Madeleine Headband in Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply - ROC005 - Downloadable PDF

Madeleine Headband in Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply – A Beaded Knitted Headband by Elinor Voytal

The Madeleine Headband is a beautifully crafted knitted headband designed by Elinor Voytal and published by Rowan. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this intermediate-level knitting pattern produces a finished headband approximately 6 cm (2¼ inches) wide, featuring a striking two-colour slipped stitch pattern and a sparkling beaded centre section. It is a compact yet rewarding project that combines classic knitting techniques with decorative bead placement, making it an ideal choice for knitters looking to develop their skills with colour work and bead knitting.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a knitted headband worked flat in rows on a single pair of needles. The headband is structured in three sections: two outer panels worked in a two-colour slipped stitch pattern, and a central beaded panel that forms the decorative focal point. Once knitted, the headband is finished with a length of elastic to ensure a comfortable, secure fit. The design is elegant and versatile, suitable for everyday wear or as a polished accessory.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply, a lightweight 4 ply yarn that is well suited to fine, detailed knitting. Two colours are used:

• Yarn A – Duck Egg (shade 419): 1 x 50 g ball
• Yarn B – Periwinkle (shade 424): 1 x 50 g ball

Rowan Summerlite 4 Ply is a smooth, fine yarn that allows the slipped stitch texture and bead placement to show with excellent clarity and definition. Its lightweight nature makes the finished headband comfortable to wear in warmer months.

In addition to the yarn, the following materials are required:

• 15 cm of 15 mm wide elastic – used in the making up process to give the headband stretch and hold
• Swarovski Aquamarine Selection beads (product code 9825101-00003) – 1 pack containing 100 x 4 mm faceted crystal beads. The pattern notes that all 100 beads are used across the beaded centre section.

Needles

The headband is worked using 1 pair of 3 mm (UK no. 11 / US size 2/3) straight needles. Achieving the correct tension is important for the finished dimensions: the pattern specifies a tension of 31½ stitches and 49 rows to 10 cm measured over the slipped stitch pattern using 3 mm needles.

Techniques Used

The Madeleine Headband brings together several knitting techniques that place it at an intermediate difficulty level:

• Two-colour knitting: Yarns A and B are used alternately across pairs of rows. Rather than stranding or intarsia, the colour effect is achieved through slipped stitches, which carry the appearance of one colour across rows worked in the other. This creates a woven or mosaic-like visual texture without the complexity of managing floats across the row.
• Slipped stitch pattern: The main stitch pattern is built on a four-row repeat in which stitches are slipped purlwise with yarn held at the back of the work (wyab). This technique elongates selected stitches and creates a subtle, structured texture across the fabric.
• Bead knitting: The centre section of the headband incorporates Swarovski crystal beads using the bead 1 technique. This method involves bringing the yarn to the right side of the work, sliding a bead up close to the last stitch worked, slipping the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle, and then returning the yarn to the wrong side. This leaves the bead sitting on the right side of the fabric in front of the slipped stitch, creating a neat, secure placement without the need for a crochet hook or pre-stringing in a complex arrangement. The beaded section is worked over 20 repeats of the four-row