Knitting Pattern #7: Slip Stitch Earband

I'm really not the most creative person in the world.  Some people may think that the fiber art work that I do makes me creative, but in some ways not really.  I am terrible at being creative at words...I can never come up with cool names for my yarns or knitting patterns!

As I opened up the Word document with this knitting pattern, in preparation for writing this post, I realized how lame the pattern name was!  Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), the name wasn't already used for a pattern on Ravelry, so the lame name is staying!  Of course, if you have a better suggestion I'd love to hear it!

A lot of the yarn that I spin is multi-colored or self-striping, and not every knitting pattern out there is ideal for that type of yarn, so I wanted to be sure to design a few patterns that would look gorgeous with those yarns.

A gorgeous self-striping merino/tencel handspun yarn.

I love slip-stitch patterns...they look complicated but are actually very simple to knit.  And paired with multi-colored yarn they can take a simple project to a new level!

Thus I introduce my slip stitch earband!  A very simple design and pattern, but gorgeous when knit with a unique handspun yarn.

Slip Stitch Earband

Women’s Small/Medium (easily adjusted for other sizes)

DK weight yarn: 80 yards

#6 needles
1 button

Gauge: 19sts & 26 rows = 4 inches in stockinette

Cast on 7 stitches

1.  *k, p*3x, k

2.  *p, k*3x, p

Repeat rows 1&2 for 1.5”

3.  k, m1 *p,k* to last stitch, m1, k

4.  p2, *k, p* to last 2 stitches, p2

5.  k, m1 *k, p* to last 2 stitches, k, m1, k

6.  *p, k* across

Repeat rows 3-6 until you have 19 stitches, and then work rows 3-4 one more time (21 sts total)

Knit 1 row

Begin pattern stitch

7.  (WS) p

8.  k *sl 1 wyib, k3*

9.  *p3, sl 1 wyif* p1

10.  k1 *drop slipped stitch off needle to front, k2, pick up stitch and knit, k1*

11.  p

12.  k5 *sl 1 wyib, k3*

13.  *p3, sl 1 wyif* p5

14.  k3 *slip 2 stitches wyib, drop slipped stitch off to front, slip the same 2 stitches back to left needle, pick up dropped stitch and knit, k3* k2

Repeat pattern stitch for 14.5 inches

Purl 1 row

15.  k, p2tog *k, p* to last 3 stitches, p2tog, k

16.  *p, k* to last stitch, p

17.  k, p2tog, *p, k* to last 4 stitches, p, p2tog, k

18.  p, k2 *p, k* to last 4 stitches, p, k2, p

Repeat rows 15-18 until 9 stitches remain, and then work rows 15-16 one more time (7 sts)

19.  *k, p*3x, k

20.  *p, k*3x, p

Repeat rows 19-20 a second time

21.  k, p, k2tog, yo, k, p, k

22.  *p, k*3x, p

23.  *k, p*3x, k

Bind off
Weave in ends and attach button

As always, please let me know if you find any errors in my patterns.  I'm new to designing patterns, and far from perfect!

Now available on Ravelry!