Thursday, February 2, 2012

Tunisian knit headband


I know you've all seen 'em.  Cute little teenagers running around with knitted headband/earwarmers on.  Oh to be young and cute again.  But I digress.  My neighbor asked if I could make one of them for her, and having neglected my knitting needles for awhile, I decided to take up the challenge.

Ahem, now I remember why I don't knit much.  It's soooooooo sloooooooowwww.  I got about 4 hours and 4" into it and chucked my needles into the fireplace.  Turned to my trusty Tunisian hooks and within 2 hours, I had a cute headband and a fun little flower on a pin.  So cute, in fact, that I had to make another one for myself.  This one adorned with buttons.

And, because I learned to share in Kindergarten, I decided to write down the formula for all to enjoy.  I say formula because you really can use any hook/yarn combination, as far as I can tell.  Since I have not tried it in all possible hook/yarn combinations, I am going to leave it up to the user to find out the hard way if it works or not.  Lucky you...

NOTES:
  1. All return rows are as normal, except the buttonhole row.  
  2. For the buttonhole, skip the stitch where the buttonhole will be.  On the return row, ch 1 over the skipped stitch, and continue the return row as normal.
  3. The buttonhole size and corresponding button will be determined by the yarn/hook being used.  If you wish to have a larger button but are using thinner yarn, I would recommend starting with Ch 7.
  4. M1 (make 1) directions - insert hook knitwise through fabric in the space *between* the stitches.  Pull up loop.  Increase made.
  5. Tks - Tunisian knit stitch (but I am guessing you already knew that)

Pattern/Formula

Ch 5
Row 1: pick up each loop across
Row 2 - 5: tks across row
Row 6:  find center stitch.  Tks across to center stitch, M1, tks center stitch, M1, tks across remaining stitches.
Rows 7 - 9: tks across row
Repeat Rows 6 - 9 until piece measures 3.5" in width.  Place marker on last increase row.  Measure the length from beginning to this marker (Measurement A).

Total length of the headband should be no more than about 18".  I know your head is bigger than that, but believe me, the yarn will stretch.  Double your measurement and subtract it from 18".  This number (Measurement B) will be the main length of the headband.  Continue in tks across each row until you reach Measurement B.  Now begin your decreases...

Row 1:  find center stitch.  Tks across to one stitch before the center stitch.  Skip next stitch, tks center stitch, skip next stitch, tks across remaining stitches.
Row 2 - 4: tks across row
Repeat Rows 1 - 4 until only 5 (or more, depending on your initial chain) stitches remain.
Complete on more row of tks.
Buttonhole row:  find center stitch.  Tks across to center stitch, skip stitch, tks remaining stitches.  On the return row, ch 1 for skipped stitch.
Complete 2 more rows in tks, bind off in your preferred method.  Fasten off, unless doing Trim.

Trim (optional)
Ch 1, turn to work the lengthwise side of the headband. *Sl st, ch 1.  Repeat for every stitch around the headband, making a ch 2 at the corners.  Join with a sl st at the bind off row.  Fasten off.  Sew on a button, and any other decorations you want.

So, for the tan headband I made, my length up to the marker was 5".  The main body was 8" and the decrease section was 5".  This makes a total of 18".  I used worsted weight and a J hook.