Free Loom Knit Headband Pattern (Crossed Ear Warmer!)
Learn how to make a super cozy and warm loom knit headband ear warmer in this free pattern, step by step tutorial and video!
Want to remember this? Post this Loom Knit Headband tutorial to your favorite DIY Pinterest board!
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Ear warmers are the perfect accessory to keep your ears cozy during the winter months while still being able to wear your hair in a bun or pony tail.
This stylish headband is twisted on the front and the stitch pattern is super easy and beginner friendly.
We’ll be using super bulky yarn that knits up super fast, so you can crank out a cute knitted headband in one evening!
Best Knitting Loom for Headbands
For this project, you’ll want to use a large gauge round knitting loom.
My favorite one is this KB brand 5/8″ gauge knitting loom. It has 48 pegs and is the perfect size for a large adult headband.
For reference, my head circumference is 23″ and the 48 peg loom worked great for me.
When I make a hat on the 48 peg loom, it ends up being slouchy on me, but perfectly fits my husband. (I like a slouchy beanie, so I’m cool with that.)
This headband ends up being a bit more snug because of the way we sew up the ends.
That’s a good thing though, because you don’t want a slouchy headband that doesn’t stay up!
If you want to make a smaller version, you can use a large gauge loom with less pegs.
For a smaller adult headband, try a 41 peg loom.
Or if you want to make a headband for a child, the 36 peg loom might be perfect.
If you decide to make a headband for a child or a toddler, you may want to decrease the amount of rows.
You can always test the width of the headband as you go and see if it’s the size you want. It’s easy to customize!
Best Yarn for Loom Knit Headbands
You’ll want to use a super bulky yarn for this headband pattern.
I used Amigo Giga from Hobbii in the color Cognac.
It says it’s a size 5 yarn, but it seems more like a size 6 to me. It’s very similar in thickness to Lion Brand Hometown yarn.
You’ll want to use something in the size range to get the same results as I did.
Here are my top picks of bulky yarn for this project:
I recommend going with an acrylic yarn because it’s warm, soft and washable.
If you prefer, you could also use a natural wool yarn for this project. I would totally go that route, but wool always makes me itchy when it’s around my face so I’m sticking with acrylic!
Supplies You’ll Need
This loom knitting set works with chunky yarn and is perfect for making hats, gloves, and slipper socks!
- 1 skein of super bulky yarn (Hobbii Amigo Giga in Cognac is what I used)
- 48 peg large gauge knitting loom (or size of your choice)
- loom hook / knitting tool (should come with your loom)
- tapestry needle or yarn needle
- scissors
Free Loom Knit Crossed Ear Warmer Headband Pattern
Check out the video tutorial for this project over on my YouTube channel Yarn Stash with Marching North- and don’t forget to subscribe!
Note: I loom knitted my headband going around to the left and the instructions below are assuming you are doing the same thing.
If you prefer to knit to the right, follow the instructions below but switch the direction to the opposite way any time I mention a direction. If it says left, go right, and vice versa. It’ll still work just fine!
Also, for the stretchy bind off, you can work in the opposite direction as well but you’ll still make the stitches in the same way.
So, if I say “thread the needle up on the first peg” you’ll still thread the needle up, you’ll just be going to the right instead of the left. I hope that makes sense!
Step 1: Casting on and knitting the headband
Make a slip knot in the end of your yarn and attach it to a peg on your knitting loom.
Tighten it up and twist it so the yarn is coming out toward the center of the loom.
Working either to the left or the right (I’m going to the left), E-wrap around each peg, stopping when you reach the peg right next to where you started.
Hold the yarn in place with one hand and push the loops down to the bottoms of the pegs with your other hand.
Now we’re going to E-wrap back the other direction.
Skip the first peg (this will be the last peg you wrapped on the first pass) and E-wrap around all the other pegs going in the opposite direction.
Make sure you stop just before the first peg that you skipped.
Grab the loom knitting hook and starting with the last peg you wrapped, pull the bottom loop up over the top loop and off the peg.
Repeat that around until you’ve knitted all the bottom loops over the top loops. Just skip the peg with only one loop.
Now you’ve done your cast on row. The rest of the rows are the done the same way.
Continue knitting rows going back and forth until you’ve made 35 rows all together.
