I first saw the pattern for these over at creativeyarn.
And, on the one hand, I think it’s a great project for beginning crocheters – only two kinds of very basic stitches, finished fairly quickly, and a great way to practice getting an even tension in the chain stitches.
But on the other hand, it includes 60 stitches of my least favorite part of crochet – stitching into chain stitches. Also, for someone unfamiliar with crochet patterns and techniques, it’s hard to know what to do with the long tentacles of chains being created.
So with Marta’s blessing, I’m providing some step-by-step photos to go along with her pattern for the Simple Crocheted Headband. (Original pattern text is shown in bold italics.)
Ch 141.
“Ch” is the standard abbreviation for the chain stitch (video demo). To make things easier and quicker, I use stitch markers so I don’t have to keep counting all the time. I inserted them into ch#31, ch#110 and ch#140.
Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in the next 29chs (30sc), ch80…
“Sc” is the standard abbreviation for the US single crochet stitch (which is called “double crochet” in the UK) (video demo). The second chain from hook is one of the ones we marked. Then, if you used stitch markers, instead of counting as you do another single crochets in the next 29 chains (for a total of 30), just stitch until you get to the next stitch marker and DON’T single crochet into that one. Then chain 80.
By the way, if you’re wondering which part of the chain to single crochet into, just pick a loop (or two) and try to stay consistent. In this case, it really doesn’t matter. I crocheted into the “top” loop in the photos—more commonly referred to as the “back” loop—because I find it easiest.
…sc in the 30th ch from the begin of previous ch loop, and in next 29chs…
Below is a close-up of the area in the photo above labeled “join here.” The chain with the green stitch marker and the chains to the right are the 80 chains that will stay uncrocheted and will go over the head when the band is done. The chains to the left, leading toward “the beginning of previous chain loop,” will form one of the two ties once we single crochet into them. So, assuming you marked the 31st chain when you were making your foundation chain, then just skip to the next one (the 30th chain) to do the first of 30 single crochets.
By the way, I like to lay my chains flat next to each other so I know that one of them won’t be perpetually twisted after they’ve forever joined.
Also, as I near the end of Row 1 — 6 to 8 chains away — I lay the tail end over the chains and stitch over it as I stitch into the chains. Then after I turn and am about to start Row 2, I bring up whatever bit of tail is left, lay it over the last 6-8 stitches of Row 1 (i.e. going the opposite direction of the previous row), and stitch over it again. (No photo of that.) (And if there’s still a bit of tail left, I cut it off.) This keeps me from having to weave that end in later.
…ch1, turn.
Oops, below is a photo of Row 1, but I forgot to take it with the last “chain 1” (which is there to get you ready for your next row’s height of single crochets). Also, note: the stitch markers have been moved into Row 1.
Row 2: Sc in first sc and in next 29 sc, ch 80,…
I didn’t take a photo of this part because it’s the same as what we just did in Row 1, except that the beginning section of single crochets is taller now, and there are two loose chains (plus the one we just chained) instead of only one.
…sc in the 30sc of the previous row.
In case you do want to see another photo, here’s one taken just before joining back into the 30 single crochet stitches of the previous row (a photo oriented for all the lefties out there).
Cut yarn and weave in all ends...that's all!
But if you’re truly a beginner, you’re maybe now asking yourself, ‘But what about that loop that’s still on the hook?’ Cut your yarn about 6 inches away from the hook. Yarn over and pull through the loop on the hook. Keep pulling til the tail is all the way through. Then slip the loop off the hook and pull the tail tight. Weave it in – your starting tail should already be done… and that’s all!
One last note: depending on what yarn you’re using (and how big the head of the intended recipient is), you may have to adjust the number of chains at the center. The photo below shows three headbands, all evenly lined up on one end. Look how staggered the other ends are. The green ones both have 80 chains in the middle; the brown only has 70, but is the longest.
Hope this helped. Big thanks again to Marta for putting this pattern out there.
If you liked this, I’d love to get a quick comment from you! : )
