If you hate wasting yarn, this is the pattern for you! I wrote this knit headband pattern to complement The Bookstore Scarf. This project utilizes the scrap yarn from The Bookstore Scarf to minimize yarn waste. They make a great set together and would be perfect for a gift.
You can knit both of these items with three skeins of Kelbourne Woolen’s Germantown yarn. The Bookstore Scarf requires a little more than two skeins to achieve the length noted in the pattern. Put the extra yarn to work by making the matching headband! Or, knit the headband by itself for a quick and satisfying project.
Materials
- Yarn: roughly 100 yards of worsted weight yarn. In this pattern, I used Germantown by Kelbourne Woolens. The color pictured in this pattern is Olive, and is one of my favorites.
- Knitting needles: US size 8 (5.0 mm)
- Cable needle (optional)
- Craft needle (to sew together twisted headband and weave in the ends)
Finished Size
This knit headband is designed to fit an adult head. After blocking, the finished circumference of the headband is 22 inches (56 cm). The pattern can be adjusted to fit a larger or smaller head size by adding or removing pattern repeats.
Abbreviations
- CO: cast on
- WS: Wrong side
- RS: Right side
- K: knit
- P: purl
- k1tbl: knit one stitch through the back loop
- p1tbl: purl one stitch through the back loop
- sl1 wyif: slip one stitch with the yarn in front of your needle
- c4f: Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front of work, k2 from left-hand needle, k2 from cable needle
- c4b: Slip 2 stitches onto cable needle and hold in back of work, k2 from left-hand needle, k2 from cable needle
Pattern
Knitting the band:
CO 28 stitches.
The pattern for this headband follows a 6-row repeat. You will knit the headband as a rectangle, and sew the ends together according to the pattern instructions to create the twist.
Row 1 (RS): k1, sl1 wyif, k1, p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, p2, k8, p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, p2, k1, sl1 wyif, k1.
Rows 2 & all even rows (WS): sl1 wyif, k1, sl1 wyif, k2, p1tbl, p1, p1tbl, k2, p8, k2, p1tbl, p1, p1tbl, k2, sl1 wyif, k1, sl1 wyif.
Row 3: Same as Row 1
Row 4: Same as Row 2
Row 5: k1, sl1 wyif, k1, p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, p2, c4b, c4f, p2, k1tbl, p1, k1tbl, p2, k1, sl1 wyif, k1.
Row 6: Same as Row 2
Repeat rows 1-6 until the pattern measures 22 inches, or the desired head circumference.
Cast off. Leave a long tail, which will be used to sew the headband together.
Sewing the headband:
Fold the band in half lengthwise with the wrong side facing out. Bring the edges together. On one side, twist the edges by 180 degrees. Insert the edges inside each other, making a “sandwich.” Using your long tail from the cast off, sew all four layers of the edges together.
Once complete, weave in any loose ends and turn the headband so that the right side is facing out. The twisted seam that is sewn together in the step above should be on the inside of the headband.
Share your finished product on Instagram using #TheBookstoreScarf and tag @SpruceHillKnits!
