the cool checks and sassy skull sweatband is ready

the headband (sweatband) i made for matt (attempt deux). my special thanks goes out to glampyre knits for the skull chart. i did NOT design the skull chart. it came from glampyre. i only wrote it out in pattern form

co=cast on
bo=bind off
cc=contrasting color

2 balls elann esprit or cascade fixation-(one ball each of a different color). there will be enough left over to do at least one more headband. OR you could do a belt instead of headbands

(i used the élan yarn. it’s the same and it’s WAYYYYYYYYY less expensive). you can’t really substitute yarns on this (at least for a headband). the esprit and the fixation are both cotton with a tiny bit of elastic thrown in for good measure. it’s stretchy

i find it difficult to knit from charts so i wrote out the pattern:

i used a size 6 needle. gauge isn’t important as long as you measure your head and make sure your headband is neither too small nor too large (what are you? goldilocks?). knit till it’s JUST right, then bind off


ROW CO 22 stitches
Knit 3 rows
then: (skull chart - chart uno)
1 k3 k2 k1 cc k5 k1cc k7 k3
2 k3 p8 p1cc p3 p1cc p3 k3
3 k3 k4 k1cc k1 k1cc k3 k3cc k3 k3
4 k3 p2 p2cc p1 p3cc p2 p1cc p5 k3
5 k3 k5 k1cc k3 k5cc k2 k3
6 k3 p2 p2cc p1 p3cc p2 p1cc p5 k3
7 k3 k4 k1cc k1 k1cc k3 k3cc k3 k3
8 k3 p8 p1cc p3 p1cc p3 k3
9 k3 k2 k1cc k5 k1cc k7 k3
rows 10,11,12 knit
repeat 1-12 to desired length
k4 rows
bo

sew cast on and cast off edges together

OR

you can do a few repeats of the skull then throw in some hip checks so you can be cool, just like me

(hip check chart- chart deux)
K3, k4cc, k2, k4cc, k2, k4cc, k3
K3, p4cc, p2, p4cc, p2, p4cc, k3
K3cc, k4, k2cc, k4, k2cc, k4, k3cc
K3cc, p4, p2cc, p4, p2cc, p4, k3cc

repeat these four rows a few times
you can add a few rows of a plain color in between the checks if you’d like. mix and match it up

i knit 7 repeats of the skulls (chart 1) and 3 repeats of the check chart (chart 2) with some plain cc knit rows in between the checks. really-mix it all up how YOU like it

here's matt's

headband sweatband (after all he IS a chef)

so far

i've made all of my other headbands out of fixation

however, i found out about elann esprit! it's EXACTLY the same make up (98.3% cotton and 1.7% elastic) as cascade fixation AT ABOUT 1/2 THE PRICE. it really IS just as good if not the same.

i've decided NOT to use the duplicate stitch (tutorial from purl bee here) but work the skull into the design
to hide and hold headband

little skull chart from glampyre knits

when it's all done, i'll post a picture of it. here's a to hide and hold headband completed in browns (it's out of fixation. the grey and black pirate one for matt is out to elann esprit). note the pen sticking out of the pocket.