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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Free Knitting Pattern - Headband Ear Warmer (Thin Yarn Version) NEW AND IMPROVED


Headband Earwarmer (DK Yarn Version)

Materials:
Size 6 knitting needles
Rowan Wool Cotton (just under 1 skein) - this is a DK yarn
Size J Crochet Hook (optional)*
Button

Guage: 9 st/inch (in the rib pattern)

Abbreviations:
m1B – From the back, lift loop between stitches with the left needle, purl into the front of loop
m1F – From the front, lift loop between stitches with left needle, knit into the back of loop.
pfb – purl front and back

You will begin with 9 stitches, increase on the middle stitch if the row has an odd number of stitches and between the middle 2 stitches if your row has an even number of stitches. You will increase on every RS row for 7”, knit in pattern 4”, then decrease back down--again, always on that middle stitch. So if you CO more or less, just always do your increases and decreases at the very center of the row. The easiest way to think about the knitting part of this pattern, is that you only ever do anything different to the stitches right in the center of  a row and the rest is always worked in the rib pattern. So the inc will be right in the center of the row, the dec, also right in the center of the row and everything else is always the rib. 

Directions:
CO 9 st
Row 1 (RS): K1, P1 rib across
Row 2 (WS): P1, K1 across
Row 3: Repeat row 1
Row 4: Repeat row 2

Begin the increase:
Row 5: K1, P1, K1, P1, Kfb, P1, K1, P1, K1 (10 st)
Row 6: P1, K1, P1, K1, P2, K1, P1, K1, P1 (you will have two purl stitches next to each other right in the very center of the row--this is fine as you will increase BETWEEN them on the next row.) 
Row 7: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, m1B, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (11 st)
Row 8: Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches
Row 9: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, Pfb, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (12 st)
Row 10: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K2, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1  (again, you will have two knit stitches next to each other right in the very center of the row, you will increase BETWEEN them on the next row) 
Row 11: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, m1F, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (13 st)
Row 12: Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches

Continue to increase in this manner until your work measures 7” from the cast on edge. You should have 33 stitches on the needle.

Work in the rib pattern for another 4” (until you have 11” from the cast on edge)

Begin the decrease:
Row 1 (RS): [K1, P1] 7x, K1, P3tog, K1, [P1, K1] 7x (31 st)

Row 2 (WS): Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches
Row 3 (RS): Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches 

Row 4 (WS): Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches
Row 5 (RS): [K1, P1] 7x, K3tog, [P1, K1] 7x (29 st)
Row 6 (WS): Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches 

Row 7 (RS): Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches
Row 8 (WS): Work in the rib pattern across all the stitches

Continue to decrease in this manner—every other RS row k3tog or p3tog the two very middle stitches, with the rest of the stitches being worked in the rib--until you have 9 stitches on the needle. Ending with 4 rows of knitting in the rib pattern. BO leaving the last stitch on the needle.

Crochet Edging*:
Transfer this stitch to a crochet hook. Chain 4-6 stitches and connect them to the beginning of the BO edge (this makes the button loop so size it according to the size of your button). Now start crocheting around the edge. I did 1 single crochet stitch in every st along the edge. Go all the way around the headband, then around the button loop. Secure and cut yarn and tie off. Weave in all ends.

*The entire crochet border is optional. It gives the edge a bit of a decorative look. But the headband looks fine without it. If you choose not to do it, you may want to add a few more stitches to begin with to make the headband wider and knit a few extra rows in the center to make it a bit longer. You’ll also need to make a buttonhole on the row before your bind off.

Add whatever embellishment you choose. (The one pictured is from Susan B. Anderson in Itty Bitty Hats.) Or I've added a crocheted flower to the Bulky Yarn Version you might like to try.

23 comments:

  1. Thanks for the headband pattern in bulky and fine. I haven't started yet,but it looks like it is just what I needed.
    Sue0607

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  2. Thank you I could actually follow this pattern. What changes are there in the bulky pattern or where would I find that pattern?

