Bluebird’s Winter Hat: Molly Beret

Pattern: Molly Beret from Never Not Knitting

Yarn: Knit One Crochet Too “Crock-O-Dye” in Tomato colorway (#250) & Dale of Norway Baby Ull in Light Peach (#3403)

Needles: US 1 & US 3

Size: 20″/Small Adult

I buy our winterwear during the summer when it’s 80% off, which limits the colors we can purchase. This year, Bluebird had to choose between white/gray, grass/lime or a peach/coral winter coat. (She was not happy about this because she wanted pink or purple, but alas, those are the colors that sell out and usually aren’t available on clearance.)

However, the Brooke family is well-known for its love of the color orange and she went with the orange-hued parka. Upon receipt of said coat I began to wonder how in the world I was going to match any sort of accessory to its non-traditional color palette.

Bluebird accompanied me on my Yarn Quest shortly following, and she spied the Tomato Crock-O-Dye yarn while we were investigating The Black Sheep Wool Company. She brought it over to me and announced that she had found the perfect yarn to match her coat. I agreed that it did match, and complimented her on her good eye for color.

Bluebird browsed through the Ravelry pattern database with me and chose the Molly Beret pattern, which just tickled me to no end. (I think little girls in berets are just one of the cutest things ever!) I paired up the Crock-O-Dye with some leftover peach Baby Ull from the Peach Yoked Cardigan and was quite pleased at how well the two yarns matched her crazy technicolor winter coat.

All in all, I really like the finished product. I made it a touch too large, but her head measured 20″ in circumference, which was the small adult size. However, upon further reflection, one wants a hat to fit snugly and should therefore knit a cap one size smaller to assure a secure fit. It still looks cute despite its super slouchy appearance. She receives compliments on her beret every time she wears it and her little face just lights up with pleasure whenever someone notices her hat. I have more than enough yarn leftover to knit mittens or a scarf, but I have other projects that need my attention first. (And I’m already in the midst of a scarf knit with fingering weight yarn and I don’t think my sanity could handle casting on another scarf in skinny yarn.)

A friend laughed at me when I told her about my predicament in trying to find a yarn that would match Bluebird’s coat and quipped that not everyone frets about matching their children’s accessories. And I guess it’s just not an issue to a lot of people, but I garner great satisfaction out of attiring my family nicely and I experience pleasure in knowing that I created those items myself. It’s such a fun process to pick out the yarn and pattern together and then watch your child’s eyes light up while they watch you create something just for them.

However, the other children become very vociferous with their requests for handmade items when a sibling’s project is on my needles. Next up is a scarf for Penguin. But knit in a very bulky-weight yarn. I can handle that.