Knit an Easy Twisted Headband, By Hand or Machine

I love knitting headbands, maybe more than I love wearing knit headbands, but I’m trying to get them into the rotation more often this year.

Knit headbands are generally pretty quick and easy to knit, they don’t take a lot of yarn, and they can be great stash-busting projects. They’re also effective at keeping your hair out of your face and making a messy hair day a little bit better.

I was recently cleaning up some yarn leftovers and made this two-toned twisted headband knitting pattern.

The twisted headband look is super popular and it’s really easy to do.

I made a wider version a couple of years ago using a circular knitting machine, so if you want your headband in a hurry, that’s always an option, too. And while this one is wide and the one I knit by hand is narrower, you can make a hand-knit version wider if you like by casting on more stitches. You can also make a narrower one on a knitting machine if you have a 22-pin machine. I haven’t tried that yet but I think it would be a great size for summer.

And once you know the basics of the twist, you can make all sorts of variations on this headband. Add stripes instead of doing color blocking. Make it in sock yarn instead of worsted weight. Throw in a simple stitch pattern like moss stitch. If you use a stitch pattern that doesn’t curl and looks good on both sides, you don’t even have to start with a tube, just knit it flat.

And if you don’t like the twist, or don’t always want a twisted version, just sew the ends together flat.

You get the idea. I feel like there are going to be a lot more knit headbands in my summer plans. I’d love to know if you knit them or if I’ve inspired you to try!

Knit Legwarmers on a Circular Knitting Machine

Make a Drop Stitch Scarf with a Circular Knitting Machine

Knit a Shrug on a Circular Knitting Machine

Circular Knitting Machine FAQs

Adding a bit of knitting to your fall decor is a lot of fun, whether it’s knit pumpkins or a bunch of adorable knit ghosts like these.

Knit ghosts can be super simple like this free ghost knitting pattern from Trixie Zynch on Ravelry. Using about 50 yards of worsted weight yarn, they’re worked from the bottom up and are super cute as a pair.

This fuzzy little ghost from Forest Knitting Toys is holding a pumpkin and wearing a witch hat, though of course the accessories are optional, as is the fuzzy yarn. The main yarn is chunky and the ghost measures about 10 cm/4 inches tall. It’s worked in the round.

Another fuzzy ghost in more of a Pacman style is this ghost plushie form South Stitch Girls. It’s worked in the round with bulky yarn and includes a sweet little bow you can make in whatever color you like.

The ghost doll from Edith Grace Designs has little arms and a curl at the top of its head. The body is worked flat using DK weight yarn and you could also work it in glow in the dark yarn for extra fun. The body and head are worked in one piece with the arms knit separately.

The Grim Grinning Ghosts from Susan Claudino are super cute and you can knit them in any yarn and gauge you like to make ghosts of different sizes. These are worked in the round with the body done in one piece and the arms are knit separately. The ghosts shown were knit in sock yarn, DK and worsted weight yarn. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Make a ghost with funny striped legs with this ghost shelf sitter design from Claire Fairall Designs. It’s worked in three colors of DK weight yarn, and the letters spelling out boo are made with strips of garter stitch sewn into shape.

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