Apr
okay so you wanna make an ear warmer headband
I made one of these back in January 2023 when I was binge-watching that weird Netflix documentary about cults and just needed something to do with my hands. The pattern itself is super straightforward but there’s this one part that drove me absolutely nuts and I’ll get to that in a sec.
So basically you’re gonna need some worsted weight yarn. I used Red Heart Super Saver in that Aran color because honestly it was what I had lying around from another project I never finished. Some people get all fancy with the merino wool blends or whatever but like, Red Heart works fine and it’s cheap. If you want something softer though, Lion Brand Wool-Ease is pretty decent and doesn’t make your forehead itchy.
what you actually need
Get yourself a size H/8 (5mm) crochet hook. You could probably use a J hook if you crochet tight but I wouldn’t go smaller than G because then it takes forever and the fabric gets too stiff. You need maybe 100 yards of yarn total? I never actually measured but one skein is definitely enough with leftovers.
You also need a yarn needle for weaving in ends and honestly a measuring tape helps but I just held it up to my head a bunch of times which probably isn’t the “right” way but whatever works right?
the actual pattern part
Chain 12. This is gonna be the width of your headband so if you want it wider do like 14 or 16 chains. Just make it an even number because the pattern works better that way.
Row 1: Half double crochet in the third chain from your hook. Then hdc across the whole thing. Chain 2 and turn.
Row 2: Skip the first stitch (this is important or it gets wider weird). Hdc in each stitch across until you get to that turning chain from before. Hdc in the top of the turning chain. Chain 2, turn.
Then you just keep doing row 2 over and over and over until it’s long enough to go around your head. For me that was like 60 rows? But I have a pretty average size head I think. The annoying thing here is that you gotta try it on every so often and it stretches a bit so you think it’s ready but then it’s actually too loose when you wear it for real.
here’s the part that annoyed me
So when you’re measuring to see if it fits, the fabric curls and twists and doesn’t lay flat and you can’t actually tell if it’s the right length. I kept thinking I was done and then I’d try to seam it and realize it was way too short. Then I’d add more rows and it would be too long. I probably ripped out the seaming three times before I figured out that you need to make it feel slightly snug when you wrap it around because the seam adds a little bulk and also it’ll stretch out after you wear it a few times.
The trick I finally figured out was to overlap the ends by like half an inch when measuring. If it feels comfortable with that overlap it’s probably right.
two ways to finish it
Okay so you’ve got this long rectangle strip thing now. You can either seam it normally or do the twist thing.
Normal way: Just line up the short ends and whip stitch them together with your yarn needle. Weave in ends. Done. This is fine and it works and looks clean.
Twist way: Before you seam it, give the whole strip a half twist so it makes that infinity symbol shape. Then seam the ends together. This is supposed to look cooler and more interesting but honestly I think it just depends on what you like. I did the twist version in January 2023 and a regular one later that spring when my sister asked me to make her one.
My cat kept trying to attack the yarn while I was seaming which made it take like three times longer than it should have but that’s just life with animals I guess.
if you want to get fancy
You can add a button or something decorative on the side. I saw someone use those big wooden buttons from Joann Fabrics and it looked pretty good. You just sew it on with regular thread after everything’s done.
Or you could do a different stitch pattern instead of all half double crochet. Single crochet works but it’s stiffer and takes longer. Double crochet is too loose and holey for an ear warmer because the wind goes right through it. I tried ribbing once with alternating front post and back post stitches and it looked nice but was way more effort than I wanted to put in for something this simple.
Some people do a seed stitch which is just alternating sc and dc but I think that looks kinda… I dunno it’s just not my thing.
yarn choices that actually matter
So I mentioned Red Heart and Lion Brand already but let me tell you what I learned about different yarns. That first one I made with Red Heart Super Saver was fine but it’s acrylic so it doesn’t actually keep your ears that warm when it’s properly cold outside. It blocks wind okay but doesn’t insulate great.
The one I made for my sister I used Caron Simply Soft in like a gray color (maybe it was called Heather Gray? something like that). It’s softer against your skin but same problem with warmth. Acrylic is acrylic.
