Winter knit headband in black with flower

A ribbed black knit headband with one crocheted flower

Everything about this headband is worked in the same black yarn: the wide vertical ribs that run from edge to edge, and the flower sitting off to one side. That flower is crocheted rather than sewn on as a patch, so it reads as part of the band, with coiled petals that catch the light instead of shouting for attention. There is no clasp, no button and no drawstring anywhere on it. If you want to compare it with the other knitted headbands on the shelf, this is the one finished with a crocheted flower rather than a bow or a wooden button.

What it covers: a 10 cm band across the front

Across the forehead the band measures 10 cm wide. In practice that reaches from just above the eyebrows to the hairline, and it takes in the top of the ears, which is the part that stings first on a cold platform. A fringe sits underneath it without being crushed flat.

Why the back tapers to a point

Behind the head the knit narrows steadily and finishes in a point. It is a small piece of design that matters once you tie your hair up: there is no thick seam pressing into the back of your head, and a ponytail or a bun sits over it rather than fighting it. The knit stretches, so one size covers most heads.

At a glance

For the mornings you skip the hat

A hat flattens a blow-dry in seconds. This is the alternative for a school run, a bus stop or a walk to the station: ears covered, hair still recognisable when you take your coat off. Worn further back it behaves like a hair band and keeps everything off your face; pulled forward it does the job of a hat without the aftermath. Being black, it asks nothing of the rest of your outfit: it will sit under the hood of a raincoat or alongside anything you pick from the scarf shelf, without a second thought about matching.

Storing thick knitwear so it keeps its shape

Chunky knit hates a hook. Left hanging it will slowly lengthen under its own weight, so keep it folded flat in a drawer. As with any heavy knit, hand washing and flat drying are the safest bet, and the flower can be teased back into shape with your fingertips while the yarn is still damp.