After the slow-moving projects of summer, I’m back at top speed preparing for my neighborhood Arts Festival in November. I’m working on some new items that are quick to knit and I think will do well in that affordable “snap decision” price range. I liked the brioche knitting technique that I learned earlier this year and decided that it would be a perfect match for some winter ear warmer headbands – and let me use up the smaller skeins of yarn that I still have left in my stash, even after my summer pinwheel circle stash-busting project. I can make these at a rate of about one a day, so I’ve been able to make a bunch and have fun with the color!

Here’s my pattern:

US4 12 in circular needle / 2 colors worsted or DK weight yarn

Row 1: In color A, cast on 91sts w/ longtail method (make sure it is relaxed so it will have some stretch)
Row 2: k tog first and last stitch to join, p1, k1 to end
Row 3: k1, p1 rib
Row 4a: In color B, start brioche section, working the knit stitches in color B
Row 4b: In color A, continue broiche section, working the purl stitches in color A

Work paired brioche rows a total of 11-14 times depending on desired width of headband.

Note: When working brioche in the round, your row start will creep backward a stitch each pass. You will need to “catch” up the starting point of the row a few times in the process by working the stitches to the starting point of the row and then moving them back to the other needle to work the other half of the brioche row pairing to the row starting point. Make sure you are back the the beginning of your row in the last broiche row pair to finish.

Finish row 1: After the last “b” brioche row  is worked in color A, continue in k1, p1 rib in color A
Finish row 2: k1, p1 rib
BO: Bind of in the Italian method to create a springy edge, be sure to keep it relaxed to match the CO row.

Enjoy!