Friday, May 4, 2012

Easy Shell Headband Pattern


And now the pattern I promised you guys yesterday!  Same rules as the other pattern: You are allowed to do whatever you want with items made from this pattern (because it is free on the internet and I obviously can't stop you).  Sell them, donate them, give them to your dog as a chew toy, whatever.  
Just don't claim the pattern as your own or try to sell it.  Give credit where it is due.  
Thanks!

EDIT on 08/04/14: I have created a photo tutorial for this pattern. Go here if you need it.

For child-sized, see my new post here.

Easy Shell Headbands





Hook:
H

Yarn used:
Simply Soft

Stitches and abbreviations used: The pattern uses US crochet terms.
  • Slip stitch (sl st)
  • Chain (ch)
  • Stitch (st), stitches (sts)
  • Skip (sk)
  • Treble crochet (tr)
  • Shell: (3 tr, ch 2, 3 tr)
  • Treble decrease (tr dec): YO twice, insert hook in next st, YO, pull up loop, YO, (pull through 2 loops on hook) twice. Repeat in next st, YO and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Gauge: Not important for this pattern, just change the number of chains in the last row to make it fit any sized head.

Notes:
  • The headband is worked lengthwise from narrow-to-narrow end.
  • Row 18 can be altered for fitting. 14-16 chains fit my head, but I don’t like things to be tight.  The best way to size it is to try on the headband as written and then decide if you want it looser (chain more) or tighter (chain less).
  • This headband takes me ~20 minutes to make when I am consistently working.  You can make this in one sitting.
  • The treble stitches in Row 13 shells are inserted in both ends of the shell, in the top ch space, and the 2 tr on either side of the ch space.
  • Shells can also be done (3 tr, ch 1, 3 tr) if desired.
  • Ch 4 at beginning of each row counts as 1 tr.
  • The top of the shell mentioned is the ch space.

Pattern:
Row 1. Ch 5, tr in 5th ch from hook. (2 tr)
Row 2. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, tr. (3 tr)
Row 3. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, tr in next 2 sts. (4 tr)
Row 4. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, 2 tr in next st, tr in next 2 sts. (6 tr)
Row 5. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, tr in next 5 sts. (7 tr)
Row 6. Ch 4, turn, sk 3 tr, shell in next tr, tr in last st. (2 tr, 1 shell)
Row 7. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, shell in top of last row’s shell, 2 tr in last st. (4 tr, 1 shell)
Row 8. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st and next st, shell in top of last row’s shell, tr, 2 tr in last st. (6 tr, 1 shell)
Row 9-10. Ch 4, turn, tr in next 2 sts, shell in top of last row’s shell, tr in next 3 sts. (6 tr, 1 shell)
Row 11. Ch 4, turn, tr dec, shell in top of last row’s shell, tr dec, tr in last st. (4 tr, 1 shell)
Row 12. Ch 4, turn, shell in top of last row’s shell, tr dec. (2 tr, 1 shell)
Row 13. Ch 4, turn, tr in outside st of shell, sk st, tr in next st and ch space, tr in next st, sk st, tr in next 2 sts. (7 tr)
Row 14. Ch 4, turn, tr, tr dec, tr in next 3 sts. (6 tr)
Row 15. Ch 4, turn, tr dec twice, tr. (4 tr)
Row 16. Ch 4, turn, tr dec, tr. (3 tr)
Row 17. Ch 4, turn, tr dec. (2 tr)
Row 18. Ch 14, sl st in 5th ch of Row 1.


72 comments:

  1. These are adorable! :) Amazing job! I'll be making some for sure!

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  2. Oh... my gosh. I love this! I've been playing around with headband patterns and nothing has felt right on. THIS is what I need! I'm so happy to have found this! LOL! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. And it's super cool of you to put the "can I make and sell it" question to rest like ya did, LOL! :)

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    1. Yeah, it always bugs me when people post patterns for free and expect people to follow specific rules for them. Seems counter productive. I figure if I put patterns on the internet I should expect people to use them. (or at least I hope people will!)

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  4. lol, thanks guys. I think I have a dozen or so sitting around the house.

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  5. I just finished making one. Great pattern! It turned out cute!

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  6. just made one! I absolutely love it! at first I thought that just the chains in the last row wouldn't give enough "hold" but its actually perfect, it prevents the weird look that wide bands give my short cut in the back. I think I will have a few of these in rotation this summer! Thank you!

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    1. I have always had trouble with the wide headbands as well because my hair is pretty slick. I'm glad it turned out well for you too!

