Insurmountable obstacles

I was asked if I could knit a cabled headband in certain colors. I was sure I could. I found a yarn that had all the colors I wanted (and some I didn't - that's what scissors are for.)

 

I wound colors onto bobbins and started cabling. And re-started. And re-started. This is why you don't see patterns with different colors braided together. Because of the way the yarn is twisted where the colors change, it inevitably becomes... less than pretty. Fine. I made 6-stitch I-cords.

Then I braided them. When it was long enough, I sewed the open ends over the closed beginnings of each I-cord. I planned to bury the joins in the braid, but it made a surprisingly invisible join.

Then I took the last color, picked up the edge of the braid, and worked a few rows of ribbing. Disaster. The ribbing did not stretch as much as the braid.

I messed around with the yarn and the braid, then suddenly thought of crochet. Voilà. A row of single crochet, just as stretchy as the braid, and bonus points, totally reversible.

So why is this project ultimately insurmountable? Because today I went to deliver it to the recipient, only to find they have left with no forwarding information. Before you ask, I tried my ninja investigative skills, and all I learned is that what I thought was an uncommon first name is really common in this area. Anybody want a headband?