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.
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links.
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.
Join the 2020 Knit Along with KAL Corner!
- Learn more about the KAL (and enter to win the end-of-KAL giveaways by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on December 10, 2020) in this blog post.
- You can join in by knitting the patterns as you have time.
- Share your progress and post pictures of your finished projects. Tag your projects and posts #KALCornerKnitting on all social media.
- If you’d like to chat with other knitters, join the KAL Corner Knitting Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and other subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!
- By the end of the KAL, you’ll have up to 16 different projects.
- Use this button below on your Ravelry project pages or elsewhere on social media. Right click (on desktop) or tap and hold (on mobile) to save.
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.