Crocheted Star Stitch Headband Tutorial

This super cosy headband is great for keeping your ears cosy during the winter.  It's designed with a button at the back meaning you can get in on and off without pulling it over your head and messing your hair up. I haven't included the pattern for the flower in this post but will write it as a separate blog post at some point.   The yarn is a chunky weight, I use King Cole Magnum chunky because it's lovely to work with, non-itchy and comes in loads of yummy colours. It's available online from my favourite yarn shop HCS Crafts.

NB: This pattern uses British Crochet stitch terms - if you're used to American crochet stitches a conversion chart can be found here. 

Materials

1 x 100g King Cole Big Value Chunky available from HCS Crafts.

6mm Crochet Hook

1 x 30mm button - I get mine from Button Paradise through facebook as they have a great selection at very resonable prices.

Yarn needle 

Tension

11sts and 13 rows of double crochet = 10x10cm square 

Abbreviations

ch = chain
dc = double crochet
dc2tog = dc the next 2 stitches together
dcinc = increase in next stitch by working 2 double crochets into the same stitch
htr = half treble
ss = slip stitch
st = stitch

Step By Step Pattern

1. Make a slip stitch

2.  Chain 3

3. dc into 2nd chain from hook

4. dc into next 2 chs 

5. Turn work, ch x 1, work 2 x dc into first dc

6. dc into the next dc, dc x 2 into last dc (5 sts in row)










Continue as follows turning work at the end of each row:

3. ch 1, dc into each dc (5)
4. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next 3 dc, dc x 2 into next dc (7)
5. ch 1, dc into each dc
6. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next 5 dc, dc x 2 into next dc (9)
7. ch 1, dc into each dc
8. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next 7 dc, dc x 2 into next dc (11)
9. ch 1, dc x 11

10. Chain 2

Front strand of 2nd chain from hook.   Back strand of 2nd ch from hook

You're now going to begin working your first star, this is worked by picking up loops through both the front and back of the second chain from your hook.

11. Draw up a loop through the front strand of the second chain from your hook - this will leave you with 2 strands on your hook.
















12. Draw up a loop through the back strand of the second chain from your hook - this will leave you with 3 strands on your hook.
















13. Now draw up a loop through each of the first 3 dc.








 





This should leave you with 6 loops on your hook

 


14.  Put the yarn over the hook and draw it through all 6 loops on the hook.

15. ch x1
NB: You don't want to make this chain too tight as you want to leave a distinct eye (see next picture).
















16. Draw up a loop through the eye from the chain you've just made.










17. Draw up a loop through the back of the last loop of the star you just made, this will leave 3 loops on the hook.












18. Draw up a loop through the same dc where the last loop of the previous star was made.














19. Draw up 1 loop through each of the next 2 dcs  - 6 loops on hook.

20. Draw the yarn through all 6 loops on the hook 
21. ch 1

Repeat instructions 16 to 21, 3 more times

22. htr into the same dc where the last loop of the previous star was made

23. Turn work. ch 1









 







24.dc into top of htr









 






25. dc x 1 into  eye of first star


















26. dc x 2 into each of the remaining eyes made by the stars on the previous row.

Your work should look something like this.

27. dc into the top of the chain 2 from the previous row.

Instructions 10 to 27 create 2 rows. You are now going to repeat these instructions working backwards and forwards until the headband measures approximately  39 cm from the beginning of the V, this works out as roughly 16 rows of stars. This length can be adjusted depending on the size of your head but note that you must take into account the fact that you will have to create another V shape the same length as the one at the other end (instructions 2-9).

When you're done it should look something like this:

You are now going to begin the decrease rows to create the V at the other end. 

1. ch1, dc the first 2 stitches together-dc2tog
To do this put the crochet hook through the first dc and draw up a loop, then put the crochet hook through the 2nd dc and draw up another loop (3 loops on hook); then put the yarn over the hook and pull through all 3 loops on the hook.









2. Continue the row as follows: 
dc into the next 7 stitches, then dc the last 2 dc together as described in last instruction. 

You will be left with 9 stitches to work on in the next row and it will look like this. 





Continue to create the V shape as follows:
3. ch 1, dc into the dcrease from the previous row, dc into next 7 dc,
dc into the dcrease from the previous row, turn. 
4. ch 1, dc2tog, dc into next 5 dc, dc2tog, turn (7 stitches)
5. ch 1, dc into the dcrease from the previous row, dc into next 5 dc,
dc into the dcrease from the previous row, turn. 
6. ch 1, dc2tog, dc into next 3 dc, dc2tog, turn (5 stitches)
7. ch 1, dc into the dcrease from the previous row, dc into next 3 dc,
dc into the dcrease from the previous row, turn. 
8. ch 1, dc2tog, dc into next dc, dc2tog, turn (3 stitches)
9. ch 1, dc into the dcrease from the previous row, dc into next dc, dc into the dcrease from the previous row

Don't turn the work following this last row, your work should now look like this:

 

You're nearly there, all you need to do now is add the edging:

1. dc 7 stitches down the side of the V shape; working into the side of the work means there are not specific spaces to work into, just ensure you work evenly down the side into the holes within the stitches.

It should then look something like this.