If you actually want warm you gotta go with wool blend minimum. I used Wool-Ease in Fisherman for one and that was noticeably warmer. Still has acrylic in it so it’s machine washable which is good because headbands get gross from hair products and sweat and stuff.
I keep meaning to try one with that really chunky chenille yarn that was everywhere last year but haven’t gotten around to it yet. That would probably work up super fast since you’d use a bigger hook but I feel like it might be too bulky? Would keep your ears warm though.
sizing problems people have
If you make it for someone else you gotta know their head size which is weird to ask. Like “hey can I measure your head” sounds strange. I usually just make it adjustable by leaving longer tails and doing a looser seam so it can be adjusted later if needed.
For kids you want to chain like 8 or 10 instead of 12 for the width and make it shorter obviously. I made one for my neighbor’s daughter and she grew out of it in like six months so that’s something to consider. Kids heads get bigger fast apparently.
For people with really thick hair or locs you might need to make it longer than you think. The circumference needs to account for all that hair volume.
how long does this actually take
If you’re just sitting down and doing it straight through maybe two hours? Three if you’re watching TV and not paying full attention. The cult documentary I was watching had like 45 minute episodes and I finished the headband in about three episodes worth of time.
But realistically you’re gonna make it over a few days probably. I usually do like 20 rows one evening then come back to it the next day or whatever.
The seaming takes maybe 15 minutes if you’re slow about it. Weaving in ends is like 5 minutes.
common mistakes to watch for
Not skipping that first stitch when you turn. If you hdc into the first stitch AND the turning chain you’re gonna end up with extra stitches and it’ll get wider as you go. Then it looks all wonky and triangular instead of rectangular.
Making the turning chain too loose. Some people do their chain stitches really loose and then the edge looks all loopy and messy. Try to keep consistent tension.
Forgetting to hdc in the top of the turning chain at the end of the row. Then you lose stitches and it gets narrower. Basically you want the same number of stitches in every single row.
Not checking the length enough. I know I already complained about this but seriously try it on your head like every 10 rows or you’ll end up with something that doesn’t fit.
variations that might work
You could make it wider to cover more of your head like almost a cowl situation. Chain 20 instead of 12 and same process. Takes more yarn obviously.
Make it thinner for a more delicate look. Chain 8 and it’ll be like a skinny headband that just covers your ears without much forehead coverage. This is good if you wear it with your hair down because it’s less bulky.
Use two colors and switch every few rows for stripes. Just carry the yarn up the side or cut it and weave in ends, whatever you prefer. I’m usually too lazy to deal with multiple colors but it does look cool when people do it.
Add a brim by doing some increases on one edge before you seam it. I’ve never actually done this but I saw it on someone’s Instagram or Pinterest or… anyway it’s possible if you want like a little visor type thing.
what if you mess up
The good thing about this project is it’s really forgiving. If you accidentally add or lose a stitch somewhere in the middle it probably won’t even be that noticeable once it’s seamed into a circle. The fabric has enough give that minor variations don’t matter much.
If you really mess up just rip back to where the mistake happened and redo those rows. Frogging half double crochet is pretty easy since the stitches are all the same height.
Worst case scenario you hate how it turned out and you unravel the whole thing and start over. It’s not that much yarn or time invested so it’s not a huge loss.
practical wearing stuff
These things actually stay on your head pretty well as long as you sized it right. The hdc fabric has enough grip that it doesn’t slide around too much even if you’re walking or whatever.
You can wear it with your hair up or down. With a ponytail you might want to position it slightly higher on your head so it’s not fighting with the hair elastic.
It fits under hoods which is useful. Some of those knit headbands are too bulky but a crocheted one with worsted weight yarn fits fine under a coat hood.
They do get stretched out after a while especially if you wear them a lot. You can hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry and that usually brings them back to the right size. Or just make a new one because it’s fast enough that replacing it isn’t a big deal.
I still have the first one I made sitting in my winter accessories drawer and I grab it pretty regularly when it’s cold. It’s honestly more practical than a full hat when you just need your ears covered but don’t want hat hair or whatever. Plus you can make like five of them in different colors for less than buying one decent quality headband at a store so there’s that.
