How to Make Boutique Crocheted Headbands

Crocheted ribbon headbands are sweet gifts for new babies, and simple for both the experienced crafter and the newbie to make. Change up the materials and these headbands make great workout gear, too. Each headband takes only an hour or so to work up, making them perfect for last minute gift giving.

Things You'll Need

• 4 to 10 yards of 3/8-inch wide ribbon or tape yarn
• Size G (4.25 mm) crochet hook
• Stitch marker
• Yarn needle

Instructions

1. Attach ribbon or yarn to hook with a slipknot. To tie a slipknot, make a loop with the ribbon, crossing the short end (tail) over the end on the ball. Holding the crossed pieces in one hand, reach through the loop and grab the tail side. Pull just one to two inches of tail through the loop to make a new loop. Hold this loop while you tug on the ball-side yarn to tighten the knot. Slip the resulting loop over your hook and pull snug.

2. Chain 34 for baby-sized headbands, 70 for adults. Make the chain stitch by looping the yarn over the hook (yarn over) and pulling it through the slipknot loop. Repeat for the required number of stitches.

3. Join the ends into a ring with a slip stitch. Insert the hook into the first chain, loop the yarn over the hook and pull through both loops on hook.

4. Single crochet into first chain of loop: insert your hook into the first chain, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook. Place a stitch marker into this stitch.

5. Chain one. Skip the next stitch, single crochet into the next stitch. Repeat all the way around the loop.

6. Chain one, join last stitch to the first with a slipstitch, chain two. Move your stitch marker to the second chain.

7. Single crochet in first chain space, then chain one. Single crochet into the next chain space, skipping the single crochet between. You are essentially making a checkerboard pattern -- "filled blocks" (single crochet stitches) over "open blocks" (chain spaces) and vice versa.

8. Continue this pattern -- single crochets in chain spaces, chains over single crochets, joining edges with slip stitches -- until the headband reaches the desired width. Move the stitch marker as you complete rounds and make sure to end at that stitch. One inch wide is good for babies, three to four inches for adults.

9. Join the final loop with a slip stitch and cut the yarn, leaving six inches of "tail." Pull on the hook to tug the yarn tail through the slip stitch and tie off the end.

10. Thread the yarn onto a yarn needle. Weave three to four inches of tail through the headband stitches to secure the tail and trim off excess.

Tips & Warnings

• Loose stitches are the key to keeping this headband stretchy. If you have trouble keeping your stitches loose enough, use a larger hook (H or J size).

• Use twisted half-inch strips of activewear fabric as yarn to make a wicking headband for high-intensity activity. This is a great way to re-use worn workout gear.

• Embellish baby headbands with sewn-on ribbon bows or buttons.

References

• The Harmony Guides Volume 6: 300 Crochet Stitches; Collins & Brown; 1998

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Lion Brand Yarn: Learn to Crochet