Crochet Saturday: An Easy Chain Headband with Optional Flower

I have heard from lots of people who have told me that they can’t crochet – but they can chain like a pro!  With those folks in mind, here is a quick, cute little headband you can make, even if the only thing you can do is chain!

Basic Chain Headband

1.  Beg, buy, or borrow a big fat crochet hook – let’s say, an “N.”  (M?  Fine.  O?  Sure.  N is just what I used.)

If you’re not sure how to identify the size of the hook that you’re stealing from your neighbor in the middle of the night, look on the flat thumb rest (for a metal hook) or possibly the bottom (for a plastic hook).

2.  Track down some thick, ropy yarn.  I used a spare skein of Lion Wool Ease Thick and Quick that I had lying around.

 

3.  Make your slip knot (or heck, tie a regular knot), and make 40 chains.  Try wrapping them around your head like a headband.  Add or subtract chains until you have a comfortable size for your head.  (My Headband Number is 45.  What’s yours?)

4.  Cut the yarn, then pull the yarn tail through the open stitch to form a knot.  (That’s called fastening off.)  Now tie the two ends together, and wham!  You have an easy basic headband!

 

Optional Flower Embellishment

Although the headband is practical, it’s none too exciting.  The Optional Flower Embellishment adds a little panache.  On me, it looks like this:

• To make this flower, you’ll need a minimum of two yarns.  To be fancy, I used three – one thick, one thin, and one regular worsted weight.  You can use what you have, but do make sure you have different colors.
• You’ll also need fabric glue or a glue stick that works on fabric.  I used Aleen’s Max Tacky glue stick.
• Finally, you’ll want a tapestry needle, which is a fat, dull needle with a large eye.  (A regular sewing needle won’t have an eye large enough to accommodate your yarn.)  If you’re purchasing a crochet hook, tapestry needles will be nearby.  If you’re borrowing crochet supplies, just ask for a tapestry needle.  Any crocheter will know just what you need.

To make the optional embellishment, you’re going to make a chain of about 30 using all three (or two) yarns simultaneously, as if they were one strand.  For the rest of the info, watch the video!

You can spice up your flower with a button center, a bead, some green leaves cut out of felt – whatever makes you happy!