Bandanas, kerchiefs and headbands have all rocketed to popularity over the past few years. Some people wear them just to hold their hair back, some for religious reasons, others as a political statement, and still others as a fashion accessory. And best of all, they whip up quickly, so you can try out many different styles! Here are 10 headbands, kerchiefs and bandannas to knit and crochet.
Free Headband, Kerchief and Bandanna Patterns
Contempt
Tell ‘em how you really feel with the Contempt headband knitting pattern! It says, in big letters, “I HATE WINTER.” Because it is double-knitted, this pattern by Fecknom is reversible. And you can get your message out in several languages; there are variants for German and English, Spanish and English, and Russian and English. And if there are some days where you love winter, there is also a version that has an “I LOVE WINTER” message on one side. Urth 16 has heaps of fun colours that would be great for this headband.
Blue Leaf Headband
The Blue Leaf Headband by Adrienne Krey has a cool, funky, chunky lace texture to it. It’s made in one piece, worked flat, and buttons together. Over a thousand people on Ravelry have given the pattern high marks, and also said it is not very difficult. And there are matching free mitts too! It’s very quick to knit up and many commenters say it makes a great gift. We’d recommend Alpachino Merino for this one.
Easy Crochet Headband
What more can we say about Creativeyarn’s Easy Crochet Headband besides what is right there in the name? Well, based on the hundreds of ratings on Ravelry, it lives up to the name. It’s made in one piece and worked flat. You can knock this out in an hour or two, and it takes so little yarn that any worsted or 10 ply nuggets or two strands of fingering nuggets held together will do.
Crocodile Kerchief
The Crocodile Kerchief crochet pattern by Darlisa Riggs is very flexible. “Need a shawl instead of a kerchief? Keep crocheting!” says Riggs. The basic version measures 18” wide, but there are options to make it smaller and much larger. (Kerchief-style blanket, anyone?) This would really pop in Urth Uneek Fingering.
Paid Crochet Patterns
Molly 6 Stitch Cabled Headband
The Molly 6 Stitch Cabled Headband by Lee Sartori is a great way to flex your crochet cabling skills — or learn them! The design is so pretty, and it includes a video tutorial to get you through the challenging bits. You’ll get the joy of stretching your skills, with the satisfaction of having a finished product in no time. This would look great in Zealana Kauri Worsted.
Strawberry Kerchief
Christine Anne Melvin created the Strawberry Kerchief crochet pattern to be extremely customizable. It comes with a phototutorial, which makes this complicated-looking pattern far more achievable for the beginning crocheter. Shiny Happy Cotton has the perfect colours for the strawberry pattern in this kerchief.
Paid Knitting Patterns
Into the Wild
Yet another opportunity to stretch your skills, the Into the Wild headband knitting pattern by Stephanie Blanchard features a gorgeous knitted floral pattern. It’s designed to teach you new stitches that produce bobbles and leaves. The pattern includes some customization, so you can make it properly sized to your head. She offers options for many different yarn weights, and we’d recommend Malabrigo Rios for this.
Dancing Dragonfly Headband
Work on your stranded colourway technique with the Dancing Dragonfly Headband knitting pattern by Sarah L. Kelly. This is a pattern with a surprising number of options: you can have a ribbed edge, a Latvian braid edge, a lined Latvian braid edge or a Fingering Latvian braid. It even includes tutorials on Latvian braids and grafting. Broadway Merino DK would be soft and warm, with good definition for this pattern.
Cahaya Bandana
The Cahaya Bandana knitting pattern by Bash Harry allows you to learn or practice skills like lace and eyelets. “Cahaya” is the Bahasa Melayu word for “radiant,” and is often used to refer to gems such as the diamond pattern in this kerchief. Harry has created three different sizes, from toddler to adult, with two finishing options. Because it does not use a lot of yarn, you can make one for yourself and a friend (or maybe two) from one ball. Urth Harvest DK is the right DK yarn to show off this stitchwork. (She has other cute bandana patterns and a buy-two-get-one free deal!)
Hatdana
The Hatdana knitting pattern by Denize Bayron looks so effortless and is incredibly flexible. It can be worn as a hat, headscarf, cowl or head wrap. The detailing is subtle but beautiful, with gentle ribbing, a delicate cable, a slip stitch edge, and little tassels that add some flair without being overwhelming. This pattern features multiple video tutorials, so if these techniques are new to you, it’s a great opportunity to learn them! The worsted weight version of the pattern could look glorious in Juniper Moon Farm’s Moonshine, while the fingering weight pattern would be soft and smooth in Zealana Kiwi Fingering.
Disclaimer: We do not test every pattern that we list. (We wish we could but we have a yarn shop to run!) We do a lot of research to see if patterns are well reviewed and seem well written. But it is possible that something will slip by us. We hope you love these patterns and let us know if they do not meet your expectations!
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