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    1. You tube has a tutorial for this pattern on the iKNITS channel. Hope this helps

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  3. Deb,
    There is a link to the bulky patten at the end of this entry or if you look at the sidebar on the right, you'll see a picture with a link to it.
    ---Tif

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. anks for this pattern. I'm looking forward to starting it for my 6-year old daughter. Any changes that I should make to accommodate a smaller head circumference?

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  6. I LOVE this pattern! Thanks so much for sharing. =) I've made several in different widths and weights with a variety of flowers. My advice would be to use the pattern as a guide, and your judgement to know how wide and how long, depending on your yarn and needles.

    Also, I used a trick I learned knitting scarves to avoid the need for the crochet border:

    Slip the first stitch of EVERY ROW purl-wise. This part is important: for purl stitches slip it with the yarn in FRONT, for knit stitches slip it purl-wise with the yarn in BACK. So you're moving the yarn as usual, just not working that first stitch.

    It will create an elongated stitch on both edges, which looks just like a cast-on or bind-off edge, which is much neater. Anything to skip a step in finishing. =) Give it a try!

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  7. My daughter loves this and I want to surprise her with it but please I don't know how to do the flower. Can someone help.

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  8. Does thin yarn mean worsted weight?Eventhough I found these headbands at the flea market for $6.00 (obviously from China), I am determined to make my own. Thanks in advance.
    Maryanne

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  9. could you send more specific directions for the knit flower, the big one on I've read what you wrote but it just doesn't make sense. Maybe a photo would be useful. My daughter is buying the color yarn she wants for this and was so excited to find the pattern, so I guess I have to hurry up and knit it. The rest of the instructions, all versions, make sense to me. Thanks so much. Linda

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  10. Dear Maryanne,
    The yarn I used was Rowan Wool Cotton which is DK. Worsted would be fine. The pattern is very flexible. You can adjust it to suit your head size and your gauge.
    ---Tif

    Dear Linda,
    The knitted flower in the picture is from Susan B. Anderson's book and not my own design, so I'm not at liberty to post the pattern.

    If you're talking about the crocheted flower, I wrote the instructions the best I could considering I'm a VERY beginner crocheter. So you may be better off just finding a different pattern for the flower. There are tons out there.
    ---Tif

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  11. I am so NEW to all of this!!! I really feel like a fish out of the H2O!!!! I would love to be able to knit something like this. Am I able to print this? It is beautiful!!!! Since I am disabled I have been trying to knit. It is just a dream I could actually do some of the things I see on this site!!!! Martha

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  12. Martha,
    If you use your browser and hit print preview, make a note of how many pages the pattern is--on my printer it's just the first 3 pages. Then print pages 1-3 (or whatever one your printer needs to get the whole pattern). If that doesn't work, give me your e-mail address and I can send you a Word document of the pattern.
    ---Tif

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  13. Thank you shelly for the edge finishing idea. It looks great. And thank you tif for the easy to follow pattern!

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  14. Hi I was just wondering if you know if you can knit thIs ear Warner on a loom ?

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  15. Sorry, I'm not familiar with knitting on a loom. Anyone else know if this is possible??

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  16. Lovely pattern, can't wait to try it. I'd like to echo c'est moi's question about child size. I'm also making it for a 6 year old. Is this one-size-fits-all or can you recommend how to modify the pattern for a smaller child size?

    Thanks! :)

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  17. You can modify the size one of two ways (or both ways). You can cast on less and not increase to as high of a stitch count and/or you can begin with the same number of stitches but just cut down the length of each section (the increase, the front, the decrease) by doing less rows. You just need to get a head measurement and alter the pattern to fit the person's head size.
    ---Tif

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  18. Greetings! When you say to 'increase in this manner' do you mean all the rows from the beginning OR just the last two rows you gave instructions for?

    Many thanks!!

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  19. "Continue to increase in this manner" means to continue increasing as described in rows 5-12.

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  20. Maria,
    The video on iknits is for a different pattern. It's quite similar to mine, but not the same. Just wanted to clear up any future confusion.

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  21. This is really cute! They're in-fashion lately too, i see girls at school wear them all the time. i will definitely try making one.

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  22. My daughter-in-law brought 1back from a trip for me to use as a pattern. Many thanks for your pattern, can't wait to get started.

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