I’m participating in the third annual Giftstravaganza Blog Hop with Underground Crafter. Come join the fun! 33 bloggers have teamed up to bring you 33 days of free crochet patterns for handmade holiday gift ideas made with 1, 2, or 3 skeins of yarn!
Each pattern is forever free on a blog but you can also grab the PDF version of the daily featured pattern free for 24 hours! Each week will have a theme. Find the Ravelry coupon code that will be valid ONLY on 10/11/2024 to get your free Samara Headband PDF below under the link to Ravelry.
Week 1 (November 1-7): Gifts for Home
Week 2 (November 8-14): Gifts for Women
Week 3 (November 15-21): Gifts for Babies, Kids, and Teens
Week 4 (November 22-28): Gifts for Anyone
Week 5 (November 29-December 3): Last-Minute Gifts
We’ve partnered with 11 fabulous craft companies to bring you great prizes! Find out more information about participating bloggers, the schedule, and how to enter to win the prizes on Underground Crafter. The deadline for entering the giveaway for your chance to win a prize from CozyNorthWoods, Crochet Foundry, Cutpie Studio, GlassEyesOnline, KennyClayCo, KnitPal, Knitter’s Relief Balm, lesliewind, MBT Creates, Unicorn, or Walnut Farm Designs is Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
How To Join the 2024 Giftstravaganza Blog Hop
- You can join in by crocheting the projects as you have time.
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- By the end of the blog hop, you’ll have up to 33 awesome gifts for the handmade holiday season while having fun with us!
Visit Underground Crafter to learn more about the prizes, enter the giveaway, and to get links to each Giftstravaganza Blog Hop pattern as it is released.
Introduction
The Samara Headband is an easy beginner-friendly Tunisian crochet headband/ear warmer with a central braided travelling cable pattern. It is worked flat and seamed at the end using worsted weight yarn, which makes it a great functional accessory that is the perfect gifting option! You can make it in an evening or two and make it a last-minute present. Natural fibers, in particular wool or merino wool are recommended for this pattern as they are a great option for wearing close to skin and make the cable stand out.
You can purchase the add free PDF version of the pattern at LoveCrafts here and Ravelry here.
Use code GiftUCC2024 in my Ravelry store got get your Samara Headband PDF download. Please note this will be only valid for 1 download per user on 10 November 2024.
Last updated: 09/11/2024
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Please NOTE that this pattern is subject to copyright and is my intellectual property. The online version is for personal use only. Do not re-publish or sell this pattern in part or full or make video tutorials of it. Any such actions are a breach of copyright and can result in legal action.
Skills required:
To create this beautiful braided cable headband you will need to master (or already know) these stitches and techniques:
Chain (ch), Tunisian crochet technique (alternating forward (FP) and return (RP) passes), Tunisian purl stitch(tps), Tunisian knit stitch (tks), Tunisian crochet cables (C3F, C3B, C4R, C4L), binding off in Tunisian crochet, blocking, Locking Mattress Stitch.
Skill level:
Finished measurements:
The final braided cable headband measurements (blocked):
11 cm wide and 53.5 cm circumference (approx. 4.25” wide and 21“ circumference)
Materials and tools
Yarn:
To get the exact look as on the pictures of my braided cable headband, you will need:
- Hazel Knits (100% Superwash merino | worsted weight (cadence) | 110 g (3.9 oz) = 183 m (200 yds)),
1 hank in Penny Loafer
Weight used for the headband: 65-70 g
- Tunisian crochet hook 5.5 mm (I/7) with cable (at least 10 cm (4”)) or size to obtain the gauge
- Cable needle
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
Other yarn alternatives:
Please always swatch when substituting yarn:
Knit Picks/ We Crochet Swish Worsted
Berroco Ultra Wool
For further alternatives, please see:
Hazel Knits Cadence | Substitutes
You can get your craft supplies here.
Tools and notions:
Tunisian crochet hook 5.5 mm (I/7) with cable (at least 10 cm (4”)) or size to obtain the gauge
Cable needle
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Gauge:
Blocked Gauge:
19 sts x 14 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) over st pattern
The gauge is essential for this project, as it impacts the circumference of the headband and therefore the fit.
Gauge helps you to understand how the project turns out in terms of the final size. If you would like to achieve the exact size of the final project as in the instructions above, you gauge needs to match exactly to the above.
If you get more stitches and/or rows than stated above using the exact hook size as per instructions, your final project will turn out smaller. Conversely, if you get less stitches and/or rows than stated above using the exact hooks size as per instructions, your final project will turn out bigger.
To make adjustments, if you get more stitches and/or rows, you can try using bigger hook size to get closer to the desired size. Conversely, if you get less stitches and/or rows, you can try using smaller hook size to get closer to the desired size.
It may take trial and error to try out a few hook sizes to achieve the exact size.
Alternatively, if you really don’t want to make several samples to achieve the desired size, you can try to alter your tension as you work the project. However, I would advise to try this out once you master the basics of Tunisian crochet as it may be a bit tiresome to try to master the basics of Tunisian crochet and focus on alternating your tension while working the project.
If this braided cable headband is your first Tunisian crochet project and are not sure if this project matches your skills, I have a Tunisian crochet masterclass tutorial that will jump-start your Tunisian crochet journey!
Stitch guide:
Tunisian crochet stitches are worked in 2 steps; forward and return pass from right to left, with the number of sts (lps) increasing on the hook during the forward pass and decreasing during the return pass.
