Pattern Review: @Brome_Fields Friendship Headband

There a several knitters and crocheters I follow on Instagram for inspiration and for pattern ideas. One knitter is Jennifer, aka @bromefields and her photos are always on point. Luscious knits made with beautiful yarn and her stitches are so neat! Charming hand knit items that look cozy and comfy and professionally made. A few days ago she posted a photo of a free pattern from her site called Friendship Headband and I downloaded a copy.
The simple pattern creates an intricate looking headband that works up easily and is going to be my go to for holiday gifts.

But let’s talk about Jennifer’s patterns. As a pattern picker upper (I made that up) I have collect and read my share of patterns that vary in style. Without dissing other patterns I will say that I am new fan of HOW Jennifer wrote up this pattern and am so impressed with the ease of following the directions.

Jennifer starts with an overview of the pattern which includes the time it took her to knit, dimensions of the finished product, size and gauge. There are the materials she used and the pattern itself. This is followed by a check list with each row written out.

Each. Row. Written. Out. (More about this in a bit)

This page is followed by tutorials videos for all of the abbreviations and methods used in the patterns. There is also Jennifer’s contact information. It sounds like a lot of information crammed onto one page but none is gratuitous or fluff. She’s included almost everything (you need your own supplies!) one would need to create a simple knitted piece in a few pages and this has been one of the easiest patterns I have ever used. It reads well, it works up just as it should and that checklist!

There is a woman in one of my knitting groups who keeps a notebook full of the patterns she is working on, written out row by row. Miss Brenda told me she does it this way because she has a learning disability and that was how she would study her notes when she was a student. The notebook is for making notes about the pattern, including changes that she has made while working up the pattern, alterations that she made while working up a pattern as well as notes about needle sizes and yarns used. While I have considered doing something similar, I admit that I am always too impatient to work out the pattern beforehand, I merely work up the pattern as I go. My thought is that writing out the pattern would cause me to slow down knitting, a lie because I often find myself stopping mid process to re-read the pattern or to look up some stitch. Again. After this experience with Jennifer’s pattern, Miss Brenda’s notebook is now something that I need to consider as part of my knitting process instead of some extraneous thing I think of a waste of time.

Jennifer suggested using Lion Brand’s Thick and Quick Wool-Ease, a super bulky yarn, and size 11 circular needles. Using her suggested yarns makes a snugly headband that could be used in lieu of a hat. You can peep a finished photo on her Instagram page. The headband I worked up was created with Lana Vida Francesca, a bulky yarn, and size 11 straight needles. My finished product was not quite as thick but I’m rocking it just the same. I will add a lining; I don’t want to damage my hair pulling the headband on and off.

I am excited to check out more of Jennifer’s work and told her as much on Instagram. I’m eyeing a few patterns including a hat (natch) a sweater and a pair of socks which I will scoop up after I finish a few other WIPs lying about.

Want to see my finished project? Check me out on Instagram (II’m over there as @sayitrahshay).

Follow Jennifer across her social channels: Instagram * Facebook * Pinterest * Ravelry * Etsy * Craftsy * Twitter * Love Knitting *

Happy knitting!

r’s note: Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a purchase I get a small commission. All opinions, are my own honest opinions.