The Not Cliché Beret is a versatile crochet beret pattern that can be styled as a beret or as a slouch hat. A self-striping yarn does all the colorwork for you. This gender neutral design can be worn by older children, teens, and adults.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links. Yarn for this project was generously provided by Lion Brand.
Since 2018, I’ve always designed a hat at the end of the summer that met the donation requirements for #HatNotHate, Lion Brand’s campaign against bullying. If you’re new to this campaign, Lion Brand collects crocheted and knit hats that are at least 75% blue, the color of solidarity and awareness against bullying. These hats are distributed to schools throughout the United States for children to wear during October in support of National Bullying Prevention Month. This year’s donation deadline is September 1, 2020. You can find instructions for mailing in your hat here or dozens of drop off locations throughout the U.S. here. If you miss the donation deadline, not to worry! You can wear your hat on the first Monday in October (October 5 in 2020) for World Day of Bullying Prevention, or really any day!
For this year’s design, I wanted to use these lovely skeins of Crayola Cakes yarn that were sitting in my stash waiting for the right project to come along. I figure 2020 has had enough challenges, let’s just let the yarn change color for us instead of weaving in extra ends, right??!! Plus, there is a great variety of blue shades and tints in each skein that would be hard to find with individual skeins of yarn.
In 2018, my pattern for #HatNotHate was a chunky slouchy hat crocheted with two strands of yarn held together, while in 2019, my pattern was a slouchy with a wide hat band. This year I decided to go with a beret or tam style…
…that can also be worn as a slouch hat.
The design will fit most older kids, teens, and even us grown folks.
If you’re inspired to make more projects to donate to Hat Not Hate or another program, check out this roundup of 22 free crochet and knitting patterns for blue hats.
If you make your own Not Cliché Beret, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and other subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
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Not Cliché Beret
Crochet Beret Pattern by Underground Crafter
This textured crochet beret pattern can also be worn as a slouch hat.
Finished Size
- Teen/Adult: 19” (48.5 cm) hat circumference x 7.5” (19 cm) length.
Materials
- Lion Brand Crayola Cake yarn (100% acrylic, 3 oz/85 g, 177 yd/162 m) – 2 skeins in 606 Bluetiful, or approximately 215 yd (196.5 m) in any medium weight yarn.
- US Size I-9/5.5 mm crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- Through Rnd 5 in pattern = 5” (13 cm) diameter. For best fit, always check your gauge.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- ch – chain
- dc – double crochet
- dc2tog – double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease) – [Yo, insert hook in next st, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through 2 loops] twice, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook. A helpful tutorial for this stitch is available here.
- FPdc – front post double crochet – Yo, insert hook from front around back to front of stitch in previous Round, yo and draw up a loop, [yo and draw through 2 loops] twice. A helpful video tutorial for this stitch is available here.
- rep – repeat
- Rnd(s) – Round(s)
- RS – right (front) side
- sc – single crochet
- sc2tog – single crochet 2 stitches together – [Insert hook in next st, yo and draw up a loop] twice, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook. New Stitch A Day has a helpful video tutorial for this stitch here.
- sl st – slip stitch
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- yo – yarn over
- *Repeat instructions after asterisk as indicated.
- [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- Beret is crocheted in one piece from crown to brim in the round.
Pattern Instructions
Beret
Increase from Crown
- Starting at crown, ch 4, skip 3 ch, join with sl st to next ch to form ring.
- Rnd 1: (RS) Ch 1, 12 dc in ring, join with sl st to first dc. (12 sts)
- Rnd 2: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st 2 FPdc in each st around, join with sl st to first FPdc. (24 sts)
- Rnd 3: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *dc in next st, FPdc around same st from Rnd below, FPdc around next st from Rnd below; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (36 sts)
- Rnd 4: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *2 dc in next st, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (48 sts)
- Rnd 5: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *2 dc in next st, dc in next st, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (60 sts)
- Rnd 6: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (72 sts)
- Rnd 7: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (84 sts)
- Rnd 8: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *2 dc in next st, dc in next 4 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (96 sts)
- Rnd 9: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *2 dc in next st, dc in next 5 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (108 sts)
Work Even
- Rnd 10: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *dc in next 7 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc.
- Rep Rnd 10 until hat measures approximately 6.5” (16.5 cm) from crown, or approximately 1” (2.5 cm) shorter than desired finished length.
Decrease to Brim
- Rnd 11: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *dc2tog, dc in next 5 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (96 sts)
- Rnd 12: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *dc2tog, dc in next 4 sts, FPdc around each of next 2 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (84 sts)
- Rnd 13: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *sc2tog, sc in next 5 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (72 sts)
- Rnd 14: (RS) Ch 1, starting in same st *sc2tog, sc in next 10 sts; rep from * around, join with sl st to first dc. (66 sts)
Finishing
- With yarn needle, weave in ends on inside of hat.