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  7. If someone is using IE, it serves them right to not be able to see certain things. Switch to Firefox or Chrome, people!

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  8. Just finished one for my granddaughters and on to the second...it is absolutly adorable and so easy to make. Thank you so much for the pattern.

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  9. Row 11 is where I get a bit confused. Do we do the tr decrease in the next stitch from where our ch 4 is? Or do we do it into the shell?

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    1. Yes, tr decrease in the next stitch from your ch 4 not in the shell. There should be 3 tr on both sides of the shell on the previous row, you are taking it down to 2 on each side in row 11. I can whip one up and take a picture of that part if that would help.

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    2. SOrry to hijack your thread here but I have finished row 11 and am on row 12. The stich count says there should be 2 TC and a shell. BUT if I only Tr dec on one side I'll have 3 TC and a shell. Am I doing that right?

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    3. It looks like I have a typo on there. Strange...Check it now. There should be only the ch 4 before you make the shell, giving you the one on that side and the one stitch on the other side.

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  10. Took me a few tries, and much more time but eventually figured out the pattern. I'm not exactly new to crochet but was stumped (perhaps too early in the morning) at the instructions to "tr in same st". Eventually it turned out - I wasn't about to give up :) Thanks for the great patterns. Granddaughters will love them.

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  11. I would like to know before I start is how this is fastened when you are wearing this. I love the looks of this headband and its nice to have an easy pattern. Have you corrected all the typos in it? Thank you for your work.

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    1. Yes, all typos should be fixed. I had it tested for errors before I put it on here, and there was a typo but it's been fixed. As for fastening...it is made to be stretched over the head and into place rather than fastening one end to the other. I assume that's what you were asking.

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    2. So how do I attach the chain at the end to the other end of the headband? Is it tied or is it slip stitched to the beginning chain??

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    3. LOVE this pattern. My favorite crochet headband pattern!

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  12. Help! I love the look of these. I understand all the stitches, but I'm having trouble with this:

    "Row 2. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, tr. (3 tr)
    Row 3. Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, tr in next 2 sts. (4 tr)"

    What do you mean by "tr in the same st, tr"??

    Is this working width or lengthwise? Obviously I haven't had enough coffee today. ;)

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    1. Basically "tr in the same st" is asking you to put a treble in the top of the last stitch made on the previous row. And you are working across the width of the headband. Let me know if this helps.

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    2. sigh...still not getting it. I'm having trouble with another easy headband pattern, so I know it is my lack of skills at reading patterns, not the pattern itself. ;)

      But I love the look of this and want to get it, so...for Row 2, I chain 4, turn and put a treble in the last stitch from the 4 I just chained, and then another treble in the 2nd last stitch from the 4 chain; and then for row 3 I chain 4 more, turn, treble, treble, treble ??

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    3. No problem. If it helps, when I read patterns I tend to use them more as guidelines and just hope that I'm doing it close enough to be functional. lol It is okay to get it wrong and have to undo it a few times. I usually have to when I come across a new pattern (even when I am writing them). Think of it like a puzzle.

      It seems like you have Rows 2 & 3 written out correctly, but I can't tell for certain from text. Try doing it the way you have written and keep going. Let me know if it gets more confusing.

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    4. I finally got it! I was going back into the chain of 4; I finally figured out it was to be attached into the previous row.

      Now working on figuring out the tr dec. ;)

      Thanks for helping out a newbie!

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    5. Woo progress! You'll get the hang of it in no time. :)

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  13. OMG You are the best for sharing this darling - wowzer pattern. I'm so amazed at the creativity of other crocheters. I run an elderly lady group that want to make these for the Christmas Unlimited program we run from the thrift store we volunteer at. For the last two years we made curly scarves and gave away one with each outfit for the girls clothes. We gave away 523 this last December 2012. I hope to introduce a fast and easy pattern for headwraps to give away this year. Thank you again for your generosity of this pattern.

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    1. They are really great for charity and little gifts. I'm glad you guys had such success with the pattern. :)

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  14. This is really a cute pattern - thanks for sharing! I am thinking I might try an altered (just a wee bit) version of it and chain little ties at the ends so it will tie in back. My hair is babyfine and slippery and I think some fine-tuning may be required. :)
    P.S. Thanks for all the support you give when questions are posted! Very nice! :)

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    1. Yeah, I have to alter patterns I find on the internet a lot...it's how I got started writing out patterns. My hair is fairly slippery too, but it's thick so it probably works a bit differently than yours.
      P.S. I figure that's the benefit of going to the source of the pattern, plenty of help when things go wrong. :)

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    2. Thank you for sharing your pattern,my granddaughter will absolutely love it in many colors. It was a challenge with all of the turning,and I love a challenge!!!!

