Whistler Headband

After knitting the Dulce Neck Cozy Pattern - NOTE PATTERN NO LONGER AVAILABLE ONLINE AS OF MARCH 2020, I wanted a matching headband so I wrote this pattern for the "Whistler Headband". PDF now available.




Sizing: Measure your head circumference. Subtract five centimetres (two inches) to allow for negative ease (the stretch of the yarn when knit). This number is the overall length you will want to knit to.

Yarn: Any DK (8ply) yarn of your choosing. I used silk/merino for the headband pictured.
Needle Size: 5.5mm (US9) needles
Gauge: 4sts per inch, 4.5rows per inch in garter (not completely crucial as I measured this after the fact).

Abbreviations:
K: Knit stitch
P: Purl Stitch
K2tog: Knit two together. Decrease Stitch. Knit the next two stitches together.
KFAB: Knit front and Back. Increase Stitch. Knit into the front and then the back of the same stitch. Video demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbB1qBQSSco
PSSO: Pass slipped stitch over. Pick up the stitch you slipped from the right needle and pass it back over the knit stitch and yarn over (refer to the section in parentheses).
SSK: Slip Slip Knit. Decrease Stitch. Slip two stitches one at a time onto the right needle. Slip them back to the left needle then knit through the back of the loops. Video demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg1ykku04is
st or sts: stitch or stitches.
YO: Yarn over. Increase Stitch. Bring the yarn to the front between the stitches. Video Demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-RNKk_TFtk

PATTERN

Knit in garter stitch with increases to create the tapered end as follows:
Cast On 6 stitches
Knit 7 rows
Row A: Knit 3 rows 
Row B: K1, KFAB, Knit to last 2 sts, KFAB, K1
Repeat Rows A and B twice more so you have 12 sts on the needles 
Row C: Knit 1 row 
Row D: K1, KFAB, Knit to last 2 sts, KFAB, K1 
Repeat Rows C and D until you have 16 sts on the needles 
Knit 4 more rows. 

Switch to main pattern: 
Row 1: K3, *[Slip 1st, K1, YO, PSSO] ], repeat * to last 3 sts, K3 
Row 2: K2, Purl to last 2 sts, K2
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until 10cm (4 inches) from desired length

Switch back to garter stitch for the other tapered end:
Begin decreases
Row E: Knit 1 row
Row F: K1, SSK, Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
Repeat Rows E and F until you have 12 sts remaining on the needles
Row G: Knit 3 rows
Row H: K1, SSK, Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
Repeat Rows G and H until there are 6 sts remaining on the needles.
Knit 7 rows
Buttonhole row: K2, YO, K2tog, K2
Knit 2 rows
Bind Off in knit.

Sew in ends, attach a button to the first tapered end, and you are done :)

Note: Pattern updated July 2019. 

Comments

  1. Thanks for the lovely pattern. I've been looking for a simple yet interesting headband pattern and this is perfect.

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  2. I love this pattern. It's my first headband I've made. Thanks a lot.

    ~Jessi

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  3. Thanks, hope you like the headband. I've just edited the original post to account for the stretch in the yarn. My original headband ended up quite stretchy after a few wears so I've accounted for that in the pattern now. If anyone has any problems please let me know.

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  4. Could you advise KFAB means. I believe it is an increas. Thank you

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  5. KFAB is the same as Knit Front and Back, so you knit the same stitch through the front and then through the back. Here is a link to Knitting Help http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/increases
    you can scroll down to KFB and check out their videos.

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  6. Thanks! I am going to NZ in March and wanted a headband pattern that I could do in different weights and materials to meet all climate needs. This is great... simple, stylish, versatile.

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  7. I was having difficulty reading the pattern row and coming up with the correct amount of stitches on the row. I looked up the pattern you originally used and found that this is the "more detailed" instruction:
    [slip 1, k1, yarn over, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch and yarn over]

    I love the pattern now that I figured it out! Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, thank you. I was stuck until I read your comment.

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    2. I am still confused with K3(slip I sts, ki, yo, PSSS) to last 3 sts then knit 3.
      I am not coming up with 3 Sts at the end.

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  8. Thanks, I was looking for a headband pattern for my chilly spring morning walks. This will be perfect, so glad you shared.

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  9. I am confused. Are there multiple colours in this pattern? Is that what the A, B, C, D.means?

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. No, not multiple colours. It just means less repetition within the pattern. So instead of repeating the same instructions for different rows I have just referred to the instruction for A, B C, or D etc. It will actually make sense once you start to knit it.

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  12. thanks Yes once I started it made sense. Now I need to know the short form ssk is not one I recognise.

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  13. I have updated with explanations in the pattern (see above). Hopefully that helps :)

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  14. Q: For pattern A/B, if you start with 6 stitches, then add 2 each time you KFAB (twice for each B row), you will have 8, then 10 after only 2 sets of A/B. However, instructions ask that the A/B pattern is followed 3 times "Rpt A and B twice more"...won't you end up with 12 stitches on your needle?

    Q: For section that begins "Switch to pattern: 1: K3...", whenever you slip 1 stitch and PSSO, aren't you decreasing by 1 stitch? How can this be repeated for the main body of the headband without decreasing the width down to nothing?

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  15. Hi, you are correct, that would be 12 stitches. I will edit it in a few weeks, I just don't have the time right now over Christmas.

    It has been a long time since I knit this but from memory the yarn over creates a stitch which counteracts against the slip stitch. Again, try it and see what happens but I am pretty sure you end up with the same number of stitches at the end of the row. Again, I will double check this after Christmas.

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  16. Thanks for responding so quickly! I am relatively new to knitting, so just trying to understand how the different stitches work. I believe the YO will replace the slip stitch if it is a double YO. Is this the implied stitch, or am I mistaken? Happy holidays--will look back here in January!

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  17. Hi again, I have just started knitting a new one of these and thought I should update the info as I go in the comments here. When you knit the following row:
    K3, *[Slip 1st, K1, YO, PSSO] Rpt * to last 3 sts, K3
    When you pass the slip switch over the knitted stitch and the YO it creates a single stitch but with 2 stitches coming out of it so there is no decrease. Once you start to knit it you will see how it works and how simple it is.

    Just noting here that since I don't use this blog much now I am planning to rewrite the pattern in PDF format as well for those who use ravelry and to make them a bit clearer with pictures too.

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  18. Hi Kira, I'd like to give this pattern a try, it looks very pretty! but I would like it to look like the part that is visible in the picture all the way round. that would be the second part, right? the one where you wrote "switch to pattern"? thank you very much!

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    1. You could do that. I would start with six rows of garter, then switch to the pattern and just have the full width of band all the way around my head (casting on 12 stitches), ending with additional rows of garter to overlap the first that include the button holes. If it's wider I'd probably adjust it so it has two buttonholes, or start straight with the pattern and sew the ends together once I've cast off. Let me know how it goes :)

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    2. hey, I'm finished :) turned out nice I think, thanks for the great pattern!
      http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Angurboda27/whistler-head-band

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  19. Hi Kira, Could you please tell me if you slip the stitch, in the pattern, knit wise with yarn in back of needle, or purl wise with yarn in front of needle. Thank you , it would be a big help. Thank you so much, Michele

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    Replies
    1. Hi, you slip with the yarn in back. Hope that helps.

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