Yarn on Thursday: Little Cotton Sweatbands...?

This week, instead of photos, it's all about Links for a change (and because various computer components are making photos difficult this morning). This was going to be a bedsock pattern, but I realized that the photos & drawings I have don't look terribly good, and if I make it All Spiffy^(tm), then I can actually put it out on Ravelry as a free download. (Plus, there's that whole "can't upload 'em right now anyway.) So, a wee bit of waiting on that. Instead, it's going to be about...

Knitted Sweatbands.
Yes, you read that right. Having knitted my husband a scarf, a hat, and a pair of bedsocks, he decided that I knit him things, and what he really needs is a bunch of sweatbands for working out, since he keeps losing his, or they disintegrate in the wash. Terrycloth pleases him not. So, after a brief shout-out on Twitter, the answer came back - "Cotton." This got me thinking - didn't CAT & Eric do a "which cotton holds up best and is most absorbent for dishcloth-making" episode over at LetsKnit2gether? They sure did, the Discloth Face-Off! (It's not on YouTube yet, or I'd just embed it here. Totally worth watching, though!)

So, I watched the episode again. The yarns carefully tested for absorbency and durability were Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn, Herrschner's Village Yarn Craft Cotton, Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille, Knit Picks Shine Worsted, Peaches and Creme, and Lion Cotton. All these yarns are easy for me to obtain, and are the ones I'd be most likely to pick up.

There was a clear winner!!
So, having decided on the yarn based on their recommendation and test (no, I'm not telling you, watch the episode, it's fun!), it was a case of coming up with a pattern that wasn't too floofy. Ravelry to the rescue! First up, The Reformed Pirate's offering - skulls & checkerboard. Not floofy at all! Another designer Synnoves (Finland, I think...) has a Pirate Headband, too. Happy Yellow House has a basic crocheted ribbed band, which is a definite must to try - one of the models on Ravelry is out of camo-yarn. That's not floofy! Sandy Montag's Simple Double-Knit Headband (Ravelry link) is a definite go, since it would work great with Sport Team Colors. So, lots of possibilities for a sweatband-type thing for my husband.

Of course, while I was looking, I also spotted some things I'd like to try - this Nordic headband by Heidi; this Argyle headband by Lady Spankington; Mollie's Radical Headband (I must track down some Dalegren Falk Neon yarn!) - although this would work for me or my spouse, depending on which neon colors were employed; Michele's Entrelac Ski Band would also work for either of us.

Have fun clicking through the links, and hopefully, the photography option will be restored by tomorrow!!