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Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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How-to: Nautical Headband

August 20, 2012 Leave a Comment

I’ve had short hair for a longish time now, so I tend to miss out on trying cute braiding or updo ideas I see on Pinterest or other blogs. Lately, I have been getting more and more into headbands, like my bronze laurel headband, when I want to get creative with my hair. Today, I wanted to share how I made my new favorite hair accessory, a nautically-appropriate cord headband. If you enjoy macramé, knot-tying or the metallic belt I shared a couple weeks ago, you’ll be all over this project.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

Supplies

1 yd navy cord

2 yds each of white and red cord

liquid stitch

ribbon

a few inches of elastic

straight pins

scissors

waxed paper

needle & thread

Directions

Cut your red and white cord into 2, 1-yard pieces each. You’ll have one 1-yard piece of navy cord, 2 1-yard red cord pieces, and 2 1-yard white cord pieces. Line up one red and white piece together, and one red, white and the navy piece together. Fold each set in half. Weave each set as one, following the animation below. If you remember my Olympic belt tutorial from a couple weeks ago, it’s the same basic sailor’s knot, also known as a Carrick Bend, that I used in that project.

How-to: Olympics-Inspired Knotted Metallic Belt | HandsOccupied.com

After your knot is tied, carefully tighten it until it lays evenly. Since one end of the knot has 3 pieces of cord instead of two, this step is important to make it lay just right. Then, braid the strings on each side of the knot. Since there are an even number of strings to braid with, you end up with a nice symmetrical braid with alternating V’s in each color of cord.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

At the end of each braid, secure the ends in place by hand sewing. Since cord is a little different than fabric, it’s hard to make a knot that doesn’t pull through the cord. You’ll want to use a looped/doubled over piece of thread like this:

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

Here’s what the finished end with the navy cord looks like.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

To secure the knot and keep it flat, secure each end of the knot similarly to the braid ends. Make sure that any exposed stitching is on the back side of the headband, the same side your braid sewing is on.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

Adding the elastic

Measure your head circumference and cut an appropriately sized piece of elastic for connecting the ends of the cords together into a headband. Sew the cord to the elastic and trim excess cord length.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

Cut enough ribbon to wrap around the ends of the cord and cover the end of the elastic. Use Liquid Stitch to glue the ribbon in place, and use straight pins to keep the ribbon and glue lined up as it dries. Set the headband on waxed paper to dry safely.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

You can add even more Liquid Stitch all over the ends of the cord to keep them from fraying or sticking out of the ribbon.

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

When it’s dry, carefully remove the straight pins, and you’re all set to rock this cute and comfy headband. I’ve worn this thing 2 or 3 times a week since I made it. A great way to add some variety to my limited repertoire of short hairstyles!

How-to: Nautical Headband | HandsOccupied.com

Filed Under: DIY Style, Fourth of July, How-to, Macramé Tagged With: diy, headband, macrame, nautical, patriotic

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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