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Today is my mom’s birthday! She should be 60 today, but she went home to Jesus a few years ago. Still, this year I sort-of made her a present. I purchased some Lion Brand Comfy Cotton yarn a few weeks back. By chance, the colors in stock that day were red, white and blue. I started thinking of what kind of patriotic item I could create, and then I remembered that my mom had always decorated herself for the 4th of July. Then I knew exactly what to make.
When she was little, my mom thought that the 4th of July fireworks were for her birthday. She always loved Independence Day because of that, and she liked to wear clothing with the American flag pattern during the month of July. (Fun fact I learned a couple of years ago: America is the only country where its citizens wear their flag as clothing. People in other countries find us weird.)
She also bravely fought cancer for 10 years, and lost her hair 3 different times while going through chemotherapy. Did she wear a flag on her bald head in July? Oh, yes she did. My mom was a true fashionista, and almost always dressed up even if she was just going to the grocery store. I remember her spending hours on her hair when I was growing up. She had buckets of hair accessories, always wanting to stand out from the crowd. I think she would have loved this headband I made her. I love the way it looks, and as an added bonus, it works up really quickly!
The Stars and Stripes Headband is my first pattern using my signature Dolphin Stitch. I love this stitch because of its texture and versatility. This stitch is easy to master, works up quickly, and is already loved by hundreds of crocheters. If you are a visual person when it comes to learning a new stitch, please watch my tutorial video:
And now, presenting the Stars and Stripes Head Wrap:
Materials:
Lightweight (3ply) yarn in cotton or cotton blend. I used Lion Brand Comfy Cotton Blend in Poppy (Color A), Whipped Cream (Color B) and Spectrum (Color C), less than 1 ball of each
5mm crochet hook
Yarn needle for weaving in ends
Stitch markers (optional)
Abbreviations Used:
ch- chain
dc- double crochet
yo- yarn over
st(s)- stitch(es)
Special Stitches:
The Dolphin stitch is a modified cluster of tc, dc, hdc, and sc across 4 sts:
Yo 2x, insert hook, yo, pull up a loop,[yo, pull through 2loops] twice. (2 loops on hook)
Yo, insert hook in next st, (or in ch- space if indicated) yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops. (3 loops on hook)
Yo, insert hook in next st, (or in ch- space if indicated) yo, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook)
Insert hook in next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through all 6 loops, ch 1 to complete stitch.
Gauge:
5 Dolphin st +ch3 spaces = 4.5”. Two rows of Dolphin sts = 1”
Finished wrap measures 41” long by 3.5” wide. If you want to adjust the width, you can add or subtract rows in the Stripes section in multiples of 2. If you want to adjust the length, you can add or subtract rows from the Stars section. Just make sure you do it the same on both ends!
Pattern instructions: (worked in rows)
Stripes:
Ch3 at the beginning of row counts as a dc.
Row 1: With Color A, ch103, begin Dolphin stitch in 3rd ch from hook. *ch3, Dolphin stitch over next 4 chs * repeat across to last ch. dc in last ch, turn. (25 Dolphin sts, 2dc, 25 ch3 spaces)
Row 2: Ch3, *Dolphin st in ch3 space, anchoring last st in Dolphin stitch below, ch3* to last st. Dc in last ch3 space, turn. (25 Dolphin sts, 2dc, 25 ch3 spaces)
Rows 3-4: With Color B, repeat row 2
Rows 5-6: With Color A, repeat row 2
Rows 7-8: With Color B, repeat row 2. Tie off after row 8, weave in all ends.
Stars:
Ch3 at the beginning of row counts as a dc.
Ch1 at the beginning of a row does not count as a st.
Row 1:Turn project 90°, join Color C and sc17 across edge ( I did 2sc in each ch3 space and one in the last st), turn. (17sc)
Row 2: Ch1, sc in each st across, turn.
Row 3: ch4 (counts as dc plus ch1) skip st at base of ch and next st, dc in 3rd st, *ch1, sk next st, dc in next* repeat from *to* across to end, turn. (9 dc and 8 ch)
Rows 4-7: repeat rows 2-3, twice
Row 8: repeat row 2
Rows 9-22: repeat rows 2-8, twice.
Tie off, attach yarn on opposite end and repeat rows 1-22
FINISHING: With color c, sc around entire project. Tie off and weave in ends.
I hope you had as much fun crocheting this head wrap as I did designing it!
For another fun patriotic project, see my friend Courtney’s bracelet pattern HERE!
