Crocodile Headband

--> This is my Crocodile Headband.  I saw a picture of one and I thought, ‘I can make that!’ I had to find a few tutorials because none of them were specifically for the shape that I was after and I am new to the crocodile stitch.  EEK! I decided to go with a two tone color scheme. The example I saw was three-toned.  VERY CUTE! They had a different headband piece than I have. The example had an open headband… I like mine better… I am a bit prejudiced, I suppose. I finished mine in an evening and it probably would have gone faster if I wasn’t figuring out what I was doing as I was doing it.  It was all worth it though!  Here is how you do it.

A closeup of the lovely headband or earmuff... whatever.

1. Ch 6 and joint at the beginning of the round.

2. Ch 3, 4 DC through the ring, Ch 1, 5 DC.  This makes your first crocodile scale.

3. Ch 3 (counts as first DC), DC in next stitch, Ch 2 *Skip two stitches then 2 DC, Ch 2.  Repeat from * to make six posts. 

4. Ch 3 (Counts as first DC) DC 4 behind first post, Ch 1 then put 5 DC behind the other post, Ch 1.  *Skip middle two posts and put 5 DC behind the second to last post, Ch 1, 5 DC behind last post to make two scales.

5.  Ch 3, DC in next spot, *Ch 2, skip two stitches, 2 DC and repeat from * to the end.

7. Repeat Step 4 to make 3 scales.

6. In order to decrease the amount of Crocodile scales, Sl. St. over two spaces until you are just above the inside edge of the first scale on the previous row then repeat step 4.  Continue repeating these steps until you have Three sets of two and three sets of three. 

If you are having trouble with the crocodile stitch, there is an excellent tutorial on youtube. Check it out!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUNtrp_Vj4o

8. The next step is just to ensure that you have an even number of stitches for your puff stitch.  There needs to be a multiple of two. So just sc across the top row.  There should be 18 across the top.

9. For the puff stitch all you do is ch 3, YO, insert hook into first stitch that is not part of the ch, YO, pull through, YO, insert hook, YO and pull through again.  Once more! YO, insert hook, YO, and pull through one last time.  Then you YO once more and pull it through all the loops on your hook.  There should be 7 loops on your hook.  Continue this step through the row making sure to skip a stitch in between the puff stitches.  To finish off the row, make a DC in the last stitch.

10.  Repeat this for each row.  I did four rows of the same amount and then I decreased one puff stitch and that gave it a gradual thinning. I ended up with 44 rows of the puff stitch. 

To finish it off, sew on a button and weave in the ends.  I made my button.  I bought metal button pieces and covered them in fabric.  You can pick them up at any craft store.  Now that you are done, go try it on and admire how cute you look in your new crocodile headband!