2. You now need to crochet down the side of the headband, as with the last instruction it can be a little difficult to work out which holes and how many to crochet into.  As a guide when working down the side you are now going to work 1 dc into the side of each row of stars and 1 dc into the side of each of the rows of double crochet. 
NB: This will make the placement of the stithces feel slightly uneven as the star rows are wider than the dc ones however if you make sure you keep your tension the same across you should get a nice even looking row at the end.  

3. work 7 dcs down the V at the other end. 

4. Work 2 x dc into the corner of the V.

5. 1 x dc into the centre of the 3 end stitches, then 2 x dc into the other corner. 














6. dc x 7 back down the other side of the V











7. dc back down the other side of the band working 1 stitch into each row of stars and 1 stitch into each row of dc as on the other side. 

8. dc up the side of the V

9. 2 x dc into corner

10. dc x 1 in middle stitch of 3 end stitchs.

 






11. dc x 2 into last of 3 end stitchs; slip stitch to beginning of edging row; chain 1 

12. dc into each of the 7 dc up first side of V, along the edge of the band and up the 7 stitchs of V at the other end. 

13. dc x 2 (dcinc) into next stitch

14. dc x 1 into  each of next 2 dc - you should now be in the middle stitch of the end of the headband. 

15. To created the loop for the button: ch 8 
NB: This is based in using a 30mm button, if you wish to use a smaller or larger button you can increase or decrease the number of chains.  












16. To make the loop dc into the same stitch as the dc at the start of the loop. 

17. dc into next dc, dc x 2 (dcinc) into corner stitch.












18. dc into each of the 7 stitches down the V, each stitch along the side of the band and up the V at the other end.
19. dc x 2 (dcinc) into corner stitch, dc x 1 into each of the next 3 stitches along the end of the band, dc x 2 (dcinc) into last corner stitch.  

20. Join to the first stitch with a slip stitch. Now sew in all the ends.






 

You're now nearly finished and ready to have toastie warm ears....

The next step is to use a scrap piece of yarn to sew on a button to the oppostie end to the loop.  The buttons I got are from Button Paradise through facebook, they have a lovely selection of beautiful buttons at very resonable prices.

This is roughly how the band should look at the back, I find the V shape means that the band fits really well and doesn't ride up when you move your head like a straight band would.  It also means you can undo it to get it on and off rather than having it mess up your hair when you pull it off.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, any bits that arn't clear or any feedback please let me know.  Below is the pattern in brief for those of you who don't need to follow the whole tutorial.

Pattern 

ch 4 
1.  dc into second ch from hook, dc into next 2 chs (3)

2. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next dc, dc x 2 into next dc (5)

3. ch 1, dc into each dc (5)

4. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next 3 dc, dc x 2 into next dc (7)

5. ch 1, dc into each dc

6. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next 5 dc, dc x 2 into next dc (9)

7. ch 1, dc into each dc

8. ch 1, dc x 2 into first dc, dc into next 7 dc, dc x 2 into next dc (11)

9. ch 2, draw up a loop through the front strand of the 2^nd ch from the hook, draw a loop through the back strand of the same ch, draw up a loop through each of the first 3 dc (6 loops on hook), yo and draw through the 6 loops on the hook, ch 1; * draw up a loop through the eye formed by the ch just made, draw up a loop through the back of the last loop of the star just made, draw a loop through the same dc where the last loop of the previous star was made, draw up a loop through each of the next 2 dc (6 loops on hook), yo and draw through the 6 loops on the hook, ch 1. Repeat from star a further  3 times (5 stars in total). htr into the same dc where the last loop of the previous star was made.

10. ch1, dc into htr, 1 dc into eye of next star, 2 x dc into eye of each of the next  stars, dc into the top of the chain 2

Repeat rows 9 and 10 until headband measures approximately 39 cm (approximately 16 rows of stars) from the beginning of the work, ending with a row 10. 

Begin decrease:

1. dc2tog, dc into next 7 dc, dc2tog (9)

2. ch 1, dc x 9

3. dc2tog, dc into next 5 dc, dc2tog (7)

4. ch 1, dc x 7

5. dc2tog, dc into next 3 dc, dc2tog (5)

6. ch 1, dc x 5

7. dc2tog, dc into next 1 dc, dc2tog (3)

8. dc x 3

Fasten Off

Edging

1^st row:  dc x 7 down side of V;  dc along the side of the band working  1 stitch per row of stars and 1 stitch per row of dcs; 7 dc up side of V at other end; 2 dc in corner stitch, dc in centre stitch, 2 dc in corner stitch; 7 dc down other side of V; dc along other side of band 1 stitch per row of stars and 1 stitch per row of dc; dc x 7 up V; 2 dc in corner stitch, dc in centre stitch, 2 dc in corner stitch; slip stitch to beginning.

2^nd row:  ch1; dc x 7 down side of V; dc in every dc along side; dc x 7 up V, inc in corner stitch; dc into next; dc into next, chain 8, dc into same as at beginning of chain 8; dc into next stitch; dc inc, dc x 7 down side of V, dc into every dc along side;  dc x 7 up V; inc in corner stitch; dc x 3; inc in corner stitch, ss to beginning and fasten off.

Sew in ends and sew button in place.