Joy Headband Free Crochet Pattern

Inside – The Joy Headband is a free crochet pattern designed by Helen of Sunflower Cottage Crochet.

Do you live an outdoor lifestyle with your hair brushed back from your face all summer? Then, you will love this stylish crochet headband pattern! The Joy Headband, designed by Helen (Sunflower Cottage Crochet), invites you to play under the warm summer sun with elegance and grace. Learn more about Helen, her design, and the yarn I dyed for this free crochet pattern below.

Before we dive into learning all about Helen and her gorgeous headband pattern – I’d like to give her a HUGE shoutout and thank you! She is my first guest designer for the HDY Blog, and one of my dearest friends. We met through a crochet business class back in 2020, and our friendship grew beyond our shared love of yarn, and designing through the following years. We may live an ocean and continent apart, but I cherish her as a person and friend. Enjoy meeting, Helen of Sunflower Cottage Crochet.

About the Designer of the Joy Headband

Hi, I am Helen, the designer behind Sunflower Cottage Crochet.

I am married to Richard and we have one gorgeous daughter who is 11 going on 17 🤦‍♀️. We live on the north east coast of England, UK, with our 2 dogs and tortoise. I cannot imagine living anywhere else. Like Joanna, I love to read. My favourite authors are John Grisham, Karin Slaughter and Philippa Gregory and I will take an actual book over a kindle or tablet any day of the week.

I learned to crochet while I was revising for my exams aged 14. I found it was a great way for me memorise important dates and facts, especially for history and science. I would repeat information over and over while my hands and eyes were busy making super simple double crochet granny squares. By the end of my exams I had enough squares for one rather large blanket and I had well and truly mastered the double crochet and chains.

Because of how I learned to crochet (as a revision aid) I don’t feel the ‘peace’ and ‘calm’ that other crocheters say they experience when they crochet. For me crochet time is thinking time and I quite often have arguments and mull things over in my head

Yet, it wasn’t until my daughter was born that my creative juices started flowing – I was sewing again and learned to quilt, which I love doing. Crochet would wait for a couple more years until one day I had an inkling to pick up my hook again.

And I didn’t put it back down!

I was soon testing for other designers and one day was asked to design something as a quick CAL for a group I was part of. My first ever design was the Mixed Toffee Cowl just over 4 years ago. And the rest, as they say, is history!

With over 230 published patterns (even I am shocked at that number!!!) and many more coming your way this year, it seems that I am always finding inspiration from somewhere. Over the last few years I have been recording both right and left handed video tutorials and working hard to create great content for my blog. At the moment I probably most well known for organising my collaborative CALs.

Find Helen’s Beautiful Crochet Designs On…

Sunflower Cottage Crochet Website
Find Sunflower Cottage Crochet – Facebook Page
Follow Sunflower Cottage Crochet on Instagram
Browse the Sunflower Cottage Crochet Etsy Shop
Start a Crochet Project from the Sunflower Cottage Crochet Ravelry Store

Inspiration for the Joy Headband

The answer to this one is easy. My inspiration for this pattern is Joanna herself! Can’t you see her wearing this one on one of her hikes or when curled up in a corner somewhere reading a book?

So when I was thinking about the types of patterns that I thought you may like I thought about Joanna; her love of the outdoors, the easy style she has, and just how wonderful of a friend I consider her to be. She is a breath of fresh air just when you need it. I could get all soppy here but it would only embarrass Joanna and she would probably leave that part out of her post hehe.

The Joy headband idea just reminded me a little of Joanna – the lacy section for the breath of fresh air and her easy going nature, but it also has an understated elegance to it as a whole. And I chose to do the ribbed section to hold the band together over simple ties, to represent our friendship. Joanna has been there for me through some difficult times and certainly help me hold things together!

This headband would have been called the Joanna Headband, but for the fact that I have used the main stitch in this pattern in my Joy Wrap a couple of years ago. And if you know anything about me I like my ‘collections’. Rest assured, there will absolutely be a Joanna collection coming!