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    3. Why don't you just sew a small length of narrow elastic to the part of the headband that will be under your hair? This will give you more control even when the headband has been washed and loses some elasticity, without the trouble of tying it up.

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  15. So cute! Just made one with leftover yarn in a color I love while DS napped on my lap (sometimes stroking the yarn in his sleep, so cute!)

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  16. Hi! This is a really cute pattern and I thank you for sharing it. I am having problems, though, and even after checking for any corrections and reading through the comments, mine is quite asymetrical. In Row 12, the directions read Ch4, turn, shell in top of last row's shell, tr dec (2tr, 1 shell). This leaves me with one single triple on one side, and a triple decrease on the other. Is it intended to be different on each side, or am I missing something?
    Thanks - I'd appreciate any clarification!

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    1. No, that's how it ended up with the stitches I used. You could just make both sides have just a single treble instead of the decrease if it bothers you. :)

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  17. Thanks for the detailed pattern! I like the stitch count after each row. I have been searching for a small headband and this looks like it will be an easy one for me:) Keep up the good work.

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  18. Thank you so much for sharing this oh so easy pattern. My eyes thank you for my visual break.It's nice to find a pattern that satisfies my heart & soul & my joints .And it's free what a pleasure. : )
    Will post on Ravelry soon.

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  19. Okay, so I consider myself a fairly intermediate crocheter and I'm feeling really stupid right now, because I can NOT figure out what to do in the first several rows. My brain just can't comprehend. Obviously this is my fault as everyone else has had no problems. Is there any chance you could work up a diagram, or better yet a video tutorial. I REALLY want to get this. Thanks!

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    1. It's not your fault, I have had to walk a couple of other people through it. I don't actually own a video camera, unless you count the webcam built into our laptop...but I doubt that would make a decent quality video for tutorial. I could attempt a step-by-step picture tutorial, but it will have to wait a few days since I am working on taking some items to the local art gallery and starting a second job this week.

      Try scrolling up to the comments from Kelly above and see if my responses to her help first and then we will work from there. :)

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    2. I got it!! I was looking at the chain and first trc horizontally instead of vertically. My brain just did NOT want to see it, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Now I see how the treble crochets stack up on top of each other. :) Thanks! I will be making many of these.

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    3. Woo! I'm glad you figured it out!

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  20. Thanks, yes I read Kelly's comments, but where she got her light bulb moment, I am still struggling. I would love a picture tutorial when you get the time. I will check back regularly. I am Iowaycrochet on Ravelry. Again, thanks for the pattern. I really love the finished products everyone has made, and I like learning new things, so I can wait. :)

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    1. Ack! I completely forgot I was supposed to be working on a picture tutorial! I will see about doing that this week since I have an extra day off work if you were still waiting.

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  21. I've made a zillion of these... thanks for the great pattern! I've been using them as a fun accessory while my pixie cut goes through the painful growing-out process, and they're totally perfect. Usually headbands are too small for my head and they slip off, but this way I can adjust it and make it fit pefectly.

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    1. I remember when I grew my hair out from a bob. They work really well for growing out bangs too. :)

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  23. Fabulous pattern, thank you! Just worked one in a little over an hour with the help of comments and referring to a British/American crochet terms page! As a novice it's great to find pretty patterns to make. Thanks for sharing.

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  24. This pattern is awesome! Thank you so much! One question though. How in the world would I make the same thing but small enough for a newborn?

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    1. Well, I have experimented with newborn size only once before. I believe what I ended up doing was Row 1-3, then I added a row with 5 sts (Ch 4, turn, tr in same st, tr in next 3 sts), then I used Rows 4-6. After that, I did 2 rows with the shell and only 1 tr on each side (would have the same number of sts as Row 6 of the original pattern). Then I decreased using 6 rows (7 tr in the first row, then 6, 5, 4, 3, 2). To connect the headband together at the end, I used a dc in the bottom of Row 1 instead of chaining and sl st. You would have to check this and alter it as needed for sizing (not all newborns are the same size), but it should work.

