Needlecrafts Crochet Intermediate Crochet

Vintage Snood Crochet Patterns

By
Kathryn Vercillo
Kathryn Vercillo, contributing writer
Kathryn Vercillo
Kathryn Vercillo is an award-winning crochet expert who has designed patterns and written about the craft of crochet for over a decade. Kathryn has authored three books, "Crochet Saved My Life," "Hook to Heal," and "Mandalas for Marinke," and she is a columnist for the digital crochet site Happily Hooked.
Learn more about The Spruce Crafts' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/06/19
Close-up of hands doing crochet
Peter Carruthers / Getty Images

Crocheted hair snoods and hair bun covers are not something that the average person would wear today. Nevertheless, there is a big call for them. They may be used in dance, for costumes or by people who love to incorporate vintage fashion into their wardrobe. This article covers a little bit of the history of the hair snood and offers links to ten crochet snood patterns.

History

The snood is basically a hairnet that covers a woman's hair bun. They were especially popular in style during the medieval and Renaissance period. They made a revival in the late 19th century when they were specifically worn by unmarried women throughout Europe. During World War II, hair snoods once again made a fashion revival. As aforementioned, the snood typically covers the hair bun; the covering may be held low or high on the head. The snood may be made in any material but it is typically lace and often made in crochet.

Recent Fashions

Snoods have been spotted on the runways in recent years. For example, Chanel sent models down the runway wearing crochet snoods in 2012. Designer Michael Kors had his first job in fashion at the age of 11 when he and a friend made and sold snoods to others. If the hair scrunchie can make a fashion comeback, then the snood can, too.

Crochet Patterns

Crochet snood patterns are often found in vintage magazines, including reproductions of such magazines now available through sites such as Etsy. The 1930s and '40s produced a great number of these patterns. Modern interpretations are also available with a handful of beautiful new crochet snood designs emerging in the 21st century.

  • 01 of 09

    Suzie's Snood

    Woman wearing a red crocheted hair snood
    Suzie's Stuff

    This is a simple crochet snood pattern offered for free from Suzie's Stuff. It uses basic crochet stitches worked in the round with size 10 thread. An elastic band is added to make the snood fit properly snugly on the hair. The designer notes that you can wear it low like a traditional snood or alternatively wear it high like a headband.

  • 02 of 09

    Large Snood

    Woman modeling a full-head hair snood
    Suna Kendall

    Crochet designer Suna Kendall says that this snood, named Snood-tastic, "was made to act as a hair net to hold curly hair in a scrunched-up position while drying, but also works as a traditional snood to contain long hair when it’s driving you nuts." Like Suzie's Snood, this is a simple thread crochet snood worked in the round using thread. It is shaped a bit differently and looks a little bit like a modern slouch hat in comparison with other snood designs.

  • 03 of 09

    Treble Snood

    Woman wearing a large crocheted hair snood
    KnottyMom

    KnottyMom designed this crochet snood very similarly to the one by Suna Kendall in that it is an openwork design worked in the round that can be used as a hairnet. The design is even more open in this case because it uses taller crochet stitches. This particular design is worked in yarn instead of thread. Those people who are uncomfortable working with small thread crochet hooks may find that this is a good snood pattern to practice with.

  • 04 of 09

    Vintage 1940s Snood

    Vintage photo of a woman wearing a snood
    Australian Women's Weekly

    The vintage 1942 crochet pattern for this snood was published in Australian Women's Weekly and is now available online through the Trove newspaper archives. It is a thread crochet snood that is made in a unique design with the appearance of a bow at the top of the head. Adorable feminine and fun, this is a good pattern to use if you want to make a period piece or a costume snood.

    Continue to 5 of 9 below
  • 05 of 09

    Starburst Snood

    Woman wearing a snood with a starburst pattern
    Chez Maddy

    Chez Maddy created this snood pattern to complement a Renaissance-era costume. It is a pretty starburst design that might also work with contemporary clothing. It is a simple nine-round crochet pattern.

  • 06 of 09

    Headband Snood

    Woman wearing a snood with attached headband
    Kathryn White

    People who are seeking a contemporary snood design may find that it is best to look for headband snoods. This one is a headband that looks just like any other headband from the front but then when you turn around you can see that it holds a low bun in place at the back of the head. It's a smart design, and it is offered as a free download on Ravelry from Kathryn White.

  • 07 of 09

    Ballet Bun Cover

    Girl wearing a fuzzy bun cover
    Craftination

    The contemporary version of the hair snood is the bun cover, most frequently seen on dancers in the ballet. This version is a crochet bun cover that can be made using eyelash yarn for a fuzzy, pretty design. The same pattern could be work in a yarn with more stitch definition if fuzzy novelty yarn isn't your thing. This free pattern is from Craftination.

  • 08 of 09

    Mehndi Snood

    Woman wearing a bun cover with a square design
    NyanPon

    NyanPon created this design in the style of beautiful mendhi designs. The final steps are crocheted around a hairband to make it an elastic design that will fit over a hair bun. It works as a tight bun cover or a modern crochet snood. Once you understand how the steps work, you could adapt any small square, round or floral pattern to make a snood in a similar way.

    Continue to 9 of 9 below
  • 09 of 09

    Doily Bun Cover

    Girly wearing bun covers made from doilys

    Wendy Harbaugh / Sunshine's Creations

    Wendy Harbaugh of Sunshine's Creations offers a great tutorial for using crochet to turn any doily into a hair bun cover or hair snood. This allows you to use any doily design of your choosing—or any round design for that matter, such as a mandala design or a large coaster design—and adapt it with some simple techniques and the addition of an elastic band so that it can be worn as a hair accessory. This is a detailed tutorial with photos.