Ready to stitch up the Joy Headband? Scroll down for the free pattern, or purchase the ad-free, printable PDF pattern from Helen’s Etsy Shop, Ravelry Store, or Website Shop.

Crochet this Headband with a Hand Dyed Yarn

Using a hand dyed yarn for this crochet pattern elevates it. Helen gave me the opportunity to test this pattern for her, and I opted to make it in an forest green Trail Treasure skein I adopted into my stash a few years ago. Once I completed the headband in forest green, I knew… just KNEW.. I needed another one in a summer sky blue. So, I dyed up a batch of Summer Sky, and got to crocheting!

Making the Joy Headband in this color brought me so. much. JOY. Summer is this time of year I live for. Between the shorts, sandals, playing in creeks, and gardening.. it’s the season I find oodles and oodles of joy.

This batch is freshly dyed on a Cloudcroft DK yarn base. This yarn base is 100% Superwash Wool, and comes to 232yds/100g – plenty of yardage to make a headband (or 2!).

Do you want to make the Joy Headband in the Summer Sky Blue?
Click here to shop this yarn on Etsy.

Pattern Instructions

NOTE ABOUT THIS FREE CROCHET PATTERN :

Thank you for choosing this free pattern as part of your crochet journey! It’s an honor for you to be here, browsing the High Desert Yarn Blog. This pattern is 100% free for you to crochet from, but please, do not screenshot, or copy+paste this pattern. However, work directly from this webpage. The ad revenue from this website allows me to offer free crochet patterns. If you do not like the scrolling, or ads, then you may purchase the ad-free PDF in Helen’s Etsy Shop, Ravelry Store, or Website Shop. Thank you for your cooperation. Happy creating! -Joanna (Owner + Creative)

Materials

#3 weight yarn of your choosing – you will need approx. 100 yards
- Purchase the Summer Sky hand dyed yarn here.
4mm hook
Stitch markers (optional)
Scissors
Tapestry needle

Notes

Written in US terms.
Ch1 stitches at the beginning do not count as a st unless otherwise stated.
To amend the length of the main body of the headband adjust row 1 by multiples of 6.
To adjust the circumference of the headband it may be easier to adjust the sc blo section at the end of the pattern simply by making it longer or shorter to suit your requirements.

Gauge + Finished Size

My gauge was 12 sc wide per 2”. Height is not important for this pattern.

If you would like to work up a swatch,
Row 1: ch 31, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across.
Row 2: Turn, ch1, sc in first st and each st across.
Rows 3-10: Rep row 2.

My headband is approx. 19” in circumference by 2.75” wide when completed so it should fit most adult heads. To make it bigger it is probably easiest to simply make the ribbed section at the end longer to suit your needs.

Stitch Abbreviations

Ch(s) – chain(s)
St(s) – stitch(es)
rep – repeat
sk – skip
FSC – foundation single crochet
HDC – half double crochet
SC – single crochet
Dc – double crochet
Blo – back loop only
Sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
YO – yarn over
FO – fasten off

Special Stitches

Foundation Single Crochet (fsc)

You can find my tutorial on the foundation stitches (you will find the sc at about 23 mins into the videos). I find this has a more aesthetically pleasing finish than the chain starts to projects and it gives the project more movement.

Right Handed

Left Handed

Single crochet 2 together (sc2tog)

To work this stitch:

Insert hook into first indicated stitch, YO and pull through, insert hook into next stitch, YO and pull through, YO and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Written Instructions

Crochet the Main Body

Row 1 – FSC 79 OR CH 80, SC in second CH from hook and each CH across. Note: Row 1 should be 15” long.

Row 2 – Ch1, sc in the first st, *ch5, sk the next 5 sts, sc in the next st* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.

Row 3 – Ch1, sc in the first st *ch7, sk the ch5 sp, sc in the next sc from the previous row* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.

Row 4 – Ch1, sc in the first st, *ch7, sk the ch7 sp, sc in the next sc from the previous row* Repeat from * to * across. Turn.

