Make • Modify • Move On: Design #263 — Two Crochet Headbands

Welcome to Make • Modify • Move On, a series where I revisit designs from my archive—one pattern at a time—and ask a simple question:

Would I make it again, modify it, or move on?

After more than 20 years of designing knit and crochet patterns, I have a catalog of more than 1,000 designs. Some I remember intimately. Others can genuinely surprise me when I see them again.

That’s part of the fun.

For this series, I use a random number generator to choose a design from my catalog. I don’t carefully curate the winners or quietly skip the awkward ones. Whatever number comes up is what we’re looking at.

And I intentionally generate the number while filming the segment for The Kristin Omdahl Show, so I’m putting myself on the spot, too. Why not? I love the element of surprise.

This Make • Modify • Move On segment appears in Episode 1177 of The Kristin Omdahl Show, and this time the random number generator gave me…

#263: Two Crochet Headbands

And here’s a funny coincidence: for the second episode in a row, the random number generator sent me back to Tilli Tomas Yarns.

In the previous M3 segment, I shared the story of how I met Tracey, the owner of Tilli Tomas, and how that relationship became part of my early design career. You can read that story HERE.

Make • Modify • Move On: Design #846 — Sparkling Tiers Knit Crochet Vest

This time, the designs are two crochet headbands.

What struck me when I revisited them was how useful small projects like these can be for learning and practicing intermediate crochet techniques. A headband gives you enough room to explore an interesting stitch pattern or construction technique without committing to an entire sweater, shawl or other large project.

And after all these years, I still like these designs.

I still like the colors. I still like the techniques. And, sadly, I still like the yarns! If Tilli Tomas Yarns were still available, I would put these headbands firmly in the MAKE category. I think the designs themselves have stood the test of time.

But the original yarns are no longer available, which means anyone making them today will need to choose substitutes.

So my verdict is:

MODIFY

Not because I want to change the designs.

I want to change the materials.

And I think that’s an important distinction in this series. “Modify” doesn’t have to mean there’s something wrong with an older design. Sometimes a pattern has survived beautifully while the world around it has changed. Yarns are discontinued. Companies close. Colors disappear. Materials evolve.

The design can still deserve another life.

In fact, revisiting these headbands made me realize that these patterns weren’t currently available individually in my free-pattern library. So rather than leave them buried in my archives, I’m bringing them back.

Below you’ll find both original crochet headband patterns, now available for free.

First Headband Instructions:

Materials:

• #1 fingering weight yarn
• D/3 crochet hook (3.25mm)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Gauge: 5 scs = 1”

Finished Size: 3” x 30”

Special Stitch Instructions:

Double Treble Crochet (Dtr): Wrap the yarn over the hook 3 times and insert the hook into the work (or sixth chain from hook). *Wrap the yarn over the hook and draw it through 2 loops.* Repeat from * to * 3 times to complete the stitch.

Beginning dtr cluster (ch6, 2dtr cluster): ch6 (counts as fi rst dtr), work 2dtr into 6th chain from hook, stopping one step short of completing each stitch (3 loops on hook). This petal will eventually point up and to the left from your starting chain. Dtr cluster: 3tr Cluster: work 3 dtr, keeping top loop of each on the hook and working the four loops off together, forming a cluster.

Hdc: Wrap the yarn over the hook and insert the hook into the work. Wrap the yarn over the hook, draw through the work only and wrap the yarn again. Draw through all three loops on hook.

Rsc: *Insert crochet hook into fi rst stitch to the right, yarn over hook, pull loop of yarn to front of work yarn over hook, and pull through both loops on hook. Repeat from * until all stitches are worked.

hdc2tog: work a hdc into the next stitch without completing the very last step (keep all three loops on hook), then hdc in the next stitch without completing the last step. You should have 5 loops on the hook, then yarn over and draw through all the loops.

Instructions:

Ch 78

Row 1: First petal: Work beginning cluster, skip next 5 chains of starting chain. Second petal: Work dtr-cluster into next chain (6 loops on hook – 3 each from beg cluster and dtr-cluster). This second petal will point down and to the left towards your starting chain. Complete these first two petals by drawing a loop snugly through all 6 loops, then tightly work one more chain to hold them together.

