Crochet Headband Patterns

Headbands have served their purpose as a clothing accessory ever since the Greek and Roman periods. Back then, they took the form of hair wreaths and were worn during special occasions. By the early 20th century, they became even more popular for their health benefits. It was a common belief among people of the time that tight pressure around the forehead helped prevent headaches and relieve pain. But with the evolution of fashion, that significance was soon overshadowed by style, as headwear has become more embellished, incorporating exotic fabrics and lace and ribbon accents, with small rosettes, feathers and gem decors. Their popularity peaked in the 1920s and a century later, they remain to be widely used, and even innovated with more elastic versions in the form of crochet headbands.

Now, these head pieces are usually made out of horseshoe-shaped materials (either plastic or metal) to give it a stable form. It is covered by textile, so that it can be more comfortable and attractive to wear. Some of them are toothed to ensure that they can hold hair in place. However, given the suppleness of a child's head, this conventional structure is discouraged in favour of softer counterparts. Hence, baby headbands are usually created out of cotton and ribbon yarns.

It's easy to find one online available for purchase. But it would be more sentimental to make your baby's first crochet headband yourself. Apart from the convenience of being able to personalize it according to your preference and your baby's comfort, you also get to save on costs. This is an attractive prospect considering the financial demands of motherhood. To get started, you should secure scissors, a soft lightweight yarn, a crochet hook, an elastic base and a tape measure.

The first step would be to measure the head so you know how long you have to make the baby headbands. Then, you should decide on how wide it would be - an inch or two would suffice. Next, chain five to nine stitches together - a single crochet on the first and second, and then a double crochet on the next two chains; switching back to single and double alternately until the first chain is finished.

Afterwards, work with the same pattern to the end of the row until you reach the intended length. For more thickness, you can make another crochet headband using the same technique and then stack both finished products so you can stitch them together on the edges. You can then glue or hem some lace, ribbon or sequins on the final output to give it that feminine touch. If you are making one for a boy, you can put together crochet bugs and animals as ornaments instead.

It seems like a worthwhile endeavour. But, if you are not experienced in do-it-yourself projects, then you could just rely on retailed crochet headbands. You just have to be extra conscious about what you pick, to avoid getting something that might irritate your child's skin. You can choose those made out of cotton, acrylic and bamboo to be safe. If there is wool, you can have that as an alternative. However, you should keep an eye out for allergic reactions and make sure to pass up the "super wash" kinds of clothing, because they can be dowsed with chemicals.