Flower Headband

By request from some ladies from the knitting club I managed to find the pattern for this knitted headband. I could not wait to make it... so I did.

I was in front of my computer trying to follow the pattern, counting stitches and trying really hard to concentrate, but my mac's mail application kept jumping up and down(announcing that I had a new email e-v-e-r-y 2 minutes).

Meanwhile in NYC fireworks were seen near La Guardia airport! apparently the knitting girls were throwing a party for Ilana. And I? well, I was busting my butt trying to finish the headband to make sure it came out like the one Mery wanted (I think she needed a fancy accessory to dress up for the cousin).

I used less than one skein of Patons Classic Wool in Dark Grey for both the headband and the flower, and a pair of size 6 us (4 mm) needles. The pattern can be found at T. Mattews Fine Art blog.

For those of you that need help understanding the abbreviations and want to learn how to increase and decrease stitches, I strongly recommend you to visit Knitting Help. This is a wonderful site where you can find many tips, easy to understand instructional videos, a glossary of common knitting abreviations, patterns and tips on knitting. If you like learning things on your own, this is a site you must bookmark on your computer.

The flower on the headband is from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B Anderson. The flower is made with 4 layers. Each layer is made separately, then stacked from largest to smallest and sewn together.

She has a video on youtube where she demonstrates how to make one of the layers. For the first layer (10 petals) cast on 112 stitches, for the second (8 petals): 90 stitches, for the third(6 petals): 68 stitches and for the fourth(4 petals): 46 stitches.

For my friends from the knitting club I must tell you, when you visit the site you will find, that the instructional videos are shown in two styles of knitting: Continental (pink button) and English (blue button). Pick the continental one. I also recommend you watch the video on Combined Knitting, which is the way I was taught to knit and I think many of you as well. It explains why we end up with twisted stitches on the hat project while using circular needles and also how to adjust our stitches when following western patterns.

I hope you all enjoyed yourselves last night, and I ask you nicely...next time, throw a party for me!!!