Step 2: Make the headband into a tube
Locate the starting corner of the headband that DOESN’T have the starting end of your yarn with the slip knot.
Find the loop all the way on the edge in the very corner. Pull the loop up and put it on the peg that’s to the right of the gap.
Moving to the right, keep placing each loop from the starting edge of the headband onto the corresponding pegs.
When you get to the end that has the starting slip knot, you’ll notice that you have one less loop than you have pegs. That’s OK!
Go ahead and put the last edge loop on the second to last peg, and then grab the yarn just under and past the slip knot and put it on the last peg.
That way the slip knot will be between the last two pegs.
Carefully knit the bottom loops over the top loops and off the pegs going around.
You may have to hold the loop you’re knitting over with your fingernail so it doesn’t slip off.
Step 3: Stretchy bind off
Now it’s time to make our stretchy bind off.
First, wrap the yarn around the loom twice and cut it so we have enough yarn to finish it off.
Thread the long tail onto your yarn needle.
We’ll be going to the left, starting on the peg we originally started on.
If the starting tail of your yarn is sticking out, tuck it back to the center of the loom so it’s not in your way.
Thread the yarn needle UP through the loop on the first peg and pull the yarn through.
Skip the second peg, and thread the yarn needle DOWN through the loop on the third peg. Pull the yarn through.
Now thread the needle UP through the loop on the second peg that you skipped. Pull the yarn through.
Take the hook and pull the loop off the first peg ONLY.
Now we’re done with the first peg that we removed the loop from, and we’ll call the next peg to the left peg number one.
Skip the second peg, and thread the needle DOWN through the loop on the third peg. Pull the yarn through.
Thread the needle UP through the loop on the second peg. Pull the yarn through.
Take the hook and pull the loop off the first peg.
Repeat this process all the way down the row until you have 2 pegs left with loops on them.
Thread the yarn down through the loop on the left peg, and up through the loop on the right peg.
Remove the headband from the loom.
Step 4: Sewing up the ends to make the crossed part
At this point you have a few different options for how to fold your ear warmer.
You can leave it the way it is, and have the stretchy bind of edge just be one edge of the headband.
It looks slightly different, but it’ll work fine and that’s probably the easiest option.
Another way is to fold it so the bind off seam is on the inside part of the headband where it’ll be against your skin.
This will hide the bind off seam, but it might be a bit uncomfortable. I haven’t tried it that way so I can’t say for sure.
The last option and the one I did was to flip the whole thing inside out, and fold it so the seam was on the inside.
This hid the seam, but you don’t have the seam laying right against your head.
When you wear the headband, you’ll see a slight ridge through the headband but it doesn’t look bad.
You choose whichever way you prefer and then we’ll sew the ends of the headband together.
Before we sew them together, tie a knot in each end of the yarn, weave the ends in and cut off the excess yarn.
Hold the headband so it’s wrong side facing out and the ends are facing you.
Before we start, cut another piece of yarn that’s about 2 feet long or so (I like to have a bit of excess) and thread it onto your yarn needle.
Make the left side of the headband into a C shape.
Take the right side, and put the bottom part into the center of the C, kind of like it’s Pac Man and it’s eating the bottom of the right side… (that’s what it looks like to me, lol)
Then wrap the top part that’s hanging out of Pac Man’s mouth and wrap it up over the top.
Now you have a thick sandwich of fabric to sew up.
Insert your needle on one end, going through each layer. Leave a tail about 5″ long or so.
You’ll want to put the needle in about 1/2″ down from the edge at least to make sure you get all the edges.
Then go back down through, and continue sewing in a zig zag all the way to the other end. Make your stitches about 1/2″ apart so it’s secure.
When you reach the end, sew back in the other direction.
For the last stitch, you’ll want to come out right next to your starting end so you can knot the two ends.
Flip it over real quick and make sure you sewed through all the layers. It’ll look like this if you did. If not, it’s easier to undo the stitches and redo it BEFORE you tie the knot!
Tie a double knot, and weave the ends under some stitches.
Cut the excess yarn and flip the headband right side out.
Done!
I hope you enjoyed this loom knit ear warmer headband pattern!
If you make one of these, please share a pic over on Instagram and tag me @marchingnorth so I can take a look. I love seeing all of your awesome creations!
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where is the written pattern?
It’s in the blog post above this 🙂