May
The Basic Stuff You Need
So you’re gonna need a hook obviously, I usually use a 5.5mm or 6mm depending on what yarn I grabbed. The pattern works with pretty much any worsted weight yarn which is like the medium thickness stuff. I’ve used Red Heart Super Saver because it’s cheap and everywhere, also Caron Simply Soft when I’m feeling fancy but honestly the Red Heart holds up better for headbands because people stretch them over their heads constantly.
You need maybe 50-75 yards total which is not much at all. One of those small skeins works perfect. I made one last spring 2022 when my sister asked for something to keep her ears warm during her morning runs and I literally used yarn I found in a drawer from like three years before that.
The Actual Pattern Part
Okay so the easiest way is to make a long rectangle and then seam it into a circle. You could also work in rounds but that gets fiddly with keeping track of where you started and I always lose my stitch marker.
Chain like 12 stitches to start. This is your width measurement so hold it up to your head sideways – it should cover from like just above your ear to just above your other ear when it’s stretched a bit. If you have a bigger head or want it wider chain more, smaller head chain less. I usually do 10-14 depending.
Row 1: Skip the first chain (that’s your turning chain), single crochet in each chain across. Chain 1, turn.
Row 2: Single crochet in each stitch across. Chain 1, turn.
Just keep repeating row 2 forever. Well not forever but until it’s long enough to wrap around your head. The thing that really annoyed me about this process is you have to keep trying it on to check the length and my hair always got caught in the stitches and pulled. Super annoying.
How Long Should It Be
Measure around your head where you want the headband to sit. Mine is about 21 inches around. But you want the crochet piece to be slightly shorter than that measurement because it stretches. So I make mine about 18-19 inches long before seaming. If you make it the full 21 inches it’ll be too loose and slide around.
The fabric stretches more if you crochet loose and less if you crochet tight so that affects it too. I tend to crochet pretty tight naturally so I aim for 18 inches. You might need to adjust.
Variations Because Just Single Crochet Gets Boring
You can do half double crochet instead of single crochet for a slightly thicker fabric that works up faster. I did this version in summer 2024 when I was binge watching Love Island and needed something mindless to do with my hands. The half double version is stretchier though so make it even shorter length-wise, maybe 17 inches.
Or you can do the ribbed look which honestly looks more professional. For this you chain your starting chain, then work in the back loop only for every row. That creates those vertical ridge lines that look like ribbing. It’s literally the exact same pattern just you only go through the back loop of each stitch instead of under both loops.
I’ve also done a version with double crochet but it gets too holey and your ears get cold which defeats the purpose unless you’re making it purely for looks in warmer weather.
The Twist Style
This is cute and super easy. You make your rectangle exactly the same way but before you seam the ends together, you twist it once. Like a mobius strip kind of but just one twist. Then seam it. It creates that twisted look in the front that was everywhere a few years ago.
When I made my sister’s headband for running I did the twist version in this bright coral color – I think it was Caron Simply Soft in Mango or something like that. She loved it but then lost it at the gym like three weeks later which was honestly pretty typical for her.
Seaming The Ends Together
So you’ve got your long rectangle and now you need to connect the two short ends to make a circle. Don’t just tie them together that looks terrible and creates a bumpy lump.
Line up the two ends so the stitches match up. Use a yarn needle (those big plastic ones with the bent tip work great) and thread your yarn tail through it. Whip stitch the edges together by going through the edge stitches of both sides. Pull it snug but not super tight or it’ll pucker.
Or you can slip stitch them together with your hook which is faster but I think whip stitching looks cleaner. Either way weave in your ends after.
Sizing For Different People
Kids need smaller obviously. For a toddler I’d do like 8 chains wide and 14-15 inches long. For bigger kids maybe 10 chains wide and 16-17 inches long. Adults are that 12 chains wide and 18-19 inches I mentioned before.
Men usually have bigger heads so add an inch or two to the length. My ex wanted one once and I made it the same size as mine and he stretched it out completely trying to force it on his head. That was annoying but also kind of funny watching him struggle with it.
Making It Stay On Better
If you have really slippery fine hair headbands slide off constantly. You can crochet a little non-slip strip into the inside. Take some of that rubbery shelf liner stuff and cut a strip about an inch wide. As you’re crocheting your rows, crochet over the strip to trap it inside the stitches on what will be the inside of the headband. It helps it grip your hair better.
Or just use a more textured yarn. I found Lion Brand Wool-Ease works really well for staying in place because it’s got that slight wool texture even though it’s mostly acrylic.
Color Stuff and Stripes
Solid colors are easiest obviously but stripes are fun and barely any extra work. Just change colors every few rows. Carry the unused color up the side by crocheting over it or cut it and weave in ends later if you don’t want to deal with that.
I made one with three colors once – cream, gray, and burgundy stripes – and it actually turned out really cute. Used Red Heart Super Saver for all three colors. Did like 4 rows of each color repeating. The color changes created a clean line because I changed colors at the end of the row and the turning chain hides where you switched.
