This twist front ear warmer is a flat strip of ribbing with one clever cross in the middle. Michelle of The Snugglery channel designed it, and she says it was the first thing she ever sold in her Etsy shop. If you can knit and purl, you can make it. The twist looks fancy, but it is two short strips laid over each other and joined back up. Her free video covers the small adult size, and her printable pattern adds sizes from newborn to large adult.
How to knit an ear warmer with a twist: the short version
- Cast on 15 stitches with two strands of worsted yarn held together.
- Work knit one, purl one rib for 6.5 inches.
- Split the stitches, knit two narrow 4 inch strips, cross them and join them again.
- Rib another 6.5 inches, bind off and whip stitch the ends together.
Yarn and needles
Michelle uses Paintbox Yarns Aran, a worsted weight acrylic, held double on US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. Two strands at once make a thick, warm band. Pull one strand from each of two balls, or use the outside end and the center end of one ball. You will not use a whole ball.
Have a different yarn on hand? One strand of chunky yarn (weight 5) on the same needles gives a similar fabric. Short 9 inch straight needles are easier to manage on 15 stitches than long ones.
Gauge and sizing
Gauge does not matter much here. You knit to a length, not a stitch count, so you can measure as you go. Wrap a tape around your head over your ears and across your forehead. Rib stretches a lot, so the band should be a few inches shorter than that number to hug without slipping. For a bigger head, add a little length to each 6.5 inch half. For a teen or child, take some off both halves evenly so the twist stays at the front.
How long it takes
A beginner can finish one in an evening or two. Thick doubled yarn grows fast. The twist row takes the most thought, so do it when you are not tired.
Finishing and care
Whip stitch lies flat, so the seam does not press on your head. Weave in the ends on the side you like less. Here is how to weave in ends so they stay put. Acrylic does not need blocking. A light steam held above the fabric relaxes it, but never press the iron down on it. Machine wash on gentle and lay flat to dry. If you switch to wool, hand wash in cool water so it does not felt.
Ideas to change it up
- Stripes. Hold one strand each of two colours for a tweedy marled look.
- Chunkier. Go up to US 10 or 10.5 needles for a softer, wider band.
- Gift set. Knit a pair, one for you and one for a friend, and tie them with ribbon. A crocheter can try a crochet headband to match.
Troubleshooting
- The twist faces the wrong way. Your working yarn should end up in the center of the cross. If it sits on the outside, uncross the strips and lay them the other way.
- The edges curl. Rib should lie flat. Curling means you knit a few stitches that should have been purled. Knit the knits and purl the purls as they face you.
- A tight cast on. Cast on over two needles held together, then slide one out. See how to cast on and how to knit ribbing for a refresher.
- A gap at the join. Close it with the tail when you weave in your ends.
