If you love the look of thick, luscious cables in the winter, then you’ll love this cable knit headband pattern! The Braided Headband is a reinterpretation of one of my most popular knitting patterns, the Braided Beanie.

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The Braided Beanie is one of my most popular knitting patterns and I can see why. I love the look of the thick, braided cable against the contrast of the little boxes of garter and stockinette stitches.

As I was getting ready to make the first pattern for the 2020 Knit Along with KAL Corner, temperatures dropped and I knew I needed something bulkier than a light weight yarn if I wanted to wear my creation outdoors. I decided to hold two strands of Bernat Softee Baby yarn together to create a pattern inspired by the Braided Beanie! Unlike the Braided Beanie, the Braided Headband is knit flat. It’s easy to adjust the length to make a headband for to fit any size head. This is the first pattern in the 2020 Knit Along with KAL Corner.
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Braided Headband
Cable Knit Pattern by Underground Crafter



A single, braided cable adds visual appeal to this cable knit headband based on the Braided Beanie.
Finished Size
- Adult: 4.5″ (11.5 cm) wide x 18″ (46 cm).
Materials
- Bernat Softee Baby yarn (100% acrylic, 5 oz/140 g, 362 yd/331 m) – 1 skein in 30044 Flannel.
- US Size 8/5 mm straight knitting needles, or any size needed to obtain gauge., or any size needed to obtain correct gauge.
- Cable needle.
- Yarn needle.
Gauge
- 24 sts in pattern = 4.5” (11.5 cm) wide. Exact gauge is not critical for this project.
Abbreviations Used in This Pattern
- BO – bind off
- C8B – 8-st right leaning cable – Sl 4 sts to cn, hold cn at back, k4, k4 from cn.
- C8F – 8-st left leaning cable – Sl 4 sts to cn, hold cn at front, k4, k4 from cn.
- cn – cable needle
- CO – cast on
- k – knit
- p – purl
- rep – repeat
- RS – right (front) side
- sl – slip stitch knitwise
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- [] Repeat instructions between brackets as indicated.
Pattern Notes
- Entire pattern is knit with 2 strands of yarn held together. Alternatively, use 1 strand of medium (#4, worsted) weight yarn.
- A helpful tutorial for seaming with the mattress stitch is available here.
Pattern Instructions
Headband
- With 2 strands of yarn held together, CO 24 sts.
- Row 1: (RS) K1, p5, k12, p6.
- Row 2: Sl 1, p4, k1, p12, k1, p5.
- Row 3: Sl 1, k4, p1, k4, C8F, p1, k4, p1.
- Row 4: Rep Row 2 once.
- Row 5: Sl 1, p5, k12, p6.
- Row 6: Rep Row 2 once.
- Row 7: Sl 1, k4, p1, C8B, [k4, p1] twice.
- Row 8: Rep Row 2 once.
- Row 9: Rep Row 5 once.
- Rep Rows 2-9 until headband measures approximately 18″ (46 cm) or desired length, ending after Row 3 or Row 7.
- BO in pattern for Row 2. Fasten off with long yarn tail (approximately 18″/46 cm) for seaming.
Finishing
- Thread yarn needle with yarn tail. Fold headband in half along long edge. With yarn needle, seam short edges together with mattress stitch (see Pattern Notes).
- With yarn needle, weave in ends on inside (wrong side) of headband.