The Aviemore Headband

Do you love cables? I love cables, but I just don’t knit. It’s a lot like watching me on skies, far too many things for me to try and coordinate successfully, lol. A number of years ago I learned to do Tunisian Cables.  They are beautiful and I love adding them to projects or just making them the whole project, like this headband.

12 hours of driving each way certainly gives you lots of time to work on WIPs. Thank goodness crochet is so perfectly portable.
All you need is a little book, a little yarn and a hook! A new pattern is born.

The ladies in my Learn to Tunisian Crochet class picked up the Tunisian Simple Stitch and the colour changing so fast that I needed to put together a quick Tunisian project to challenge them on the last night and so the Aviemore Headband was born. Headbands are quick projects, great small gifts to lift someone’s spirits in the cold winter months and fantastic stash busters. This pattern is worked in a long rectangle to fit the circumference of the your head (don’t worry if it’s a gift and you aren’t sure I have included a general head sizing chart) and then joined together with a simple whip stitch.  The seam is then hidden with a small band of knit stitch and a fashion button.

I really enjoyed the yarn I used.  I used Berroco Vintage in Mochi. It is made with 40% wool so it is soft and warm. Berroco Vintage comes in many beautiful colours so you are sure to find one you like and it washes really well. However, when it comes to cables I have a thing for cream or light gray. I am old school that way I guess so cream it is for me. 😊 Faux fur is very popular right now so you shouldn’t have any difficulty picking up a colour to accent your headband. I used Sirdar Alpine in seal for my faux fur trim.  Don’t like faux fur, the trim is absolutely optional, so you can leave it off.

Lets get started!

What you will need…

  • One skein, or 100m (110yds) of yarn in a colour of your choice.  Plus a skein of faux fur, approximately 50g for the edging. I used Berroco Vintage (52% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 8% Nylon) (100g/ 3.5oz., 199m / 218yds) in colour Mochi. For the edging I also used Sirdar Alpine (100% polyester) (50g/ 1.75oz, 33m / 36yds) in colour seal.  Buy it here.
  • Tunisian crochet hook 5 mm (H-8) or the size that will give an acceptable gauge.
  • Extension Cable
  • Stitch Marker
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Wooden Button

Yarn Weight: Worsted Weight (No. 4)
Experience Level: Beginner
Gauge: 20 TKS per 4 inches and 17 rows per 4 inches..
Size: 3.5” wide X the length needed for your head circumference.

Abbreviations Used:
st(s) – stitch(es)
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
tss – Tunisian simple stitch
tks – Tunisian knit stitch
tps – Tunisian purl stitch
Fwd. P. – Forward Pass
Rtn. P. – Return Pass
YO – yarn over
lp(s) – loop(s)
sk – skip st(s)
sp – space
blo – back loop only
beg – beginning
*… crochet proceeding directions as many times as indicated.

Skills Needed:

  • This pattern uses Tunisian Knit Stitch and Tunisian Purl Stitch.
  • This pattern is suitable for an intermediate or adventurous beginner in Tunisian Crochet.  Knowledge of single crochet is also required.
  • This headband is not worked in the round.

Important Notes:

  • I tend to crochet loosely. If you do not, you may need to adjust your hook sizes to achieve proper sizing.
  • Do count your stitches, it will help you make sure you haven’t missed stitches in each row, stitch counts have been provided to assist at the end of each row of instruction.
  • If you are using Cascade 220 Yarn your project will be wider as their gauge is thicker than the Berroco Vintage.

PATTERN

Foundation Row:

      • Begin by chaining 18 chains (chs). Be careful not to twist the chain.
      • Forward Pass (Fwd P.): Insert hook into either the back loop only (blo) of second chain (ch) from the hook or the back bump of the second chain (ch) from the hook (hk), yarn over (YO) and pull up a loop.*Insert hook (hk) into the next chain (ch) back loop only (blo) or back bump, yarn over (YO) pull up a loop, repeat from * across the row until there are no more chains (chs) left. There should be 18 loops on your hook.
      • Return Pass (Rtn. P.): Yarn over (YO) and pull through 1st loop on hook (hk) only (you have just made a ch 1), then yarn over (YO) and pull through 2 loops on hook (hk) across row until only one loop remains on hook. (There should be 111 vertical bars including the one immediately below the last loop on your hook)

How to work a Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS)

Insert hook from the right hand side under the vertical bar, but rather than coming out on the left side and staying on the front of the fabric like in the simple stitch, push the hook backwards to come out the back of the fabric between the front and back vertical bars. Yarn over and pull up a loop.

