Diamond & Bobbles Panta.

Materials: You will need a skein of yarn (although I doubt it'd take a whole skein), a pair of appropriate needles, and a crochet hook about the same size as the needles.  Also, some waste yarn, a tapestry needle and measuring tape.

Gauge: I don't think gauge is too important, but it would probably be best to use a heavier yarn.  Double up a thinner yarn if you need to.

Increases:
· Bl Inc - Blind increase.  Insert right needle into the right loop of the stitch below your next stitch.  Slip it onto the left needle, then knit into it.
· M1B - Make one back.  Insert left needle into the bar between the stitches from behind, then knit into the front of your new stitch. (Right slanting)
· M1F - Make one front.  Insert left needle bar between the stitches from the front, then knit into the back of your new stitch. (Left slanting)

Decreases:
· Sdk - Slip decreased stitch over knit stitch (as if to bind off).
· SSK - Slip, slip, knit. Slip a stitch purlwise, slip next stitch knitwise, then insert left needle into the front of those two stitches, and knit as normal. (Left slanting)
· K2tog - Knit two together. (Right slanting)

If you need any help with these decreases, try knittinghelp.

Bobbles: k1, yo, k1, yo, k1 into same stitch.  Turn work.  k5, turn. p5, then slip four stitches, one by one, over the stitch closest to the end of the needle (it's kind of like binding off, only you keep slipping those stitches over the same stitch).  You have just created a bobble.

If you don't want bobbles, then k1 instead of making a bobble where indicated.

Note: On every wrong side row, you will be slipping the first stitch purlwise (slpw).  On every right side row, you will slip the first stitch knitwise (slkw).

-----

Begin by measuring your head with the measuring tape.  Subtract about an inch or so, then write down the number below.

MY HEADBAND SHOULD MEASURE           " WHEN I'M DONE.

Casting on:
· Crochet chain cast on.  with waste yarn, make a slip stitch and chain 15.  Fasten off.

· Take your actual yarn and pick up 11 stitches using the little bumps behind the V's of the chain.

Ribbed Band:
Row 1 (WS): slpw, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p2. (11 sts)
Row 2: slkw, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k2.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for 2".

Increase:
Row 3 (WS): slpw, p1, bl inc, k1, p1, bl inc, k1, p1, bl inc, k1, p1, bl inc, k1, p2. (15 sts)
Row 4: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k2.
Row 5: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k1, p2.
Repeat rows 4 and 5 for 2-3", depending on where you want the diamonds and bobbles to begin.  (Hold the CO end at the middle of the back of your head to determine this.)

MY RIBBED BAND IS           " LONG.


Here's where the diamonds begin:
(you are just making the middle diamond for now)
Row 1 (RS): slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, m1b, k1, m1f, p2, k1, p2, k2. (17 sts)
Row 2: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p3, k2, p1, k2, p2.
Row 3: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, m1b, k3, m1f, p2, k1, p2, k2. (19 sts)
Row 4: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p5, k2, p1, k2, p2.
Row 5: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, m1b, k5, m1f, p2, k1, p2, k2. (21 sts)
Row 6: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p2.
Row 7: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, k3, make bobble, k3, p2, k1, p2, k2. (21 sts)
Row 8: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p2.

Now for the pattern repeat:
(increasing the first and last diamonds while decreasing the middle one)
Row 1 (RS): slkw, k1, p2, m1b, k1, m1f, p2, ssk, k3, k2tog, p2, m1b, k1, m1f, p2, k2. (23 sts)
Row 2: slpw, p1, k2, p3, k2, p5, k2, p3, k2, p2.
Row 3: slkw, k1, p2, m1b, k3, m1f, ssk, k1, k2tog, p2, m1b, k3, m1f, p2, k2. (25 sts)
Row 4: slpw, p1, k2, p5, k2, p3, k2, p5, k2, p2.
Row 5: slkw, k1, p2, m1b, k5, m1f, p2, ssk, k1, sdk, p2, m1b, k5, m1f, p2, k2. (27 sts)
Row 6: slpw, p1, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p2.
Row 7: slkw, k1, p2, k3, make bobble, k3, p2, k1, p2, k3, make bobble, k3, p2, k2. (27 sts)
Row 8: slpw, p2, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p2.

(now decreasing the first and last diamonds while increasing the middle one)
Row 9 (RS): slkw, k1, p2, ssk, k3, k2tog, p2, m1b, k1, m1f, p2, ssk, k3, k2tog, p2, k2. (25 sts)
Row 10: slpw, p1, k2, p5, k2, p3, k2, p5, k2, p2.
Row 11: slkw, k1, p2, ssk, k1, k2tog, p2, m1b, k3, m1f, p2, k2. (23 sts)
Row 12: slpw, p1, k2, p3, k2, p5, k2, p3, k2, p2.
Row 13: slkw, k1, p2, ssk, k1, sdk, p2, m1b, k5, m1f, ssk, k1, sdk, p2, k2. (21 sts)
Row 14: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p2.
Row 15: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, k3, make bobble, k3, p2, k1, p2, k2. (21 sts)
Row 16: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p7, k2, p1, k2, p2.

Time to find out how many times you need to repeat the pattern.

Take the length of the ribbed band, including the increase (the part without the diamonds) and multiply it by two.  Subtract this number from the total length your headband will be.

TOTAL LENGTH - RIBBED BAND(2) =           ".

You want the headband to be about this long, or a just bit shorter (about the length of half a diamond) after your pattern repeats.

Decreasing back into ribbed band:
Row 1 (RS): slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, ssk, k3, k2tog, p2, k1, p2, k2. (19 sts)
Row 2: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p5, k2, p1, k2, p2.
Row 3: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, ssk, k1, k2tog, p2, k1, p2, k2. (17 sts)
Row 4: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p3, k2, p1, k2, p2.
Row 5: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, ssk, k1, sdk, p2, k1, p2, k2. (15 sts)
Row 6: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p2.

Ribbed Band:
Row 1 (RS): slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k2.
Row 2: slpw, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k1, p2.
Row 3: slkw, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k1, p2, k2.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 for 2-3" as you did before.

Row 3 (WS): slpw, p1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, p2.
Row 4: slkw, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k2.
Row 5: slpw, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p2.
Repeat rows 4 and 5 until the headband fits comfortably/snugly around your head.

Finishing: Graft ends together and weave in ends.

If you'd rather have tie ends, try decreasing the ribbed band a few more times and knitting each end long enough so that you'd be able to tie it.
 

Pattern written by Nichole L. Rodriguez