Lang PTO28-13 Headband Waistcoat Knitting Pattern

Lang PTO28-13 Headband

What is Being Made

The Lang PTO28-13 is a knitted headband designed with a finished circumference of approximately 40 cm (16 inches). This accessory features a distinctive plaited or braided construction created through a unique three-band technique, making it both a functional and decorative piece. The headband is worked in a single color dégradé yarn that transitions through blue, orange, and brick tones, creating visual interest through the yarn's color progression rather than stitch pattern variation.

Techniques Used

This headband is constructed using several advanced knitting techniques that elevate it beyond a basic accessory pattern:

• Bottom-up construction: The headband begins with a cast-on and is worked upward from the base
• Worked flat: The piece is knitted on straight needles in flat rows rather than in the round, allowing for seaming later
• Band division and separate working: After the initial 12 cm (4¾ inches), the 36 cast-on stitches are divided into three separate groups of 12 stitches each, with each band worked to different lengths before being plaited together
• Plaiting technique: The three bands are interlaced in a specific sequence—the right band passes under the middle band and over the left band, while the left band passes over the middle band and the middle band passes over the first band, creating a braided effect
• Seamed construction: The finished edges are joined using Kitchener stitch, a grafting technique that creates an invisible seam by binding off live stitches to the cast-on row
• Stabilization: Additional stitching may be used to secure the plaited bands where they cross, ensuring the braided structure remains stable during wear

Stitches Used

The headband employs a simple yet elegant stitch pattern:

• Pattern I (Ribbed Stitch): A 2x2 ribbed pattern consisting of alternating knit and purl stitches. Each row begins and ends with an edge stitch, followed by a repeating sequence of 2 knit stitches and 2 purl stitches. On subsequent rows, stitches are worked as they face the knitter, maintaining the ribbed texture throughout
• Kitchener stitch: Used for the final seaming, this grafting technique joins the live stitches to the cast-on row seamlessly

Materials

The Lang PTO28-13 headband pattern calls for specific, high-quality materials:

• Yarn: LANGYARNS MERINO 150 DÉGRADÉ, an extra-fine merino wool that is mulesing-free. The pattern requires 50 grams (1 ball) in the colorway blue-orange-brick (color number 40.0002). This yarn weight and fiber content provide softness and breathability ideal for a headband worn close to the face
• Needles: ADDI knitting needles in size 4mm (US size 6, UK size 8), worked flat for the construction method specified

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 28 stitches and 34 rows over 10 cm (4 inches) when working Pattern I on 4mm needles. Maintaining this gauge is essential for achieving the intended finished circumference of approximately 40 cm (16 inches), ensuring the headband fits properly and the plaited sections align correctly.