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When ears get cold in the winter it might be time to crochet a braided headband / earwarmer like this one? The warm yarn will keep your ears and forehead warm and the knit will be attractive. As far as crochet projects go, a single band might not be on the farthest difficultly level, but actually the braiding part can be tricky. This one in the pictures (at top and below in the article) was by the hand of Jess at Chaleurlife.
Jess set up 4 patterns for this headband actually, for different size heads and different head needs. There’s an adult one, which is 3.5 inches wide and 20 inches in diameter (unstretched). Also for adults, an earwarmer 4 inches wide (at the widest part of the band) and also 20 inches around. The childrends’ headband is half the width — 1.5 inches wide (at the widest) and 17 around, and the kids’ earwarmer is 2.75 inches wide and 17 inches around. For every 2 inches, about 6 rows by 7 stitches in half double stitch are used.
She put together a pattern for everyone else who might want to try it out. The equipment you’ll need for this braided crochet headband:
- “I” size 5.5 mm crochet hook,
- worsted weight yarn of 77 or less yards,
- and a needle.
Two stitches are used: the chain and the half double crochet.
If you need to learn the half double crochet foundation row (or chain), there’s a tutorial for that created by the same crocheter, Jess.
HOW this headband works — conceptual level. This is one of the most interesting parts of this crochet pattern Jess came up with. It’s like a ribbon — a long (well, 20 or 17 inches) flat crochet fabric. On each end it’s all of a piece, but between the ends, the ribbon is split into 3 ribbons.
Then, while the two ends are still one piece, the 3 ribbons are braided over each other. This works because the big ends get tucked into the holes between the 3 ribbons, kind of like tying a knot, over and over until the braid looks correct.
Here’s the pattern by Jess at Chaleurlife.