Row 5 – Ch5 (counts as a dc, ch2), *sc over the ch7 spaces over the last two rows, ch5* Repeat from * to * across until you work the sc over the last set of ch7 sps, ch2, dc in the last st. Turn. Note: you will insert your hook under the ch7 sp from row 3 and work the sc so it nips together the two ch7 spaces from rows 3 and 4.

Row 6 – Ch1, sc in the first st, ch2, sk the ch2 sp from row 5, sc in the next st, *ch5, sk the ch5 sp, sc in the next st* Repeat from * to * until you reach the final ch2sp. Sk the final ch2 sp in row 5, ch2, sc in the third ch of the ch5 at the beginning of row 5. Turn.

Row 7 – Ch6 (counts as a dc, ch3),sk the ch2sp, sc in the next st*ch7,sk the ch5 sp,sc in the next st* Repeat from * to * until you have worked a sc into the last st before the ch2 sp from row 6, ch3, dc in the last st. Turn.

Row 8 – Ch1, sc in the first st, ch3, sk the ch3 sp from row 7, sc in the next st, *ch7, sk the ch7 sp from row 7, sc in the next st*. Repeat from * to * until you reach the last ch3 sp from row 7. Ch3, sc in the third ch of the turning chain from row 7. Turn.

Row 9 – Ch1, sc in the first st, sk the ch3 sp, *ch5, sc over the ch7 sp’s from rows 7 and 8* Repeat from * to *, sc in the last st. Turn. Note: you will work the sc over rows 7 and 8 as you did at row 5!

Row 10 – Ch1, sc in the first st, *5 sc in the ch5 sp, sc in next st* Rep from * to * across. Turn. Do not FO.

Edging the Main Body of Your Headband

Round 1 – Ch1, sc in each st across until you have 1 st remaining. Work 3sc in last stitch. Use a stitch marker to mark the second of these 3sc stitches.

Turn your work 90 degrees so you are working down the side of your headband. Sc evenly down the side (I worked 1 sc in each row but 2sc in the row that started with a ch3 or ended with a dc) until you have 1 st remaining. Work 3sc in last stitch. Use a stitch marker to mark the second of these 3sc stitches.

Turn your work 90 degrees so you are along the bottom of your headband. Work 1 sc in each st along until you have 1 st remaining on that side. Work 3sc in last stitch. Use a stitch marker to mark the second of these 3sc stitches.

Turn your work 90 degrees so you are working up the final side of your headband. Sc evenly up the side (I worked 1 sc in each row but 2sc in the row that started with a ch3 or ended with a dc) until you reach the stitch that you first worked into on this round. Work another 2sc in this st. Slip stitch to join.

Round 2 – Ch1, work 1 hdc in the first and each st until you reach the stitch marker. Work 3hdc in this st. *Turn your work 90 degrees. work 1 hdc in the first and each st until you reach the stitch marker. Work 3hdc in this st. * Rep from * to * 2 more times. Slip stitch to join, do not FO.

Now we will start to narrow each end of your headband ready for the ribbed fastening.

Row 1 – Turn, sc2tog over the first 2 sts, sc in each st across until you have 2 sts remaining, sc2tog across the last 2 sts.

Rows 2-5: Rep row 1 until you have 5 (or 6) sts in the row. FO and weave in ends. Note: this section will add approx. 1” to the width of your headband at each end, so it will measure approx. 17.25” wide in total.

Join yarn to the corner of the opposite side and repeat rows 1-5 above. Do not FO.

Row 6 – Turn, ch1, sc blo in each st across (5 or 6 sts)

Row 7 – Rep row 6 until your ribbed section is 2.25” long (or as long as desired). Do not FO.

Sew or slip stitch the end of your ribbed section to the 5 or 6 sts at the opposite end, making sure not to twist your project when doing so. FO and weave in ends.

Copyright Policy

You are free to use this crochet pattern to make and sell the final product, but do not republish or distribute this pattern in any way. DO NOT claim it as your own in part or in whole. Please give credit to Sunflower Cottage Crochet, as the designer, in your listings, on your blog, or social media platforms. All images are property of High Desert Yarn. Do not use any of these images as your own.