Cabled Headband Pattern

**Please note, changed needle size on pattern 3/7/08** Thank you

Hi there. Someone mentioned this pattern might be useful to others so I will give it a shot!!

I used a fairly wide Vidal Sassoon headband. It was about 2" at its widest point and did not have the little prongs that hold your hair back. If your headband is narrower, my recomendation would be to cast on less than 12 stitches and increase like normal (ignore the total stitches at the end of the rows in that case).

Yarn: Patons Classic Merino in Petal Pink

Needle: US size 4

guage should not be too terribly important. If you knit a little tighter, or a little looser, it would not make a drastic difference in the finished product.

Right Twist Cable Pattern: Over 10 Center stitches

Rows 1 and 3 -- P2, K6, P2

Rows 2 and 4 -- K2, P6, K2

Row 5 -- P2, Slip 3 Stitches to cable needle, hold to back, Knit 3 stitches from left needle, Knit 3 stitches from Cable needle, P2

Row 6 -- K2, P6, K2 (as in rows 2 and 4)

Note: You can also use your favorite method of "no cable needle" of course. There's a great PDF on Knitpick's site, but I have no idea if I can legally link that, etc.

CO 12

Rows 1 - 6 -- Stockinette stitch (knit odd rows, purl even rows)

Row 7 -- kfb, K10, kfb in last stitch (14 st. total)

Row 8 - 12 -- Stockinette stitch

Row 13 -- kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb (16 st. total)

Row 14 - 18 -- Stockinette stitch

Row 19 -- KFB, Row 1 of cable pattern, KFB(18 st. total)

Row 20 -- P4, Row 2 of cable pattern, P4

Row 21 -- K4, Row 3 of cable pattern, K4

Row 22 -- P4 Row 4 of cable pattern, P4

Row 23 -- K4, Row 5 of cable pattern (the fun row!) K4

Row 24 -- P4, Row 6 of cable pattern, K4

Continue as rows 19 - 24, increasing every 6 rows and following the 6 row cable pattern.

When you increase to 28 stitches (on row 49), Knit in this manner for 4 repeats (of 6 rows, or 6 cables) without increasing further. If after two repeats, you aren't at the very top, or halfway point on your headband, do more or less repeats without increasing/decreasing.

In other words, if you are keeping track of your rows, on row 55, you WON'T increase.

Knit over those 28 stitches until you finish Row 72 (or 4 cable repeats on the 28 stitch rows).

Row 73 -- K2tog, K7, Row 1 of cable pattern, K7, SSK (26 st. total)

Row 74 -- P8, Row 2 of cable pattern, P8

Row 75 -- K8, Row 3 of cable pattern, K8

Row 76 -- P8, Row 4 of cable pattern, P8

Row 77 -- K8, Row 5 of cable pattern, K8

Row 78 -- P8, Row 6 of cable pattern, K8

Row 79 -- K2tog, K6, Row 1 of cable pattern, K6, SSK (24 st. total)

Continue in this manner, decreasing every 6th row, and working the cable pattern.

When you have decreased back down to 18 stitches:

Knit odd rows, Purl even rows, decreasing every 6 rows, for 18 rows, or 3 repeats of:

K2tog, K to last two, SSK

Purl all

Knit all

Purl all

Knit all

Purl all

At the end of the third repeat, cast off these 12 stitches.

Seam the thing up around your headband. The nice, pretty, clean, mattress stitch would be the obvious choice, but I just went back and forth in a manner not worthy of explaining (whip stitch, I believe). As long as your seam doesn't stick up too high, it won't really matter if it's pretty. Unless it's a gift, then maybe you would use the mattress. I feared this would stick up too high and look like a big sweater on your head, but I really don't think so.

Please let me know if this isn't clear, or if you find an error. If you are familiar with cables and cable charts, I'm sure I've over-explained everything! Once you get the pattern down, it's quick and easy. If you aren't familiar with cables, this may not be clear...

May I say again, Knitpicks.com has a great tutorial on cabling, especially without a cable needle!

Thanks, Kristin