Return pass is worked in the same way for all stitches (rows of sts) used in this project as follows: 1 ch, *yrh, draw through 2 lps on hook, rep from * until 1 lp on hook.
Edge stitches:
Right edge stitch- This is the first lp on hook and counts as first st unless otherwise stated.
Left edge stitch- This st is referred to in the pattern as the End Stitch (ES) and is crocheted as follows: Rotate the end of the fabric towards yourself, insert the hook under both bars (left and right) of the last st, yrh and pul.
Tunisian crochet stitches:
- First row of Tunisian crochet: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul across.
- Tunisian purl stitch (tps): Bring yarn to the front on the work and hook, insert the hook from right to left under the front vertical bar of the next st, yrh and pul.
- Tunisian knit stitch (tks): Insert the hook from front to back between the front and back vertical bar, yrh and pul.
- C3B: This cable is worked over 6 stitches; tks in next 3 sts, place these 3 lps on cable needle and hold at the back of work, tks in next 3 sts, slide first 3 lps from cable needle back on hook crossing the second 3 lps.
- C3F: This cable is worked over 6 stitches; tks in next 3 sts, place these 3 lps on cable needle and hold at the front of work, tks in next 3 sts, slide first 3 lps from cable needle back on hook crossing the second 3 lps.
- C4L: This cable is worked over 4 stitches, tks in next 3 sts, place these 3 lps on cable needle and hold at the front of work, tps in next st, slide first 3 lps from cable needle back on hook crossing the tps.
- C4R: This cable is worked over 4 stitches, tps in next st, place this lp on cable needle and hold at the back of work, tks in next 3 sts, slide first lp from cable needle back on hook crossing the 3 tks.
Bind off:
Tunisian knit stitch bind-off (Tks BO): * Insert hook from front to back between the front and back vertical bar, yrh, pul and pull through the loop that is on the hook (1 lp remains on the hook); rep from * to ES, bind-off ES.
Special techniques:
Locking Mattress Stitch – Place the project WS down (RS facing) with edges aligned side by side. Stitches will be worked through the top lps of each edge.
- Start the seam by inserting the needle from left to right through the first stitches of both panels at the bottom.
- Move one stitch up on the right side, insert the needle from right to left and continue to the first stitch on the left side (the one already worked into).
- Move one stitch up on the left side, insert the needle from left to right and continue to the last stitch worked into on the right side.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 to end.
Abbreviations:
| Abbreviations for braided cable headband: | |
| approx.- approximately | pul- pull up a loop |
| C3B- cable 3 over 3 at the back | rep- repeat |
| C3F- cable 3 over 3 at the front | RP- return pass |
| C4L- cable 3 over 1 at the front | RS- right side |
| C4R- cable 1 over 3 at the back | st(s)- stitch(es) |
| ch- chain | tfs- Tunisian full stitch |
| dec- decrease | tks- Tunisian knit stitch |
| FP- forward pass | tps- Tunisian purl stitch |
| lp(s)- loop(s) |
Samara Stitch chart:
Notes:
- The braided cable headband if worked with RS facing from right to left and from bottom up.
- Similar worsted weight yarns may be substituted; please check gauge.
- Number of loops on hook equals number of stitches for counting.
Instructions:
Braided Cable Headband
Chain 20.
Row 1 FP: Insert the hook in the back bump of second ch from hook, yrh and pul across. 20 lps on hook.
Row 1 RP and all other RPs: Standard RP.
Row 2: Tks in next st, tps in next 2 sts, C4L, C4R, C4L, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next st, ES. (Row 1 of Samara stitch chart).
Row 3: Tks in next st, tps in next 3 sts, tks in next 6 sts, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next 3 sts, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next st, ES. (Row 2 of Samara stitch chart).
Row 4: Tks in next st, tps in next 3 sts, C3B, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next 3 sts, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next st, ES. (Row 3 of Samara stitch chart).
Row 5: Rep Row 3.
Row 6: Tks in next st, tps in next 2 sts, C4R, C4L, C4R, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next st, ES. (Row 5 of Samara stitch chart).
Row 7: Tks in next st, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next 3 sts, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next 6 sts, tps in next 3 sts, tks in next st, ES. (Row 6 of Samara stitch chart).
Row 8: Tks in next st, tps in next 2 sts, tks in next 3 sts, tps in next 2 sts, C3F, tps in next 3 sts, tks in next st, ES. (Row 7 of Samara stitch chart).
Row 9: Rep Row 7.
Pattern repeat
Rows 10-73: Rep Rows 2-9.
Row 74: Tks BO.
Fasten-off.
Finishing:
Weave in all ends and block the braided cable headband to final measurements as above.
- Lay headband horizontally with RS facing.
- Fold short edges in so that they align side by side.
- Work the Locking Mattress Stitch through all stitches from bottom up.
- Weave in ends from seaming.
- Turn inside out.
I would love to see and share your work on social media, use #samaraheadband or #exquisitecrochetuk.
Pattern support: exquisite.crochet.uk@gmail.com
Further resources:
Pattern video tutorial for this braided cable headband:
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You can purchase the add free PDF version of the pattern at LoveCrafts here and Ravelry here.
Did you enjoy the Samara Headband pattern? Why not try my other crochet headband and hat patterns patterns:
Thank you so much if you got this far in the pattern! I hope you got inspired for your own version using different colours. I can’t wait to see it! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram and let me know in the comment section below how you got on with it! As always, if you have any pattern query, the quickest way to get it answered is by emailing me on the pattern support email address above.
Happy crocheting!
