This hat as conceived as a simple sample to show off the new misti alpaca hand painted chunky yarn in the store. I browsed on ravelry and found a free cabled toque pattern, 18 seconds to sunrise. Half way through the toque i tried it on and found that my gauge was too small, the hat as too tight, so I ripped it out and started again on a larger size pair of needles. At the same time i started watching project Runway Canada and the hat just seemed to evolve from there into a beret style (i'm smitten with berets). Once it was done i tried it on and lo and behold, i not only fit but looks something like the chunky cabled berets in the Fall 2007 Burbery Proscum show, a hat i as obsessed with having!  Good things come to those who wait & fiddle with yarn.