Hello! I want to know if i am knitting my beret correctly..or if i am at LEAST on the right track.?
I have only been knitting for about 5 years and i just got back into the craft and this time i am really into it and i have learned a lot of new things such as increasing, decreasing (lol so i’m able to give a lil SHAPE to my projects!! Hahaha) cables ect…i’m really having a great time with it!
i REALLY wanted to make a slouchy beret. i have been on the computer to all these fabulous sites, learning all this great stuff…i found my pattern on Knitting Pattern Central (which by the way is a great site, in case any knitters out there did not know about it) i chose the pattern bc it seemed the easiest for me but i DID have to change it up a bit. For example, the pattern called for chunky yarn and instead i wanted to use a sport weight yarn..anyway, i made a big swatch to check my gauge and figured out all the measurements and i am confident that i have THAT down pat..the next step was to learn magic loop bc the pattern called for either use of double-pointed needles OR magic loop..well i chose to learn magic loop bc #1-i don’t have any dpns (my car is dead right now anyway so i couldn’t really just run out to get them even if i wanted) and quite frankly..? The IDEA of dpns scares me a little at this point in my knitting career lol…thanks but i would rather knit with 2 needles as opposed to 3 or 4..lol.
i went on YouTube and got some great step by step instructions on how to do magic loop on my circular needles. So here is where i am at because…i don’t know..it just looks a tad messy and i’m just not sure…i have a feeling that i may have needed longer circulars..but this was all i had for now and i was SO eager to begin making this hat (beret).
I used a beautiful pink sport weight yarn and circular needles size 9 and 29 inches long.
The stitches used in this pattern are the double rib on the band (brim) and stockinette for the rest of the hat.
According to my swatch, i get 5 stitches per inch..my head is 21.5 inches, but i took off 2 inches to make it snug and also bc the double rib is stretchy..i hope that’s enough..maybe i should have taken off 3 inches..? Anyway..19 inches x 5 inches =95 inches but since you have to have an even number for magic loop, i made it 96.
i cast on 96 stitches.
i then separated the stitches in half and put them both on either needle on the circulars and made sure they were not twisted. Then i took the end with the working yarn and pushed it down onto the cable until my two needle points were touching..then i began to knit the rib..knit, knit..purl, purl..
Ok..i first got nervous bc on that very first row that i knit..there seemed to be a long strand of yarn connecting from where i had knit (i don’t remember now exactly if that long piece of yarn was in the front or the end of the row that i was knitting) to the other end of the other row of stitches that were on the cable, waiting to be knit….but then..by the second round, the long strand was almost gone and by the third round, it was pretty much completely gone..one of my questions is, is that normal? Or did i do something wrong? I’m sorry, i know its hard to explain..its one of those things you have had to see i guess but..i don’t wanna take it all out and cast on all over again and there is NOBODY to ask…i am the only person i know that knits out of all of my friends and i have not joined a club yet.
Otherwise, the piece is coming along Ok i guess…i am on like my 4th row I THINK..lol–i have to get a new row counter bc i think my 4 year old did something with mine..he was running around with it and i haven’t seen it since! Yay! Oh well, i can always count the rows..plus the brim/band parrt just basically has to measure up to 2 inches, so it’s not totally IMPERATIVE that i know exactly what row i am on..not imperative, but definetly important and not a mistake i want to happen again lol. So being as i am still only on the 4th row, it doesn’t look PERFECT but its ok..i AM also concerned about the length of my circular needles also..like i said, they are only 29 inches and i cast on 96 stitches..i remember when i read about magic loop, they said that the circulars had to be long..but i also think they may have said, “at least 30 inches,,” Well 29 and 30 is obviously not a HUGE difference, sothat’ss why i assumed i would be ok.
Please..any experienced knitters out there…please respond with any tips, answers and feedback you may have for me!!! I am so eager to make this hat and i don’t wanna keep wasting time if i am doing something wrong.
Thanks in advance!!!! 
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i think so…..
I have a brain injury which affects my ability to read. I’m unable to read/comprehend your entire question because of the length and composition style. If you can ask the question again but more concisely (perhaps a list of individual questions with just the facts), I may be able to give you a better answer.
However, what I can gather from what you’re posted is you are using magic loop on a 29″ needle for a beret. This is too short a cable length for magic loop on that size garment (average 22″ circumference).
I recommend a 40″ length circular needle, or else purchase a second circular and try the two circular method.