Moss Entrelac Sunburst Bandeau: Free Knit Pattern
Moss Entrelac Sunburst Bandeau: Free Knit Pattern
Introduction
The Moss Entrelac Sunburst Bandeau is a soft, breathable knitted tube top for anyone who loves texture with a quiet Nordic feel. It is worked in worsted bamboo cotton, so it drapes gently against the skin and stays light even on warmer days. The whole body is knitted in entrelac, which makes the squares interlock in diagonal rows that wrap around you like woven tiles. A single sunburst of golden-moss and lichen-grey blocks glows at the center front, giving a simple straight tube one clear, beautiful focal point.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight (CYC 4) bamboo cotton, 50% bamboo / 50% cotton, 100 g / 200 yd per skein.
- MC (moss green): 2 skeins, approx 300 yd
- CC1 (lichen grey): 1 skein, approx 100 yd
- CC2 (golden moss): 1 skein, approx 50 yd
- Needle: 4.5 mm (US 7) circular needle, 60 cm (24 in) long, or size needed to obtain gauge.
- Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure.
- Finished size: To fit bust 81–86 cm (32–34 in). Finished circumference 76 cm (30 in), height 20 cm (8 in).
Abbreviations
- st(s): stitch(es)
- k: knit
- p: purl
- k2tog: knit 2 stitches together (a right-leaning decrease)
- ssk: slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip the next stitch knitwise, then knit both together through the back loops (a left-leaning decrease)
- sl: slip a stitch from one needle to the other without working it
- RS: right side (the outside of the bandeau)
- pm: place marker
- MC / CC1 / CC2: main color (moss green) / contrast color 1 (lichen grey) / contrast color 2 (golden moss)
Gauge
20 sts and 28 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in stockinette stitch. Knit a small swatch, wash and dry it as you will the finished bandeau, then measure a 10 cm section in the middle; if you have more stitches than 20, go up a needle size, and if you have fewer, go down.
Tips Before You Start
- Entrelac blocks are small, so keep your tension relaxed on the pick-up rows. Tight pick-ups make the squares pucker and the tube pull in.
- Count your 19 blocks at the end of every tier before starting the next one. A missed block is much easier to fix right away than several tiers later.
- Place a removable marker at the center front (between blocks 9 and 13) before you begin the sunburst so you never have to guess where the motif starts.
- Because the tube is worked in the round, carry the unused colors loosely up the inside of the work rather than cutting them at every color change.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Body (Entrelac Tube)
With MC, cast on 152 sts (a multiple of 8). Join in the round without twisting, and pm for the beginning of the round. The bandeau is worked in tiers of blocks, each block 8 sts wide.
Tier 1 (base triangles): *K1, turn, p1, turn, k2, turn, p2, turn. Continue in this manner, increasing 1 st each RS row, until 8 sts are on the right needle, then sl the last st to the left needle. Repeat from * to end (19 triangles).
Tier 2 (left-leaning blocks): Pick up 8 sts along the edge of the first triangle, turn, p8, turn, k7, ssk (working the last st together with the next triangle), turn, p8, turn, k7, ssk. Continue until all sts of the next triangle are consumed, then sl the last st to the left needle. Repeat to end (19 blocks).
Tier 3 (right-leaning blocks): Pick up 8 sts along the edge of the first block, turn, p8, turn, k7, ssk, turn, p8, turn, k7, ssk. Continue until all sts of the next block are consumed, then sl the last st to the left needle. Repeat to end (19 blocks).
Tiers 4–13: Repeat Tiers 2 and 3 five times more (10 tiers total after the base triangles), working the sunburst motif at the center front as described below. The piece should measure about 18 cm (7 in) from the cast-on, ending after a Tier 3 (a right-leaning tier).
Sunburst Motif (Center Front, Blocks 9–13)
Work all blocks in MC except the center-front blocks, which follow this color plan:
- Motif Tiers 1–2: Work blocks 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 in CC2 (5 golden-moss blocks per tier).
- Motif Tier 3: Work blocks 10, 11 and 12 in CC1 (3 lichen-grey blocks).
- Motif Tier 4: Work block 11 in CC2 (1 golden-moss block).
All other blocks in these tiers are worked in MC. The motif sits within the regular Tier 2 / Tier 3 sequence, so the block structure stays the same; only the color changes.
Final Tier (Top Triangles)
Top triangles: *K1, turn, p1, turn, k2, turn, p2, turn. Continue increasing 1 st each RS row until 8 sts, then k2tog, turn, p1, turn, k2tog, turn, p1, turn. Continue in this manner until 1 st remains, then sl the st to the next triangle. Repeat from * to end (19 triangles). Bind off all sts loosely.
Top Edging
With MC, pick up and knit 152 sts evenly around the top edge. Join in the round and pm.
Rnds 1–3: [k1, p1] to end (152 sts).
Bind off in rib.
Bottom Edging
With MC, pick up and knit 152 sts evenly around the bottom (cast-on) edge. Join in the round and pm.
Rnds 1–3: [k1, p1] to end (152 sts).
Bind off in rib.
Assembly and Finishing
There are no seams to sew: the bandeau is knitted as a tube, and both edges are finished with picked-up ribbing. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, threading each tail through a few stitches in its own color so it disappears into the blocks. Block the bandeau gently to the finished measurements (76 cm / 30 in around, 20 cm / 8 in tall): soak it in cool water, press out the excess in a towel, and lay it flat in a smooth circle to dry, easing the entrelac squares straight. Do not hang it while wet.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Change the motif: Swap the golden-moss and lichen-grey blocks for any two colors you love, or repeat the sunburst at the center back for a fully reversible look.
- Adjust the fit: Because the tube is a multiple of 8 stitches, add or remove 8 stitches (one block per tier) to change the circumference by roughly 4 cm (1.5 in); check your gauge first.
- Make it longer: Work extra pairs of Tiers 2 and 3 before the final tier for a longer crop top, allowing extra MC yarn for each added pair of tiers.
