Fleur beret pattern belongs to Violet Green; please don't copy, but you're welcome to link to this page if you want to.

Fleur: a neat, non-slouchy, spiral-patterned beret, which is knit from the top down

Materials: approximatley 45g (smallest size) - 70g (largest size) Violet Green’s 55/45 Silk/Cashmere 8ply (great for a beret because it drapes well - helps the beret hang as it should) (the three adult sizes will take two 55g skeins, the smallest size should take only one 55g skein); a set of 4mm diameter double pointed knitting needles.

Sizes: Size 1: child; Size 2: small/medium adult; Size 3: medium/large adult; Size 4: extra large

Tension: 5 stitches per inch; 20 stitches per 10cm.

Glossary:
YF Bring the yarn forward to the front of the knitting

PSO: Pass the stitch you knit/purled/slipped previously over the stitch you just knit/purled, thus decreasing by one stitch.

KFB: Knit into the front and back of the next stitch, thus increasing by one stitch.

K2tog: Knit two together, thus decreasing by one stitch.

Start:

Work the icord stalk at the top of the beret • Cast on 4 stitches using 4mm double pointed needles.

• Knit 1 row, then slide the stitches to the other end of the needle; repeat this instruction 6 (7, 8, 9) times in total.

Work the flat top of the beret

You will work in the round.

• On the first round, Knit 1, KFB, Knit 1, KFB; you should now have 6 stitches.

• Knit 1 round in which you place a marker after every stitch; six markers in total.

Continue with the following instruction until you have 120 (126, 132, 138) stitches in total; 20 (21, 22, 23) in each of the six segments:

• Slip marker, YF, Knit to next marker

When you have 120 (126, 132, 138) stitches in total; 20 (21, 22, 23) in each of the six segments, proceed to work the straight side of the beret.

Work the straight side of the beret

Continue with the following instruction until the straight side of the beret is 3 (3.5, 3.5, 4) inches deep:

• Knit up to one stitch before the next marker, then YF K2tog.

Note: you will need to remove the marker to do this, and replace the marker one stitch to the right of its previous position before you do the YF K2tog. Or, if you prefer, you can discard the markers on the first round of this instruction, and on future rounds, knit up to one stitch before the yarn forward loop you made on the previous round, then YF K2tog.

In this way you will continue the spiral of yarn forward loops/holes that you started on the flat top of the beret.

When the straight side of the beret is 3 (3.5, 3.5, 4) inches deep (or whatever depth you want it to be, bearing in mind that you have yet to knit the brim of the beret), work the following decrease round:

• (Knit 2 together, Knit 1) repeat to the end of the round.

You should now have 80 (84, 88, 92) stitches.

Work the brim of the beret

• Continue in Knit 1 Purl 1 Rib for 1 (1.5, 1.5, 1.5) inch (es), ending with a Purl stitch.

Then, cast off as follows:

• Slip 1, then (Purl 1, PSO; Knit 1 PSO) repeat brackets to the end of the round.

Sew in ends, and wear!