Working the end stitch at the end of the forward pass.

Insert your hook under the last two loops of the stitch below, you should have two bars on your hook, yarn over and pull up a loop.  It should look like a chain at the end of the stitch.

How to work a Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS)

This stitch is worked on the front of the fabric, like the Tunisian Simple Stitch. Bring the Yarn from the back to the front of the fabric.  Insert hook under vertical bar from right to left.  Yarn over.  Hold the yarn on the front of the fabric down with your thumb and pull up a loop.

Now that you know how to work a Tunisian Knit Stitch and a Tunisian Purl Stitch lets get started on the rest of the pattern

Row 1: Forward Pass (Fwd P.):  Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS) in next stitch, 1 Tunisian Knit Stitch(TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 8 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 2 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), end Stitch. (18 stitches) Return Pass (Rtn. P.)

Row 2: Forward Pass (Fwd P.):  Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS) in next stitch, 1 Tunisian Knit Stitch(TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 8 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 2 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), end Stitch. (18 stitches) Return Pass (Rtn. P.)

Row 3: Forward Pass (Fwd P.):  Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS) in next stitch, 1 Tunisian Knit Stitch(TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 8 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 2 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), end Stitch. (18 stitches) Return Pass (Rtn. P.)

NOTE: In the 4th line of this pattern repeat a YO is required in the middle of the 8 Tunisian Knit Stitches.  This is in preparation for the Cable which takes place in the next row.  It is merely a simple yarn over after the 4th TKS before you start the 5th TKS.  Check it out below.

1 – yarn over after 4th knit stitch and before starting the 5th knit stitch. 2 – this is what the yarn over looks like after the Return Pass.

Row 4: Forward Pass (Fwd P.):  Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS) in next stitch, 1 Tunisian Knit Stitch(TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 4 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), Yarn Over (YO), 4 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 2 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), end Stitch. (18 stitches) Return Pass (Rtn. P.)

NOTE: For the 5th row you will need a cable needle.  They take many different shapes, here are two different kinds.  You can also use a large safety pin!

Row 5: Forward Pass (Fwd P.):  Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS) in next stitch, 1 Tunisian Knit Stitch(TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), work cable with the 8 Tunisian Knit Stitches (TKS), 2 Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS), 2 Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS), end Stitch. (18 stitches) Return Pass (Rtn. P.)

How to work the Tunisian Cable

Work the first 4 Tunisian Knit Stitches as per normal.  Slide these stitches onto the cable needle and bring forward (bend them down on the fabric). Continue on with your remaining 4 Tunisian Knit Stitches.  Skip over the YO from the row below.

Once you have completed the remaining 4 Tunisian Knit Stitch, transfer the first four Tunisian Knit Stitches back onto your hook from right to left.  Finish row as per normal.

NOTE:  When working the row after a cable row, it can be very hard to find the stitches.  As you can see from the picture, it looks quite messy.  So be careful to pull up the first four stitches so you can see them and make sure you get them all, even the one hiding way at the back.

Repeat Rows: 1 through 5 until you reach your desired length minus ½ inch.

Repeat Rows 1-3 one more time which works the last ½ inch of your headband.

Last Row: Work Tunisian Finishing Stitch (TFS) in each stitch across row. With one minor variation, insert your hook from front to back between the front and back vertical posts (like in Tunisian Knit Stitch), to complete this stitch. (18 stitches)

Fold your headband in half with right sides together.  Whip stitch the ends together.  Weave in ends.  At this time you can work slip stitches in the faux fur around each edge, join with a slip stitch and weave in ends.

Then starting again, chain 7 and do 3 or 4 rows of Tunisian Knit Stitch and finish off leaving a 6 inch tail.  Sew your wooden button in the middle of the right side.  Wrap this small piece of fabric around the joint of the headband and whip stitch the ends together of the small swatch.

Your Headband is complete!  I hope you enjoy it.