Note: This chain will be the flower center you will work the other petals into in the next row.

*Third petal (horizontal petal) is worked the same as the fi rst petal: work beginning cluster, leaving 3 loops left on hook. Fourth petal: Work a dtr cluster in the same space as second petal, leaving 3 loops left on

hook. Fifth petal: skip 5 ch spaces, work dtr cluster into next ch space, leaving 3 loops left on hook (9 loops total). Complete these three petals by drawing a loop snugly through all 9 loops, then tightly work one more chain to hold them together. Note: this chain will be the flower center you will work the other petals into in the next row.* Repeat from * to * to the end of the starting chain. Turn.

Row 2: Ch 11 (counts as dtr + ch5), work petal 4 (from row 1) into 1st stitch, and petal 5 into next stitch. *ch5, work petal 4 into same stitch, petal 5 into next stitch. Repeat from * across to last stitch. Ch5, dtr into same space.

Border:

Round 1: Work 6 sc into each ch5 space, (or from the side of each dtr at end of row) around entire piece. (180 scs)

Round 2: Work 1 sc into each stitch around, except place 3scs into each corner (4). (188 scs)

Round 3 – 4: Repeat round 2. (204 scs).

Ties:

Row 1: Working along one short side, hdc in each stitch across. (18 hdcs)

Row 2: Ch1, hdc in each stitch across.

Row 3 – 14: Repeat row 2

Row 15: Ch1, hdc2tog, sc across to last 3 sts: hdctog, hdc. (16 hdcs)

Row 16 – 18: Ch1, hdc across.

Row 19 – 30: Repeat rows 15 –18 three more times. (10 hdcs)

Repeat rows 1 – 30 for second short side.

Finishing:

Work 1 round of rsc around entire perimeter of headband. Fasten off. Weave in loose ends.

Second Headband Instructions:

Materials:

• #4 worsted weight yarn
• #6 super bulky weight ribbon yarn (or 1/2 in ribbon)
• K/10.5 crochet hook (6.5 mm)
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Gauge: 3 sts = 1”

Finished Size: 3” x 20”, not including ties

Special Stitch Instructions:

Mesh Stitch Pattern, Multiple: even # of sts

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each chain to end, turn.

Row 2: ch1, skip 1st sc, *skip 1 sc, 1hdc in next sc, 1 hdc in space between last 2 sts worked, repeat from *, ending 1 hdc in ch1, turn.

Row 3: ch1, skip fi rst hdc, sc in back loop of eac hdc, ending 1 sc in ch1, turn.

Repeat rows 2 and 3.

Instruction:

Ch 62

Rows 1 – 7: work rows 1 – 3 of mesh stitch pattern once, work rows 2 – 3 of mesh stitch pattern two more times. Fasten off. Weave in loose ends.

Finishing:

Cut 12 strips of super bulky weight ribbon yarn 24” long. Holding 4 pieces together, weave them through the holes of row 2.

Holding 4 more pieces together, weave them through the holes of row 4, alternating the position of the weaving. Holding the last 4 pieces together, weave them through the holes of row 6, weaving them in

the same position of row 2. Trim ends evenly.

About Kristin Omdahl

Kristin Omdahl is an author, designer, and lifelong maker with more than 20 years of experience creating crochet and knit patterns,  books, tutorials, recipes, and creative projects. With more than 1,000  designs published worldwide, her work blends creativity, technique, curiosity, and a love of storytelling.

She is the host of The Kristin Omdahl Show, where she shares the creative process behind what she’s making, explores ideas and rabbit holes, revisits more than two decades of creative work, and finds inspiration in everything from yarn and color to recipes, math, travel, and everyday life.

Kristin is also the author of The Sea Glass Journal, a novel about creativity, self-discovery, and beginning again, set against the beauty of coastal living. Its world continues to inspire many of the recipes, patterns, projects, and stories she shares.

Explore The Kristin Omdahl Show, more than 1,000 knit and crochet patterns, tutorials, recipes, books, and more at KristinOmdahl.com.

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