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  25. Thanks so much for this pattern! It stays on my head! Too bad I made it for a friend... I may have to make one for myself as well :)

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    1. lol, I do that all the time. I'm currently working on a pair of fingerless gloves for my brother...but I really would like to keep them. :P

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  26. Made one of these as a gift a while back, but I'm soooo excited to have just made one FER MEEEEEEE!!! Thanks soooo much~I haven't had a haircut in a year and needed a little pizazz! This totally did the trick, and I too have that fine, thin, slick hair that bulges in the back if the band is too thick. :D (((((HUGS))))) sandi

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    1. *hugs* You are most welcome! I'm excited that it did so well for your hair!

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  27. I just want to thank you for this pattern and I'm sure you are getting lots of traffic for the pattern! I pinned this to my crochet board on pinterest and it has got almost 500 repins!! I just wanted to say "way to go on your pattern - love it!!" pinterest.com/pin/215821007115625063/

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    1. lol, thank you very much! I've seen it passed around a few times on pinterest and it's all very exciting. I'm about to officially open my first online store and will have some for sell on there. Cross your fingers that it goes well! :)

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  28. Awesome headband !! I am making these for a friend who has lost her hair during chemo treatment, but I love it so much, I am going to make myself a few, too! Thanks!

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  29. I love it. I have always had a passion for hats, but living in south Texas even the "summer" weight crocheted ones are too hot. So I recently started wearing headbands (not the plastic hard ones) and rolled up scaves as a headband. So I just came across your pattern, got my yarn out and whipped one up. First try was a winner. It will look awesome with my hair up in a messy bun. Ready to make more colors now. Thank you so much. My creative mind is racing on other kinds I am going to make as well.

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  30. I really, really, really love this pattern! I love headbands.My hair is rwally long and I and my husband like my hair down so I wear them a lot.This was perfect.Made my first one today! Love it! Pattern was very easy to follow! Thank you for explaining some of the stitches. I don't use some of them a lot of the ti e so I forget amd you kept me from javing to look them up else WHERE . AWESOME!

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    1. I've found the patterns I like working with the most are the ones that define their terms, so I included that when I typed up the pattern. It's always a pain to be in the middle of a project and have to go scour the internet for a definition you don't remember or haven't used yet.

      I'm really glad you enjoyed the pattern!

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  31. Thanks for such an easy and well written pattern. I had no trouble following it and I am very new to crochet. I used the pic tutorial a bit as well. Its always nice to have that option. Thanks so much. I put the finished project on my blog. Check it out!
    www.krystlewv.blogspot.com

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  32. this is the first crocheted head band that looks good on my head! thank you. i used lilly sugar&cream cotton and it turned out exactly the right size. quick and easy pattern. i wondered why the pattern is not simetric but anyway it looks good.

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    1. The pattern was written when I was still relatively new to crocheting (had only been crocheting a couple of years), so it has its eccentricities. :) I wanted it to be a specific shape and used what stitches I knew at the time. When I make it now the pattern is more symmetrical, but I haven't gone back and changed the written pattern.

      I'm really glad it worked out well for you! Even with its silliness. :)

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  33. Thank you so much for sharing this pattern!!! It was very easy to do and I love my headband! I'm definitely going to make some more in different colors.

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  34. OMG, I love this pattern. It crocheted up so fast. I will be making more in a bunch of colors for me and my family.

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  35. Just made one of these up only took about 25 minutes :) luv'n it and can't wait to make more one in every color lol, thanks for sharing your pattern

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  36. Ooh love this idea! It's awesome! Why not add some nice elements to the headband with Grosgrain Ribbon?

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  37. Thank you so much for this great pattern! I've made six headbands already,and am planning on doing these for Christmas gifts!

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  38. I made this today but it definitely has a mistake in row 12. It should read: Ch4, turn, TR DEC, shell in top of last row's shell, tr dec. The back of the headband does not give enough support so I will in the future make ties by doing several rows on both the beginning & end of headband with many rows of 3 tr each row. Thanks for the pattern.

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    1. You are welcome to make it that way, but it was not a typo. This pattern was written over 11 years ago. In the pattern when it was written I used the beginning chain sts on each row as the first tr stitch and did not know how to create a decrease st with those ch sts. Nowadays I probably would just have the beginning chain sts be a border versus being the first st in the row. To help with that unevenness on row 12.

      I've always considered patterns like this to be a guideline, a base launching point for my own creativity. I'm glad you were able to that with this pattern!

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    2. Thanks for your response. I have since changed my mind about row 12 & now I do: Ch 4, turn, TR, shell in top of last row's shell, tr dec. I agree that patterns are a starting point/ base for our own creativity to grow from. Thanks again, I've made four of these so far & I love them.

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