Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson (free pdf download link here for non-Ravelry folks)

I did modify the pattern in a couple of crucial ways (detailed below) if anybody is looking to make a similar slouchy hat. I definitely recommend this pattern if you want a traditionally shaped beret or if you want to modify it for more of a slouchy look. The stitch pattern is great and I think it would work really well for a semi-solid or even a variegated yarn. I also really like the way the cables and the decreases work together.

Sorry for the weird angle. It is hard to photograph the back of your head.

Yarn: Cascade Pastaza - 1 skein that had been sitting in my stash for over a year.

I could not resist this color. Even though I thought I would hate the yarn (probably why it took me so long to use it). I think my fear of hating it dates back to a scarf Adrienne made which was just about the prettiest scarf ever but too itchy for anyone to ever wear (very sad). You will notice that the hat I made doesn’t actually touch my skin at all

With that kind of history it would take more than fantastic colors (and this yarn comes in some of the prettiest yarn colors ever) to win me over. However, I learned one thing about this yarn that totally sold it for me in my book. It frogs like nobody’s business. I had to knit this hat 7 times before I got the shape/size/texture I was going for and there was absolutely no change whatsoever between the tortured yarn and the fresh yarn! I was really happy about that

Showing off the pretty stitch pattern

Modifications: Quite a few. A different yarn for starters and a different gauge. I wanted my hat to be a bit thicker because we are having a very cold April. My gauge was about 4 sts to the inch instead of 3 so I cast on 6 extra stitches in the beginning. Then I did the increase row right after the ribbing instead of doing one cable repeat first. I only worked the cable chart 2.5 times before doing the decreases.

This hat was completely inspired by this hat that Adrienne made:

This is me wearing the hat formerly known as Adrienne’s

This hat is sooo soft. She used Noro Kochoran (I think, she can’t remember for sure) which has angora in it (mmm…fuzzy…) and then felted it a bit and came out with the perfect fuzzy slouchy hat. I think this is the best hat ever and it inspired not only my new fuzzy slouchy hat but also a crazy angora kick (mmm…anogora…)

Why isn’t Adrienne wearing this wonderful hat in this picture? Well, that is because as soon as I saw it I took it for my own with every intention of returning it eventually.

Soon it became my favorite hat and Adrienne stopped asking me to give it back when I wore it (it goes with my scarf!). Thanks for the hat Adrienne, you’re the best!!!

I believe I mentioned that it took me 7 tries to get a hat close to the proportions of the hat that Adrienne made! SEVEN! That is a lot of hats! However, now that I know what to do I think I can make more which is good because I think this is my new favorite hat shape.