DIY Network

To Hide and to Hold: Hair Band It's a clever, soon-to-be classic, double-duty hair accessory from designer Amy Finlay. From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-506

This oh-so-fashionable knit hair band from designer Amy Finlay can double as a place to stash your cell phone or mp3 player.

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Designer Amy Finlay models her fashionable, functional knit hair band design.

With many hair styles, you can wear this clever head/hair band with pockets and hide the pocket items under your hair completely. If you're not the bashful type, wear it with a ponytail. It's a great conversation starter and offers a place to stash a small wallet, keys and more.

Materials:
yarn
  1 ball Cascade Fixation (#8990)
needles: size 5 needles (3-3/4 mm) - any type will do, even double-pointed

Gauge: 6.5 sts/inch, when knitting is relaxed. As another option, you can use whatever gauge you get and adjust the number or stitches in the middle of the headband to your liking. This won’t be noticeable if you do it in the first 3" or so, and use the beginning of knitting as the inside of pocket.

Stretchy Yarn Knitting Tips
With elastic yarn like Cascade Fixation, be aware of the tension on the yarn while you knit in order to keep the knitting consistent. When Amy knits this on size 5 needles, she keeps the yarn mostly stretched but not fully taught while knitting. She changed the way she wrapped the yarn through her fingers to adjust the tension and keep it from becoming too tight and difficult to knit. Do what works for you.

Even with a yarn as stretchy as this, the headband will stretch out a bit. If you end up with lots of extra slack after wearing it, re-sew it, overlapping the ends more so it is tighter. Amy recommends wearing it with an object in it for at least an hour before weaving the ends in and trimming the seaming yarn. This will make it easier in case you need to re-do the seams.

Abbreviations
CO = cast on (long-tail cast on is ideal)
k = knit
p = purl
yo = yarn over
k2tog = knit 2 together
BO = bind off (basic knit bind off)
overcast stitch = sewing along the edge, the same path as wire in a spiral bound notebook.

CO 16 sts.

*k2, k2tog, yo, yo, k2tog, knit to end of row.

Figure A

Repeat from * for every row; but when you come to the 2 adjacent yo's you have created on the previous row, knit into the first, then purl into the second and continue knitting to the end of row from there (figure A).

Figure B

Continue (figure B) until the headband is long enough to stretch firmly around your head, with 5" extra overlap (measure when stretched) to create the pocket. Be aware that the headband will stretch out a bit when worn with heavy object in it.

Figure C

BO knitting, overlap pocket area, and sew pocket on either side along selvage edges, using an overcast stitch that is loose enough to accommodate stretch (figure C). The remaining two openings will allow things to be slid into the pocket sideways when worn.

RESOURCES :
yarn
www.yarn.com

Knittinghelp.com DVDs and CDs
KnittingHelp.com
PO Box 3306
Amherst, MA 01004
E-mail: amy@knittinghelp.com
Web site: www.knittinghelp.com

GUESTS :
Amy Finlay
www.knittinghelp.com