a-twitter about being ON YOUR BLOG!! Does that make me a giant DORK? Probably! I don't care. Thanks to everyone for all the nice comments about the hat, kid and dogs! What a fabulous birthday present to me!!!

Oh and Laurie, I also made another hat for a guy friend out of Patons Shetland Chunky, CO 74 stitches on size 8's, then switched up to a nine. I'm learning to just improvise, and figure it out as I go. It's challenging and oh-so-exciting to get a great result at the end!

Wow! Thanks so much for all your help, again, and for letting me be a part of your blog! My Husband is staring at me as I type this, b/c I still have a goofy grin plastered on my face!

Nice pattern, good attitude, cute kid, and adoring dogs - wishing you a happy birthday seems a bit moot with all that going for you. Happy birthday anyway, Alicia.

Laurie, I changed around the directions for worsted weight yarn, and you can find the directions here: http://www.xanga.com/lostarts/645543003/item.html.

This beret turns out to be a bit on the full side, but it looks good. I made mine in Woolease because I wanted to experiment with something inexpensive, and I had some sitting here. I haven't taken any photos, mainly because I have technology issues and can't put them up on my blog.

I have an old iMac that someone gave me, and it's been running system 9.1. I just got a copy of system 10 today and hope to install it over the weekend so I'll be able to really use my blog and the internet.

Feel free to copy it and/or put it on your blog or whatever. Just don't sell it.

Is soba still on the same spot on the bed.

My problem is that I knit too loose. I have use tee tiny needles or fight with the yarn to go tighter.

I was going to comment on the last post but comments are closed...my boyfriend's weirdo roommate brushes his teeth in front of the TV, get this, for an HOUR at a time...with no toothpaste. With other people around. WEIRD.

And on to the current post: another good yarn that I've found that works well for your beret pattern is Bernat Felting Natural Wool...I found it at A.C. Moore but I'm not sure where else they sell it. I also modified the pattern a bit for this particular yarn casting on 44 sts using size 11 16" circs for the ribbing and switching to size 13 16" circs for the body. I gave my prototype away as a normal sized hat for a girl I know who has awesome dreadlocks...but it fits normal heads too :)

P.S. each skein of the Bernat Felting was on sale for like 3 bucks...you can't beat that, and it's pretty soft to boot! I will be posting pics of the Lovely Laurie Beret soon on my blog :)

Hey Laurie;

Here's my version of your beret (I can't remember if I already left you this link, but I'm gonna do it again!) http://funsizefirst.blogspot.com/2008/02/beret-day.html. It's not slouchy enough at all, but I had such fun making it, and I have another skein, so I'll take another crack at it!

(also, hi soba!)

-Megan

I heard your interview on the Knit Picks podcast and started reading your earlier blog posts. I have never laughed so hard in my life.

YAY! I loved the chunky pattern, but have so much yarn in the stash that knits up at a smaller gauge. What a nice treat to get this pattern!

BTW, in reference to the "rolly bag" post, I live in Alexandria, VA, one train stop from Reagan National Airport. Rolly bags and their common sense-lacking owners are therefore a special pet peeve. Thanks for making me realize I am not alone!

I actually made the chunky beret for the first time this weekend - LOVE IT!!!! Its so fast to knit & just the hat itself is adorable!! I'm excited about a smaller needle pattern too to take up some stash left over yarn!!!

What gorgeous gorgeous dogs!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Laurie!!

Somewhat new to the knitting thing. I've done a couple of scarves and just finished a baby blanket for my daughter. Well, it started out as a baby blanket...then I got carried away and now it looks like it will look great on a twin bed. Saw this pattern and figured I'd make one for a friend to match the scarf I gave her. I FINALLY found the needles at a little shop and tried starting last night. A few times. It's my first time actually knitting in the round, and the pressure totally made me screw up the basic rib stitch. I cast on again this morning before work and will continue tonight. I hope this beret that many find so simple to whip off won't be the end of me. I'd hate to think I'll be demoted to scarves (and gargantuan baby blankets) for life.

I would love to knit the hat, but it never seems cold enough to wear hats in Los Angeles. It looks dumb wearing a wool hat with flip flops! Believe me, I have seen it many times.

Great pictures!

I am looking for a beret pattern like this for little girls(5-7years old), except I was planning on using even smaller needles, sizes 7-8. Any suggestions!

Sorry, I meant to write any suggestions are welcome!