For many Yarn Punks, music and crafting go hand in hand when it comes to playing with their yarn, so why not show off your inner rock and roll with these amazing and simple wrist bands? Keep the sweat away from your tools when you’re crocheting or knitting too hard! Or show off that these yarn crafts aren’t just meant for one type of person. Today, we have our newest Yarn Punk Guest! Please give her a warm welcome and be sure to show her love on her side of the internet!
“I’m Jules, a maker and designer based in Boston, MA. I have been knitting since I was 9 years old, and I have been designing for over a year now. Most of my designs are inspired by music, and no one inspires me more than my favorite band, Queen. Naturally, my playlists are full of Queen, but I also love other 70s and 80s rock and current artists like Carbon Leaf, Janelle Monáe, and Marina.”
You can find me on IG @juliettepecautdesigns and my other designs on Ravelry at https://www.ravelry.com/designers/juliette-williams.
This pattern was inspired by the wristbands that Roger Taylor wears during Queen’s Live Aid set in 1985. The image of Roger standing on stage after their set, holding his drumsticks in the air, immediately made me think of knitting needles. Much like a drummer in a rock ‘n’ roll band, a knitter uses two wooden sticks to make art. So I thought it fitting that we have matching wristbands to wear when practicing our respective crafts.
Supplies:
4mm (US size 6) circular needles long enough for magic loop
An extra circular needle or 2 DPNs, the same size or smaller
Rico Design Essentials Merino DK or other DK weight yarn in white and black. Less than 15 grams of each color used
Crochet hook for provisional cast on (any size)
Waste yarn for provisional cast on(approximately the same weight as yarn used for pattern)
Darning needle
Finished measurements:
6.5” circumference, 3” width
(the size can be easily adjusted by casting on more or fewer stitches)
Gauge:
6 sts and 10 rounds per inch
Special Stitches/Techniques Used:
This pattern uses a provisional cast on and Kitchener stitch to create a seamless piece. Tutorials for both techniques are included in the pattern where they will be needed. These wristbands are worked in the round, so knowledge of using either DPNs or the Magic Loop method is required.
Notes:
These wristbands are worked in a tube and then folded in half and seamed using Kitchener stitch. This creates a seamless piece that is stretchy and comfortable.
Don’t forget to Pin for later!
Instructions:
Provisional cast on: This method of casting on is essentially crocheting a chain onto the knitting needle, leaving loops that can be knit into but also easily undone to leave live stitches again.
Step 1: Using your waste yarn, make a slipknot and place it on your crochet hook. Position the hook over your needle.
Step 2: Loop the yarn over the hook, and pull through the loop on the hook, making a crochet chain stitch over the needle. Move the working yarn around to the back of the needle.
Step 3: Continue chaining in this way by repeating step 2 until you have the desired number of stitches (for this pattern, 32). Cut waste yarn and pull through the last loop. You should have 32 loops of waste yarn on the needle.
Step 4: Using white yarn, knit one row.
Step 5: Join to work in the round using magic loop, placing a marker at the beginning of the round.
Pattern:
After completing steps 1-5 of the provisional cast on, you should have 32 stitches and 1 round done.
Knit 7 rounds.
Switch to black, and knit 12 rounds in black. (To avoid an obvious color-change jog, slip the first stitch after the marker on the second black round).
Switch to white, and knit 16 rounds in white. (Slip the first stitch of the second white round).
Switch to black, and knit 12 rounds in black. (Slip the first stitch of the second black round).
Switch to white, and knit 7 rounds in white. (Slip the first stitch of the second white round).
Now you will graft the current live stitches with the cast on stitches to create a “seamless” piece.
Grafting with Kitchener stitch:
Step 1: Fold the cast on edge inward and pull up through the middle of the “tube”.
Step 2: Undo the knot of the waste yarn created when you pulled the yarn through the last loop of the provisional cast on.
Step 3: Insert an extra needle into the loop of white yarn that the waste yarn goes through.
Step 4: Pull the end of the waste yarn so the loop disappears (you are essentially undoing the chain of waste yarn and using the needle to capture the live stitches).
Step 5: Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have undone all of the waste yarn chain and picked up all of the cast on stitches. When you have reached 16 stitches (halfway), begin using the second extra needle if using DPNs, or the other end of the circular needle if you are using one (pull the needle around like you would for magic loop).
Step 6: Cut the working yarn, leaving a long tail, and thread through a darning needle. Begin grafting the cast on stitches on the inner needle to the last round stitches on the outer needle using Kitchener stitch. To work Kitchener stitch, insert the darning needle into the first stitch on the outer (front) needle purlwise and pull yarn through.
Step 7: Insert the darning needle into the first stitch on the inner (back) needle knitwise, and pull the yarn through.
Step 8: Insert the darning needle into the first stitch on the outer needle knitwise, push stitch off the needle, and pull yarn through. Insert the darning needle into the next stitch on the outer needle purlwise and pull yarn through (keeping stitch on the needle).
Step 9: Insert the darning needle into the first stitch on the inner needle purlwise, push stitch off the needle, and pull yarn through. Insert the darning needle into the next stitch on the inner needle knitwise and pull yarn through (keeping stitch on the needle).
Repeat steps 8 and 9 for all stitches. This is what is should look like after half the stitches are grafted.
When you reach the last 2 stitches, insert the darning needle into the stitch on the outer needle knitwise and push it off the needle, then insert the darning needle into the stitch on the inner needle purlwise and push it off the needle.
Weave in ends, and rotate the grafted seam to the inside of the wristband.
Repeat to make the second wristband and you’re ready to rock!
You may not sell my patterns or claim them as your own. You may make items to sell(i.e. on Etsy, at craft fairs) from my patterns but I ask that you link back to my blog and provide credit for the pattern. You are welcome to share my patterns on social media so long as you link back directly to my blog post(providing the link). No copy & paste of my patterns will be allowed under any circumstances.
Be sure to tag @knot.bad and @yarnpunk on your socials and use the hashtag #yarnpunk!
