Chunky Twisted Headband Crochet Pattern (Free)

With texture courtesy of the alpine stitch, this stylish twisted headband crochet pattern will keep your ears warm on chilly winter days.

Y’all already know I’m obsessed with the alpine stitch, so it should be no surprise that the Alpine Cowl has a matching twisted headband crochet pattern. Soon, there will be more items in the set because I’ve got a few more patterns prepped. You might be rolling your eyes, but I can’t help it! The texture created by the alpine stitch is unbeatable — I love it so much. 😭

woman with long blonde hair wearing a crocheted twist headband and touching her head

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Crocheted headbands are excellent transition pieces for fall and winter weather, especially since they’re more hairstyle-friendly than hats. Last year, I included a twisted earwarmer in the crochet newbie series, and it was a huge hit. A full year has gone by, but twisted headbands are still popular. Here’s another to hold you over until next year!

The chunky Alpine Twist Headband crochet pattern is a quick make, thanks to the super bulky yarn and big hook. You can finish a headband in under an hour, or even less if you’re a speedy crocheter.

This is an intermediate level crochet pattern due to the front-post dc stitches, but a confident beginner could totally tackle the fpdc and alpine stitch.

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Quick Gifts Blog Hop

Claire from E’Claire Makery is hosting a Quick Gifts Blog Hop this month. Each day for the whole month of November 2021, you can download a free quick gift PDF pattern. If you follow along for the whole blog hop, you’ll have patterns for beanies, headbands, home items, and even a crocheted shrug.

Blog hops can be a lot to keep track of, especially over the holidays, so Claire put together a heavily discounted pattern bundle to save you time. You can snag all 30 quick gift patterns for only $18 — this means no scrolling, hopping, or trying to remember to check the landing page.

image collage depicting 20 of the 30 patterns in the quick gifts blog hop

The Tools

The Alpine Twist Headband crochet pattern uses Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn from Lion Brand. It’s a #6 super bulky blend of wool and acrylic. Since it’s a chunky yarn, small projects (like this twist ear warmer pattern) work up FAST. It’s the main reason I love love love bulky and super bulky yarns.

If you’ve been following You Should Craft for a while, you’ll probably recognize the headband color (Mystical) from the Mystic Ripple Blanket and the Alpine Cowl. Mystical is a retired color, but it’s pretty similar to Glacier. A couple years ago, I snagged 15 skeins of it on sale for $1 each, and I’m down to my last two. Hopefully Lion Brand will have another hot sale soon, so I can refresh my stock.

A super bulky yarn calls for a big hook. I used an 8.0 mm Cookies n Cream Streamline Swirl from Furls Fiberarts. The Streamline Swirls are made of smooth resin, so there are no snags in the yarn. The thick, ergonomic handle helps me keep a loose, more comfortable grip and the hook glides through the yarn.

chunky blue crocheted twisted earwarmer and matching cowl on a fur background with text overlay "alpine twist headband - free crochet pattern from you should craft"

Share Your Twisted Headbands!

I love seeing what you’ve crocheted! Use #youshouldcraft to show off your WIPs and finished crochet headbands!

Regardless of your social media preferences, be sure to tag me (@youshouldcraft) in your posts so I can drool over your projects and re-share your work in my stories and on my feed!

And if you’re a Facebook person, share your work and connect with other crocheters in The You Should Craft Crochet Community FB group!

Supplies / Materials

Gauge / Size

4 x 4 inches: 7 rows of 8 stitches (following pattern)

Abbreviations / Techniques

woman smiling while wearing a twisted headband and matching cowl. text overlay reads "alpine twist headband - free crochet pattern from you should craft"

Pattern Notes

  • turning ch 1 is not counted as a stitch
  • ch 2 counts as dc in ROW 1
  • To customize the height, add or remove stitches in multiples of 2
  • To customize the width/circumference, add or remove rows in multiples of 2
  • Each set of 2 rows is a little more than one inch tall
  • All sizes are written into one pattern. It may be helpful to highlight the portions that relate to your size.
    • Stitch counts are written: (Baby, Toddler, Child, Adult S, Adult L)
    • Row counts are written: Baby (Toddler, Child, Adult S, Adult L)

Size Chart

Head sizes are based on the Craft Yarn Council standards. For more personalized measurements, here’s a quick tutorial for how to measure head circumference.

Note: The headband will stretch, so band sizes are 1-3 inches smaller than the corresponding head sizes.

size chart for the alpine twist headband pattern

Video Tutorial

A full video tutorial is available to help you crochet the Alpine Twist Headband.

Written Pattern

ch 8 (8, 8, 10, 10)
ROW 1: dc in third ch from hook, dc across (7, 7, 7, 9, 9)
ROW 2: ch 1 and turn, sc across (7, 7, 7, 9, 9)
ROW 3: ch 1 and turn, dc, *fpdc, dc* across (7, 7, 7, 9, 9)

hand holding a crochet hook and work-in-progress textured crochet headband

ROW 4: ch 1 and turn, sc across (7, 7, 7, 9, 9)
ROW 5: ch 1 and turn, 2 dc, *fpdc, dc* until last st, dc (7, 7, 7, 9, 9)
ROWS 6 – 21 (25, 29, 33, 37): Repeat ROWS 2 – 5
Trim yarn, leaving a 12 – 18 inch tail.

Creating the Twist

  • a. Lay the rectangular strip flat, with the textured side facing you. Pinch the corners on each side together to create “<” and “>” shapes.
  • b. Push the open “<” and “>” shapes together so the top of one side touches the bottom of the other side (and vice versa). This will create an “S” or “Z” shape.
  • c. Pinch the folded portions together and readjust so all the layers are the same height.
  • d. Using your tapestry needle and the long tail, sew the folded edges together, making sure your needle weaves through all four layers. Weave in the ends and flip the headband right-side out.
collage of four step-by-step images demonstrating how to create the twist in the alpine twist crochet headband

That’s all, y’all! When you finish making your crochet earwarmer, get started on the matching Alpine Cowl. It’s a chunky cowl crocheted with the same super bulky weight yarn. When you’ve got a headband and a cowl, you’ll be all set for winter weather. 😊

hand holding a chunky twisted earwarmer on a fur background. text overlay reads "alpine twist headband - free crochet pattern from you should craft"