The Sherwood Forest Beret – Free Crochet Pattern

 I did not intend on making a beret at first. Originally, I set out to make a chunky slouch hat but I ended up working it up too wide. After I finished the whole thing, I was playing with the fit and discovered that it made a great beret – I just wish I would have attempted it with a different colorway, such as a beige or cranberry color to suit the style – still a fun and comfortable hat though!

Due to the colorway being named “Forest” and the actual colors of the yarn (green, brown, and beige), I knew I wanted the beret to have a woodland/earthy name, but I couldn’t think of anything. I reached out to my fellow crochet blogger friends, and was suggested the name “Sherwood”, among a few others. As soon as I saw it I knew – The Sherwood Forest Beret it would be! I did a quick search to make sure The Sherwood Forest was a real place, and not just part of a story/movie and it is!

The Sherwood Forest is located in Nottinghamshire, England. It was once named a Royal Hunting Forest made of patchy woodland areas and small villages. It is now a National Nature Reserve home to a few basic tourism facilities, but most importantly, the 900 ancient oak trees, most of which are about 500 years old, and Major Oak, said to be about 800 years old.

Interested in visiting? Make sure to visit Experience Nottinghamshire!

Materials:
     – 120 Yards of Chunky/Bulky (#5) Yarn – I used one skein and a touch of a second of Deborah Norville’s Serenity Chunky in the Forest colorway
     – L11/8mm Crochet Hook for Most of Beret
     – K10.5/6.5mm Crochet Hook for Ribbing of Beret
     – Large Tapestry Needle for Weaving in Ends – I used a #18

Material Notes:
     You will have enough yarn in one skein if using a solid colorway of the Serenity Chunky Yarn. Alternatively, you can hold two strands of worsted weight yarn together to create a bulky strand.

Time Spent: 
     I worked up my beret in just under an hour.

Measurements:
     19″ in circumference to fit up to 24″ (Average Man and Women sizes)
     Measures 11.5″ at widest point when laying flat, and 8.5″ in length.

Gauge:
     7 DCs x 4 rows = 3″ Square

Abbreviations:
     HDC – Half Double Crochet
     HDC2tog – Half Double Crochet Decrease
     DC – Double Crochet
     FPDC – Front Post Double Crochet
     BPDC – Back Post Double Crochet

Pattern Notes:

     Working the first and last stitches of the increase rounds on opposite sides of the chain helps to keep the seam straight. Between that and turning at the beginning of each round, the seam is hardly noticeable.

     Join each round to the first stitch, not beginning chain.
     
     Working the ribbed rounds with the smaller crochet hook will bring the diameter to about 6″, but the ribbed technique has a lot of give to it. The hat fit my head (21″ in circumference), and my boyfriend, Chad’s, head (24″ in circumference).

     I touch base on Post Stitches a little in my Raspberry Surprise Front Post Wine Cozy Crochet Pattern.

     I have a photo tutorial available for the Invisible Join in the Pattern Notes section of my Chunky Newborn Hats Crochet Pattern.

Pattern: 
Chain 3. Work 8 HDC into the 1st chain. Join to close the round. (8 HDC)

R2: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first HDC, 2 HDC into each of the next 7 HDCs, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (16 HDC)

R3: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 2 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (24 HDC)

R4: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 3 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next 2 HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (32 HDC)

R5: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 4 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next 3 HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (40 HDC)

R6: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 5 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next 4 HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (48 HDC)

R7: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 6 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next 5 HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (56 HDC)

R8: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 7 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next 6 HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (64 HDC)

R9: Chain 1, turn. HDC into the first 8 HDC, (2 HDC into the next HDC, HDC into the next 7 HDC) 7x, HDC into the next HDC. Join. (72 HDC)

R10 – 12: Chain 1, turn. HDC in the first HDC, and each HDC around.

R13: Chain 1, turn. (HDC2tog, HDC into the next 7 HDC) 8x around. Join. (64 HDC)

R14: Chain 1, turn. (HDC2tog, HDC into the next 6 HDC) 8x around. Join. (56 HDC)

R15: Chain 1, turn. (HDC2tog, HDC into the next 5 HDC) 8x around. Join. (48 HDC)

R16 (RS): Chain 2, DON’T turn. DC in the 2nd HDC, and in each HDC around. Join. (48 DC)

*Switch to a K10.5/6.5mm Crochet Hook

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Don’t Crochet but Interested in Purchasing a Sherwood Forest Beret?
   I will be adding some berets to my EyeLoveKnots Etsy shop. Feel free to send in your custom color requests! Check out color options here – Deborah Norville’s Serenity Chunky.