How to Knit a Hairnet / Snood

In addition to my neck woes, I found out recently I have hypothyroidism.  One of the symptoms is hair loss.  While we're still getting the right dosage of meds for me, I am losing hair.  Not in clumps but I see my hair all over the place, especially when I comb/brush it.  Gross!

In order not to have hair in my food, I decided to knit a hairnet.  I found a hairnet knitting pattern online.  And I made some adjustments to make it easier to wear.  Fancy hairnets that ballet dancers wear are called "snoods."

I will repost the knitting pattern here originally done by Bethany on her blog Barefooting Outside the Box, just in case it ever comes down.

Knit Hair Net

Note: All “knit” stitches are to be done in the veil stitch. There are no regular knit stitches in this piece, other than the binding off and casting on. There are some confusing videos out there about how to do the veil stitch.  Here's a video of the veil stitch that is not as confusing.   You have to skip through a lot of talking though.  Basically, you go to knit like usual, but you cross your yarn over and between your needles in a figure 8.  You really have to see it to understand.

Pattern is for shoulder length hair. For longer hair, still do the decreases to 10 stitches on the needle at the end of the work, but add more knitted (veil-stitched) rows. For example, knit rows 1-12, 17-20, 24-27, etc.  Measure as you go. Hold the needle with your stitches up to where you want the net to sit on your head. Pull the cast-on edge down toward your neck . Knit until 3 inches of net past hair line.

Tools:

Size 10 knitting needles
Tapestry needle
Yarn (any weight desired. Thicker yarn will give more coverage; thinner yarn will be lacier)
Matching 1" ribbon
1/4" elastic
Matching headband

To begin: CO 40 st
Row 1-8    knit
Row 9         k2t, k 36 st, k2t
Row 10       k2t, k 34 st, k2t
Row 11        k2t, k 32 st, k2t
Row 12        k2t, k 30 st, k2t
Row 13-15 knit
Row 16        k2t, k 28 st, k2t
Row 17         k2t, k 26 st, k2t
Row 18        k2t, k 24 st, k2t
Row 19-20 knit
Row 21        k2t, k 22 st, k2t
Row 22        k2t, k 20 st, k2t
Row 23        k2t, k 18 st, k2t
Row 24        knit
Row 25        k2t, k 16 st, k2t
Row 26-27 knit
Row 28        k2t, k 14 st, k2t
Row 29        k2t, k 12 st, k2t
Row 30        k2t, k 10 st, k2t
Row 31         k2t, k 8 st, k2t
Row 32         BO

Here's my alterations:

To put your hair in the hairnet easily without having to pin or tie up your hair, instead of threading ribbon through the edges of the hairnet, I used a headband and ribbon covered elastic.

Using ribbon, measure your head from temple to temple around the back of your head.  This gathered ribbon will be at the bottom of the hairnet and under your hair.  Shorten your measurement by 2".

Do not cut elastic from original piece yet.  Encase the elastic in ribbon and sew through ribbon and elastic in straight stitch on side opposite fold stretching the elastic all the way out while holding ribbon at regular tautness. When finished sewing, cut your elastic from original piece.

Starting at the cast on edge, weave elastic ribbon through a side, then the bound off edge, then the other side of hairnet.  Adjust the elastic ribbon length to be short enough to hold your hair in the net.

About 4" from hairnet on side without elastic weave headband in .  Leave about 4" on the other side.  Finish weaving in the elastic ribbon into these 4" on each side.  Tie your elastic ribbon ends to the hairnet and then the headband

Wear the headband, and tuck your hair up into the hairnet.  It's as easy as that, no pinning or anything.

Later, I will work on adding a Wonder Woman tiara to this hairnet to go along with my Wonder Woman apron.  That's right, a Wonder Woman apron.  One day I'll post something about that, too.

Update:

I have posted some nice looking stitch patterns that would make great looking hairnets / snoods.