Ombre or gradient yarns work up really pretty for this too without you having to do anything. Lion Brand Mandala or Caron Cakes both work. Though those are usually fingering or sport weight so you’d need to adjust your hook size down and chain more stitches for the width.
The Ear Warmer Version
If you want it specifically for keeping ears warm make it wider. Like chain 18-20 instead of 12. This covers more of your ears but can look a little bulky. I prefer the narrower version that sits right over the ears without covering them completely because it’s more versatile for wearing with different hairstyles and – wait I was gonna say something else but my cat just knocked over my water bottle.
Anyway the wider version is warmer but less cute in my opinion. Though if function over fashion is your thing then go for it.
Adding Decorations
You can sew on buttons or add a crocheted flower. I’ve done the flower thing a few times. Just make a simple 5-petaled flower with chain loops and single crochets, nothing fancy, and stitch it to the side of the headband. It makes it look more finished.
Or add a bow. Not a crocheted bow just like a fabric bow or ribbon. Hot glue it on or stitch it. Takes two seconds and makes it look intentional instead of like you just made a rectangle and called it done.
Some people add beads but that seems like a lot of effort for a headband that’s gonna get shoved in a coat pocket.
Tension and Gauge Issues
You don’t really need to worry about gauge for this since it’s so adjustable. If your stitches are tight you might need a bigger hook. If they’re loose and floppy size down. The fabric should have some structure but still be stretchy.
I tend to crochet tighter when I’m stressed and looser when I’m relaxed so sometimes my rows look uneven if I was having like an emotional day or whatever. For a headband it doesn’t really matter that much because it’s gonna be stretched over your head anyway and minor tension differences don’t show.
Washing These Things
Acrylic yarn can go in the washer and dryer which is why I use it for headbands. People wear these things in snow and rain and sweat in them so they need washing. Red Heart Super Saver is literally indestructible. I’ve washed headbands made from it like fifty times and they’re fine.
If you use wool or wool blend you gotta hand wash or it’ll felt and shrink. Learned that the hard way with a Wool-Ease headband that came out doll-sized after I threw it in the dryer.
Cotton yarns work too and they’re washable but they don’t have as much stretch so the headband doesn’t stay on as well. Sugar’n Cream is cheap cotton yarn if you want to try it but I think it’s better for dishcloths than headbands.
How Long This Actually Takes
Maybe an hour or two? Depends how fast you crochet and how much you’re paying attention. I made one during a three-episode stretch of whatever show I was watching, maybe it was Succession or something, and finished it including seaming and weaving in ends.
It’s a good project for when you need something simple that doesn’t require counting or following a complex pattern. I’ve made them while on phone calls or sitting in waiting rooms or whatever.
Common Mistakes
Making it too long is the main one. It’ll be loose and slide around. You think oh it needs to fit around my whole head so it should be the full measurement but no. The stretch factor means it should be shorter.
Also accidentally increasing or decreasing stitches as you go. Count your stitches every few rows especially at first. You should have the same number of stitches in every row. If you’re gaining stitches you’re probably crocheting into the turning chain at the end. If you’re losing stitches you’re probably missing the last stitch of the row.
The edges can get wonky if your tension is inconsistent. The turning chain counts as a stitch or it doesn’t depending on – actually for single crochet the turning chain doesn’t count as a stitch so ignore it and start your first single crochet in the first actual stitch of the previous row.
Alternative Construction Methods
You could work it in the round instead of making a flat rectangle. Chain enough to fit around your head loosely, join with a slip stitch, then single crochet in rounds until it’s as wide as you want. No seaming needed this way. But I find it harder to try on as you go to check the fit.
Or work it lengthwise instead of widthwise. Chain like 80 stitches (for the length around your head), then only work 3-4 rows to create the width. This works up faster but you can’t really adjust the length as you go so you gotta get your starting chain count right.
Yarn Weights
I keep saying worsted weight but you can use bulky yarn with a bigger hook for a thicker warmer headband. It’ll work up even faster. I used Bernat Blanket yarn once with like a 9mm hook and made a headband in 30 minutes. Super thick and warm but kinda chunky looking.
Fingering or sport weight works too with a smaller hook but takes longer and makes a thinner headband that’s more for fashion than warmth. Better for spring or fall than winter.
The pattern is basically the same regardless of yarn weight you just adjust your hook size and starting chain count to get the width you want.
Selling These
People sell crocheted headbands at craft fairs and on Etsy all the time. They’re quick to make and use minimal yarn so the profit margin is decent if you price them right. I’ve never sold mine but my friend does and she charges like $15-20 depending on the yarn.
Just don’t call it a pattern if you’re selling finished items made from someone else’s written pattern. Though this basic rectangle method is so standard it’s not really anyone’s pattern it’s just how you make a headband.
Anyway that’s basically it. Make a rectangle, seam it into a circle, wear it on your head. You can’t really mess it up that badly and even if it doesn’t fit perfectly you can always frog it and start over since it’s such a small project. I’ve probably made like twenty of these over the years and given most of them away because they’re easy gifts and people actually use them unlike some crochet stuff that just sits on a shelf looking decorative.
