Buttoned Headband Knitting Pattern

Buttoned Headband Knitting Pattern by Plymouth Yarn

Project Overview

The Buttoned Headband is a knitted headwear accessory designed to fit most head sizes with finished dimensions of approximately 20 inches in diameter and 4 inches in height. This downloadable PDF pattern from Plymouth Yarn's Design Studio is available free with yarn purchase and features a distinctive plait stitch texture accented with functional button closure.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a fitted headband that wraps around the head and fastens with a single large button. The headband combines textured stitching in the central section with ribbed edges, creating both visual interest and structural stability. The piece is worked flat and seamed or buttoned to form a complete circle, making it a practical accessory for keeping hair in place or providing warmth around the ears and forehead.

Techniques Used

The Buttoned Headband employs several fundamental knitting techniques to achieve its finished design. Increases are used early in the pattern through the knit front and back (kfb) method to expand the stitch count from the initial ribbed edge to the wider body section. Decreases are incorporated near the completion of the main stitch pattern using purl 2 together (p2tog) to reduce stitches back to the original count before the final ribbed section. A buttonhole is created using the bind-off and cable cast-on method, which produces a secure opening that accommodates the button closure. The pattern also involves weaving in ends during finishing to secure all yarn tails neatly.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern featured in this headband is the Plait Stitch, a textured pattern that creates an interlocking, braided appearance. The Plait Stitch is worked over two rows and uses a combination of knit and purl stitches with a crossing technique: on the right-side row, stitches are skipped and then worked out of order before passing the skipped stitch over, creating the characteristic plait or braid effect. This stitch is framed by Knit 1, Purl 1 ribbing (K1/P1 rib), which appears at both the cast-on edge and again near the bind-off edge. The ribbing provides elasticity and a finished appearance at the headband's edges. Basic stitches including knit (k) and purl (p) form the foundation of both the plait pattern and the ribbed sections.

Materials and Tools

The pattern requires Essex yarn by Plymouth Yarn, a 100-gram ball in color number 5000, which provides sufficient yardage for the complete project. Knitters will need US size 11 (8 millimeter) needles to achieve the specified gauge of 12 stitches and 16 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Additional materials include one large button for the closure, matching thread and a sewing needle for attaching the button, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends during finishing.

Pattern Construction Details

The headband begins with a cast-on of 10 stitches and opens with 2 inches of K1/P1 ribbing to create a stable, elastic edge. The stitch count is then increased to 20 stitches using the knit front and back increase method across an entire row. The main body is worked in the Plait Stitch Pattern for 18 inches from the cast-on edge, creating the textured central band. After completing the plait stitch section on a right-side row, the stitches are decreased back to 10 using purl 2 together across a wrong-side row. Five rows of K1/P1 ribbing follow, mirroring the opening edge and providing structure for the buttonhole section. The buttonhole is then created by binding off 2 center stitches while maintaining the rib pattern on the outer stitches, then casting those stitches back on using the cable cast-on method in the following row. Two additional rows of ribbing complete the pattern before binding off in pattern to finish all edges neatly.

Finishing and Assembly

Once all knitting is complete, the pattern requires sewing a large button to the cast-on side of the headband to correspond with the buttonhole created near the bind-off edge. This button closure allows the headband to be fastened securely around the head. All yarn ends are woven in using the tapestry needle to create a polished, finished appearance with no loose threads visible.