In the 1980's, my grandmother made more headbands on her knit machine than I probably needed in a lifetime. I had a headband with my name on it (actually, with my nickname, which I hated), hearts on it, shamrocks (we're not Irish), snowmobiles (we didn't snowmobile), skis (I didn't ski), snowmen, snowflakes, cats, pigs and surely I'm forgetting a dozen or so more. Bless her soul, but all of those silly things combined with the bright acrylic yarns she used....oh, and the wild and crazy perm that I always had (thanks to my other grandmother).....and really you can understand why I stashed those headbands under my bed just as fast as they appeared.
But! Annabel recently asked me "one of those things that keep your ears warm, but you don't have to wear a hat...what are those called? Of course, my darling. A headband! "Oh yeah, that! I want one!" And well, I could not deny that excited request for a hand knit from a child, especially when the project takes less than a day and gives such instant gratification to knitter and recipient alike. I used this pattern, and would you look at that? My first cables. No big thing. The yarn I used is one I picked up in Burlington last month at Nido (new personal rule: despite how easy it is to access almost anything online, I still believe that buying "local" yarn when you're visiting a place is required). It's Jamie's Rainbow Yarn, dyed naturally (I loved knitting with this yarn!). Sadly, I ran out before getting to Adelaide's, so hers is made with Malabrigo Rios, leftover from her pink sweater.
And that is how I spent my knitting weekend. I sat down intending to work on my own sweater (moving at a snail's pace, that one), but ended up whipping three of these out over the course of the weekend. And how immensely satisfying to do so - they weren't knit in exactly one sitting, but certainly close. Cast off, ends woven in, headband placed on the girl, and the next cast on. And, it turns out, I haven't taken mine off since. I actually really love wearing it - keeping me warm without the entirety of a hat, plus I can keep my hair piled on the top of my head like I usually do anyway (but can't do with a hat). Well. Who knew? Oh that's right, my Grandmother. Sorry Nana, I think you were right about this one.
