The Rainbow Intarsia Headband is a playful intarsia project, inspired by colourful papercut snippets left over from making paper collages. It is technically worked back and forth, but creates a seamless tube by working a seamless intarsia technique, which makes it look and feel as though it was worked in the round.
This headband makes for a great project to explore or practice this method further.

The headband can be made in two versions: A plain version featuring 11 colourful shapes, or a twisted version with 9 colourful shapes and a centered, front twist.

You can purchase hand-dyed knit kits for the Rainbow Intarsia Headband here.

Sizes 1 (2) are designed to fit a head circumference of approx. 54 – 58 (58 – 62) / 21.25 – 22.75 (22.75 – 24.5) inches.
Recommended ease: 4 – 8 cm / 1.5 – 3 inches of negative ease.

Measurements of the finished headband:
Width: 9.5 cm / 3.75 inches.
Circumference: 49 (53) / 19.25 (20.75) inches.

Yarn: Aran weight yarn in the main colour and 11 contrast colours for the plain version and 9 contrast colours for the twisted version.

Requirement for the plain and twisted headband Size 1 (2)

MC: 98m (106m) / 107yds (116yds)
The amount of CC is the same in both sizes, which is why only one
length is mentioned.
CC1: 3m / 3.3yds
CC2: 3.9m / 4.3ydss
CC3: 3.7m / 4yds
CC4: 6m / 6.5yds
CC5: 2.7m / 3yds (only needed for the plain headband)
CC6: 2.3m / 2,5yds (only needed for the plain headband)
CC7: 3m / 3.3yds
CC8: 3.5m / 3.8yds
CC9: 2m / 2.2yds
CC10: 2.5m / 2.7yds
CC11: 3.3m / 3.6yds

Yarn used in the sample:
MC: Schoppel Wolle Albmerino (100% merino wool, 100m (109yds) per 50g), Naturmelange.
All CC yarns: Schoppel Wolle Albmerino, hand-dyed.

Needles: 5mm (US 8) circular needles. Use at least a 60cm (24 inches) long circular needle, which makes it easier to use the magic loop technique.
Tip: You could also use FlexiFlips needles instead of working the magic loop technique.

Gauge: 18 sts x 28 rows to 10 x 10cm (4 x 4in) in stockinette stitch
using 5mm (US 8) needles, measured after washing and blocking.