From the pattern:

As I work toward my second book, there are some patterns I feel I want to release ahead of time. This is one such pattern -- in the book, I think it’s going to be a hat but a headband is a great way to learn the techniques involved while keeping the rest of the garment as simple as possible.

Of course, with some subtle changes -- larger yarn, more repeats, etc, you could easily make a cowl.

Double-knit cables are still a new field -- only a handful of designers have played with them. I like this one because it’s continuous all the way around. And because the cables never involve more than 4 pairs, it’s easy to work without a cable needle as well -- although I have included instructions for double-knit cables with a cable needle should you prefer that method.

Nota Bene: This pattern was a prototype I made available while I was developing the final version, Heartbound Again, which ended up in my book Double or Nothing. The photos for that pattern show a hat, but there is a headband variation with better finishing in the form of a double-knit i-cord cast-on and bind-off.