Ramsay is a traditional beret-style hat inspired by a vintage find on a holiday on the west coast of Scotland some twenty years ago, and which I have subsequently worn regularly ever since. It is such an effortless style, easy-to-wear and extremely comfortable. Ramsay uses one main motif on the body worked twice with the colours reversed on the second repeat. The crown is divided into multiple ‘petals’ with a striking chequerboard pattern worked between each one. The crown decreases are neatly disguised within the petals.
Ramsay is knitted from the bottom up in the round, commencing with 1x1 twisted ribbing with increases worked directly after the brim is complete, for that archetypal beret shape. The beret is then worked in stranded colourwork throughout.

The pattern contains clear written instructions and full colour charts as well as a clear schematic diagram.

A yarn kit is available to accompany this pattern from Susan Crawford Vintage.

The yarn used for Ramsay is Wold 2 Ply, a fingering weight wool, worsted spun with 2 plies, creating a lofty, airy yarn that blocks beautifully and works particularly well for stranded colourwork. The design uses 5 hand dyed shades with a light and a dark version of each of two colours plus the natural undyed yarn as the 5th shade. Only one 25g skein of each colour is needed making this a great pattern for using up left over yarns.

Yarn
Susan Crawford Wold 2 Ply Fingering weight, 100% British wool (87m / 95yds per 25g skein)
1 25gm skein each of shades Cornflower (Yarn A), Crayola (Yarn B), Pompium (Yarn C), Coccinea (Yarn D), Gypsum (Yarn E)

Gauge

32 sts & 34 rounds to 10cm (4in) over stranded colourwork worked in the round and after blocking. We obtained this gauge using 2.75mm needles.

Suggested Needles
2,75mm (US 2) circular needle (40-50cm in length), Set of 2.75mm (US 2) DPNs

Techniques Used
Knitting in the round; Following a chart; Working simple decreases; Blocking to shape