Rib & Braid Headband

Rib & Braid Headband

I wish I had a cool origin story for this headband, but the truth of the matter is that I was in the mood for a small project and I wanted to use my leftover yarn (the rest of this color went into the Zigazig Ah Scarf). Other than that, I went with a dainty cable to suit the light weight of the fiber, and a smaller needle so the ribbing would be nice and tight!

Yarn: Lang Yarns Merino 150 (100% Virgin Wool; 164 yards [150 meters]/50 grams); #197.0085 - one skein

A better look at the cute little pattern.

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 3, cable needle (cn)

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 27 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 4 needles

So let's make a headband! We'll start by casting on 144 stitches loosely, and then placing a stitch marker and joining in the round. Then we'll move straight to the main pattern, which is a variation on Rib and Braid Pattern from page 201 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and for which you'll need the following notation:

front cross (fc): slip 1 stitch to cn and hold in front; p1, k1 from cn

front knit cross (fkc): slip 1 stitch to cn and hold in front; k1, k1 from cn

back cross (bc): slip 1 stitch to cn and hold in back; k1, p1 from cn

back knit cross (bkc): slip 1 stitch to cn and hold in back; k1, k1 from cn

Remember you can also cable without a cable needle. :) And with all of that in mind, we'll knit two set-up rows, like so:

Set-up Row 1: * p1, (k2, p2) twice; rep from *

Set-up Row 2: * p1, (bkc, p2) twice *

Knit set-up rows 1 & 2. Then we'll work the main pattern, as follows:

Row 1: * p1, (k2, p2) twice * 

Row 2: * (bc, fc) twice, (p2, k2) twice, p2 *

Row 3: * k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, (p2, k2) twice, p2 *

Row 4: * k1, p2, fkc, p2, k1, (p2, k2) twice, p2 *

Row 5: * k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, (p2, k2) twice, p2 *

Row 6: * (fc, bc) twice, (p2, k2) twice, p2 * 

Row 7: * p1, (k2, p2) twice; rep from * 

Row 8: * p1, (bkc, p2) twice, p1, (k2, p2) twice *

Knit rows 1 - 8 twice and knit rows 1 - 7 once more. Then, we'll knit one final row, as follows:

Final Row: * p1, (bkc, p2) twice *

Complete final row and bind off in pattern. Block, if desired.