RAINBOW KNITTED HEADPHONES!!! What more can I say? They are bright for the summer and warm for the winter -I have enjoyed wearing these so much and got such great comments when wearing them! JOY.

I had always wanted to customize my headphones because I wear them all the time when working on projects, and they are so personal (listing to your music) and close in proximity (literally on your face) that the cheap plastic just felt wrong. My headphones of 5 years broke a few months back, and so I bought some new ones and got knitting!

To make these knitted gems you will need:

2 x very thin double pointed needles (US size 1)
5 x thin double pointed needles (US size 1 - 2)
Thin yarn that works with US needles sized 1-3 -any color (BUT LOOK AT THE RAINBOWS!)
Some shop made headphones

I'd love to see what you make :)

Step 1: Cast on 4 Stiches for the Cord

Cast on 4 stitches to one of your needles. I use a basic cast on taught to me by my Granny. First make a loop with the yarn, place your thumb between the yarn and the needle. Bring the yarn round the back of the needle, and then pull the loop over with your thumb to make a stitch.

**Click on image to see casting on in action if you cannot see the GIF

Step 2: Start to Knit Around the Cord

Pull your stitches to right hand side of the needle. Bring the yarn around the back of the cord, and then knit into all 4 stitches. Repeat until you get to the end of the cord. Really don't worry too much about the ladder that forms around the back -you stop seeing it once you get going.

I used this icord instructional video by Bonnie Pruitt to help me do this part.

Step 3: Make Space for Volume Control

*You can skip this if you do not have a volume control*

If you do have a volume control you will need to cast off all 4 stitches at the start of the controller (see step 4) and then re-cast on at the end of the controller (see steps 1 and 2)

Step 4: Cast Off Cord Stiches

When you reach the end of the cord you can cast off by starting a new row as usual to make 2 stitches. Pull the first stitch over the second, then add a new stitch and pull the second stitch over the third and so on...until you finish the row. Weave any loose yarn back into the knit.

Step 5: Making Your Muff

Start by casting on 4 stitches evenly between 4 needles (1 on each). Knit into each of these with a 5th needle (knitting in the round). Do the same for another round. On round 3 add another stitch as you move onto a new needle. (see next step for details on adding stitches). Then knit a round. Then add a stitch at the start of each needle for a round. Repeat this until you get to near the edge of the headphone.

Step 6: Adding Stiches

This is a bit more detailed explanation of the last step. To make the round shape of the muffs I added a new stitch on each needle every other round. To add a stitch pick up a loop from behind the stitch on your needle, and knit into it. The X pattern on the muff is made by adding stitches at the start of each needle, if you add stitches in the middle it does not look so need.

Continue this alternating pattern until you get to the edge of you phones. This will vary depending on the size or style of your headphones, but it is better to stop just before the phones start to round, as this will make tightly fitting knitted muff -you don't want it to be baggy!

Step 7: Boxing

To make the 3D rounded corners, I actually made more of a box -this works well if you fit the knitted muff tightly.

To do this continue knitting as you have been, but just stop adding any more stitches when you get to the edge of the flat part of the headphones. It will take a row or two, but you will soon see the shape begin to develop.

Step 8: Incorporating the Cord

My headphones have a detachable cord, so I had to make a little gap in the knitting to make room for them. If you have detachable cord follow the next step and adjust the size for your cord.

If you do not have detachable cord, just knit around it.

Step 9: Incorporating the Headband

To make space for the headband you will need to make a small gap in the knitted muff. Ccast off about 5 stiches where you headband is positioned (see step 4).

On the next row cast on the same number of stitches above where you cast off, and after the final stitch place your headphone band into the space you have created, and continue knitting. You'll now be knitting around the headband.

Step 10: Cast Off Knitted Muff

Knit to the edge of your phones and cast off (see step 4). Casting off will create some tension in the knit, which is perfect for securing the knit to the phones.

Now repeat steps these for the other ear (oh boy!).

Step 11: Knit the Headband

I literally knitted around the headband with 5 needle circular knitting. To do this I cast on 12 stitches as in step 1, and distributed them evenly between 4 needles. I then used the 5th needle to close the circle *around* the headband. This is a bit tricky, and the way I got round it was to always knit at the front by adjusting the stitches each time I made a round so that you are always knitting at the front of your headband.

Knit around the headband until you get to the other side and cast of (see step 4).