I’ve been wanting to crochet for a while now – specially considering my book collection with all those different options waiting for me! I have also had this sweet cotton yarn sitting, which reminds me of whipped cream with berries. Since we have a nice sunny summer and most of my little one’s summer hats and head scarfs are small, I decided to make a new one.
Previously I tried to crochet head scarves in straight rows, starting from the longest end that holds it around the head (green head scarf on the picture). As you can imagine, there is quite a lot of trial and error involved to get the size right. After making a shawl, I discovered that it is easier to start from the middle. However, I still crocheted a “head band” in the end, which is not very flexible (pink head scarf).
This time I decided to start crocheting from the middle (forehead) again and instead of finishing off with a full length border, I attached a lonely elastic hairband to the back.
What are the best patterns to start crocheting from the middle? It might seem weird, but I was looking at round and square motifs (basically doilies and granny squares). For a scarf, you just need to consider that you will only use half of the pattern. How to pick a pattern?
- Does it look good when it is halved (diagonally for square motifs)?
- Is it possible to crochet the pattern by switching rows, instead of continuous rounds? Does it look good on both sides?
- Are you able to use the pattern continuously until you reach the desired size?
I used a round pattern from my crochet bible – it is a floral motif with 8 repetitive sections, so I used 4 for the head scarf. Since I used a very thin cotton yarn, it looks more like a spider web. Luckily my little ones likes it 🙂 I also used beads on the last row. If you have the same plan, make sure to put them through the yarn before you start crocheting (I ended up using 25 beads).
Let me share the alternated base pattern with you:
- Start off with a magic ring. I also suggest to watch this tutorial about alternative techniques for starting a row.
- Row 1: chain (ch) 8, slip stitch (slip st) into 6th chain stitch from hook (first 3 chain stitches count as 1 double crochet, 5 as picot), *4 double crochet (dc) into magic ring, chain 5 (picot); repeat (rep) 3 times from *, finish off the row with a slip stitch into the last double crochet stitch. Turn.
- Row 2: 2 slip st into next 2 ch, ch3 (or alternative dc from tutorial), [1 dc, ch2, 2dc] into the same picot, *ch4, [2dc, ch2, 2dc] into next picot, rep from * 2 more times. Turn.
- Row 3: 2 slip st into 2nd dc and 1st ch, ch3 (or alternative dc from tutorial), [1 dc, ch2, 2dc] into the same picot, *ch6, [2dc, ch2, 2dc] into next picot, rep from * 2 more times. Turn.
- Row 4: 2 slip st into 2nd dc and 1st ch, ch3 (or alternative dc from tutorial), [1 dc, ch2, 2dc] into the same picot, *ch8, [2dc, ch2, 2dc] into next picot, rep from * 2 more times. Turn.
From here it requires your personal approach and sizing.
- If you want to increase more in the next row, replace the ch8 with ch2, [2dc, ch2, 2dc] in the middle ch of the ch8 of the previous row, ch2. In the following row you can start again from row 1 of the base pattern and increase the chains between the V stitches (2dc, ch2, 2dc) to 4.
- If you are happy with the width, you can just continue repeating a row for as long as necessary and start increasing again anytime.
- For the last row I just crocheted 1 single crochet (sc) into each stitch and added a bead with a chain stitch in the middle of each V stitch. If you would also like to have a straight line on the sides of the pattern (front of the finished head scarf), continue with sc on the sides of the pattern (3sc in each dc).
- Once the crochet part is completed, find a hairband or an alternative elastic, to connect the corners of the head scarf. I sewed the hairband on with the same yarn by hand.
I hope it makes sense and gives you some ideas. I feel like I have finally figured out a nice way for sizing a head scarf properly and will definitely try some more! I found a small sample selection of free motifs on Garnstudio, if you feel like trying. I still have some yarn waiting for the right patterns 🙂
Blue Crafting Soul 