This pattern highlights a peculiar quirk between US and metric needle sizing. Because the pattern starts with ribbing, I naturally reached for the smaller recommended needle first, a 3.5 mm or US 4. When it came time to switch to the larger needle, I went up two sizes to a US 6. But a US 6 is only 4.0 mm, not 4.5 mm. Under different circumstances this would have been cause for alarm and frogging, but it’s just a hat, and I’d already thrown caution to the winds by knitting with DK instead of worsted, so I plowed onward. The 4.0 mm is probably a better match for the skinnier yarn anyway.

Aaaaand…the joke’s on me, because the hat came out significantly smaller. It’s definitely a beanie and not a beret. It’s even a little shorter than my other favorite beanies.

I considered ripping back to the ribbing and re-knitting it on larger needles—even if I still ended up with a beanie, at least it would completely cover my ears, especially if I doubled the length of the ribbing so that it could be turned up—but decided against it since this was supposed to be a quick knit to use up some leftovers and give me another warm hat while the weather is still cold. If I’d re-knitted it, I probably wouldn’t have got to wear it this season, since the weather already seems to be turning. (Of course, by not re-knitting it, I still have leftover yarn. Sigh.)

For the record, it didn’t take me that long to knit—I just hate weaving in ends that much.