Shell Path Headband Free Pattern

An Original Design by Sandi Marshall

Shell stitches form an openwork design on the front of this headband, while ribbing rows give the headband some stretch for a comfortable fit.

Materials Used In This Example
Worsted weight yarn in the following colors:
Color A - Cream
Color B - Red Heart Fiesta Color No. 6661 Meadow
US size G hook

Finished Size: 2 1/4 inches wide on shell stitch portion and 2 inches wide on ribbing rows x 18 1/2 inches long before sewing end together (this length fits an average size adult female head. You may need to adjust the finished length to fit the size head of the person you are making the headband for)

Gauge: 7 ribbing rows = 2 inches, 9 sc on ribbing rows = 2 inches
Note: Individual gauge is not crucial on this project. The important part is the finished length (to fit the size head of the person you are making this for) and the length can easily be adjusted by making fewer ribbing rows or more ribbing rows.

More of this Feature • Printer-Friendly Page     Related Resources • Single Crochet How To • Half Double Crochet • Double Crochet • Crochet In Chain Space • Back Loop Only • How To Weave In Ends • More How To Pages • Free Patterns Links

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
ea = each
hdc = half double crochet
rnd = round
sc = single crochet
sp = space
sl st = slip stitch
st = stitch

See the Related Resources box on the right for links to how-to pages for these stitches.

How To Slip Stitch (sl st) = Insert hook in stitch, wrap yarn over hook, pull yarn through the stitch and through the loop on the hook, at the same time. A slip stitch does not add any height and is used to join a chain or stitch to another place in the crochet piece. It can also be used to add a decorative ridge to an edge.

Crochet Around Post: This page on Post Stitches explains what part of a stitch is the post of the stitch. In this pattern, on the Outside Rounds, you will be working some of the single crochet stitches around the posts of double crochet stitches along the edges.

In this pattern a shell = (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) all worked in one same stitch

To Begin: Chain 8.
Row 1: dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in next ch, ch 2, dc in ea of next 3 ch.
Row 2: ch 3, skip 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the center ch-2 of shell of previous row. Skip last 3 dc of that same shell of previous row. (Refer to photo below to see how this looks.)
Rows 3 - 9: Repeat row 2.
At end of row 9, do not end off yet but continue in same color for Outside Rnd 1.

Following is a photo showing what the headband looks like with rows 1 through 8 completed:

Outside Rnd 1: Now working down the side of the piece, (ch 3, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp) 4 times, 2 sc around the post of the next dc, ch 1, sc in ea st across end, then working along opposite side: ch 1, 2 sc around post of next dc, (ch 3, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp) 4 times, ch 3, then working along end, dc in next dc, hdc in next dc, sc in next dc, sc in ch-2 sp, sc in next dc, hdc in next dc, dc in next dc, ch 3, sl st in first ch-3 sp along the side. End off.
Outside Rnd 2: Attach Color B in the first stitch on the end that is to the right of the side just ended. sc in ea st across the end, ch 1, then, working along side: 3 sc around post of first stitch on edge, (3 sc in next ch-3 sp, sl st in ea of next 3 sc) 4 times, sc in ea of next 3 sc, ch 1, sc in ea sc across end, then working along other side: ch 1, sc in ea of next 3 sc, (3 sc in next ch-3 sp, sl st in ea of next 3 sc) 4 times, 3 sc in next ch-3 sp, sl st in first st of this rnd.
Ribbing Row 1: ch 1, working in back loops only: sc in ea sc across the end. (9 sc)
Ribbing Rows 2 - 41 or until desired length is reached: sc in back loop only of ea sc across. (9 sc)
Before Joining: Try it around the head of the person who will be wearing it. Be careful not to stretch it too much when trying it on so that there will be some stretch left available in the ribbing rows for a comfortable fit. If it is too big, pull some ribbing rows back out until you have the right fit. If it is too small, add some more ribbing rows until you have the right fit.
To Join By Crocheting: Hold the right sides together of the two ends (so that you are working on the wrong side) and slip stitch in the front loops only of the rows (to keep the same ribbing look showing on the right side of the piece as you have on the first ribbing row).
Or ... To Join By Sewing: Using a large-eye yarn needle, thread a strand of yarn (of the same color as you used on the ribbing rows) on the needle and hand sew (with wrong sides facing you) through the front loops only of the two ends, to join.
When finished, end off. Weave in ends.

Copyright: This headband is my own original design. My example photos and my written instructions on this page are copyright 2005 by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc. Free for your own personal use only. You are welcome to link to this page but, per copyright law, do not place the actual content of the page on your own website; do not redistribute in any form! If others would like to have the instructions, please give them the URL of this page, so that they may come here for themselves. Thank you! Any reproduction or redistributing of the pattern instructions or pattern images on this page involves the written permission of both myself and About.com and involves the drawing up of legal paperwork detailing the specific permission to be granted, any fees for the requested use in reproducing or redistributing the pattern and signing of said legal paperwork by the parties involved. In light of the fact that having the exact same content on multiple websites can damage the original web site's standing with search engines, permission to reproduce on individual websites will not be granted. Permission for companies or publishers for print publication will be considered.
Copyright Myths Explained, U.S. Government Copyright Office - http://www.loc.gov/copyright
United States Copyright Law FAQ: http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html

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