It’s the time of year for speedy knits for speedy gifts and with Christmas getting closer the speedier the better. So enter the Best Beret.

I’ve knit this for a friend but I kind of want to keep it for myself! The Best Beret pattern is simple and quick to knit and comes with two size options, two silhouette options (classic or dramatic) and options for a single or double stalk.

The beret’s foundation is an i-cord that is used as the band that runs around the head. Stitches are then picked up from the i-cord and worked from there. The crucial bit for me was getting the cord the right length as it has less stretch than the main body of the beret. To do this you knit on the i-cord on larger needles. First I measured the circumference of my friends head and then worked my i-cord to the number of rows for the large size of the pattern. I stretched the i-cord a little and checked the length. It was a little small so I went up to a 5mm needle and did it again, this time it was perfect. As long as you keep the i-cord with the same number of rows so you will have the right number to pick up you will be fine. I really liked this way of making sure it fits as the beret relays on a nice snug fit around the head.

From there on out I followed the pattern as written for the classic silhouette with a single stalk. I used 66g of yarn and knit it in the Fibre Co Cumbria Worsted. I chose the colour Appleby Castle a nice deep burgundy. I love this yarn for hats as it’s soft next to the skin, is a nice weight (not too thick or thin) and of course the colour range is stunning.

Cumbria Worsted is a worsted weight blend of Masham and Merino Wools with Mohair. The yarn is made in Peru with colours inspired by Cumbria, England. It’s the ideal weight to knit any garment or accessories. The Merino adds softness, the Masham allows for a beautiful heathered palette and the mohair creates strength and lustre.

If you would like to knit a Best Beret yourself you can find the pattern on ravelry: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/best-beret

If you would like to knit it in the same yarn I did you can find Cumbria Worsted in our online shop: knitwithattitude.com/the-fibre-co-cumbria-worsted.html