How to knit the Hot Mess Headband

How to knit the Hot Mess Headband

Hot Mess Headband free knitting pattern

Do you love a fun, easy pattern with just a little bit of a twist? Then you’ll love the Hot Mess Headband!

This adorable headband features one big cable row twisting the stitches over each other adding just the right amount of fun to the project.

The Hot Mess Headband is a free knitting pattern download here on Ewe Ewe or on Ravelry. It uses 1 ball of Wooly Worsted merino yarn from Ewe Ewe and today, I’m going to show you how to knit it!

Steps for knitting the Hot Mess Headband

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: How to knit the cable row

To start the Hot Mess Headband we will work in k1, p1 rib for 10.5” or half the desired length. If you need the pattern you can download it here.

I find that knitting this project with a set of double-pointed needles is easiest because they’re short and you can use one as the cable needle for this upcoming row.

Working the Cable RowHot Mess Headband tutorial: Slip first 11 stitches

To start the Cable Row we slip 11 stitches onto the right hand needle without knitting them.

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Hold stitches to the front

Hold this needle to the front of your work.

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Work 11 stitches

With our third needle, we’re going to stretch the working yarn behind the slipped stitches and continue in pattern starting with a P1 and working across the next 11 stitches.

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Work 11 stitches

You’ll see a big loop form from this but that’s ok! Just move on to the next part.

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: There is a gap from the cable needle but that’s ok!

Now you have a jumble of stitches on two needles. Let’s organize them!

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Twist and continue knitting to create the cable

Move the needle with the slipped stitches to the left and work across them starting with a K1.

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: We made a giant cable!

When you finish the Cable Row the fabric will be wrapped over itself and the stitches might feel a bit tight but that’s ok. Turn your work and continue on the rest of the way.

Remember though, on this second half your rows start with a P1 each time because we flip-flopped and criss-crossed everything!

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Continue knitting to see the cable form.

This step can be confusing the first time you knit this pattern. Watch The Unapologetic Knitter explain how the Hot Mess Headband cable row is worked:

Got passed that cable row? Now it’s time to move on to finishing the second half of the headband!

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Sew ends together to create the headband

Continue working until the second half measures as long as the first. Bind off and sew the two ends together.

Hot Mess Headband tutorial: Knit a soft, squishy headband!

There’s your nice new headband! It’s perfect for gift-giving or knit a few for yourself on those mornings when it’s cold and dry and the static cling has attacked your hair but you need to look cute.

You’ll love knitting this easy 1-ball project again and again! Choose from our 25 colors of Wooly Worsted yarn or 10 colors of our Heather's Heathers worsted weight yarn and make a few for your friends (there’s always free US shipping over $50 — that’s 5 headbands!).

Download the pattern now: Hot Mess Headband

Buy the yarn: Wooly Worsted yarn

Comments 3

Melva on

I knit a row of stocking stitch at the beginning and the end of the project [instead of ribbing] and then finish with the kitchener stitch..

Jude on

Sue you can’t use the Kitchener stitch to bind this off…for that you need two rows of open stitches that are weaved together…just cast off when it is long enough and sew edges together…hope this helps

Sue Neild on

You mention using Kitchener stitch to bind off. How do you do this stitch as its not one I’ve cone across before.

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