The ever popular Gretel. I actually made a regular version of this in February with the Tubular cast on and this same yarn. I wasn’t paying attention and it resulted a lot of errors. It also looked a bit odd on my big head even if it did cover my years. I frogged the hat and my Koolhaas too (since that was too big and hopefully I have enough yarn to make another regular one of those) to make a slouchy version. This time, I used the German Twisted cast on instead of the Tubular cast on because I was lazy and it works just as well.

When you’re knitting this pattern, it does seem awfully big on the needles, but it wasn’t as slouchy as it looked on some others because my head is rather large. If I had aran weight, I’d have made the regular. I spray blocked the beret with water mixed with Eucalan. I’ve never owned a beret (I gave away the first one made), and this is a big one. I’m going to have get use to it and incorporate it to my style somehow. The yarn is very yummy though.

Gretel, started March 16th 2008, finished March 22nd 2008
Pattern: Gretel by Ysolda Teague
Size: Slouchy.
Yarn: Cascade 220 Wool (100g/ 100% Highland Peruvian Wool) in Cranberry – 1 skein
Needles: #7/4.5mm 100cm circs and #4/3.5mm 80cm circs Magic Looping
Modifications: One needle size down for the band and I took out one decrease row.
Tools/Notions: I cabled without a cable needle during the 4 st cables, but I used one for the 3 st twist cables because they messed me up the first time I was doing them. It still went along fairly quickly.
Lessons Learned: Tubular cast on.
Cost of Project: $8.
Would I knit it again? Yes, but the band gets loose fairly quickly so I would go down to 3.25mm next time. I want to make the regular again and the fitted style too.