How to Make an Extra Large Pom Pom Headband

My mom taught me how to make yarn pom poms as a kid.  It was always fun spinning the yarn around and around and the cutting the ends to form small balls.  To make large pom poms you basically do the same thing but you have to spin the yarn around many more times.  I used a 4 inch piece of cardboard and spun the yarn around about 200 times.  Carefully slide out the cardboard and tie the yarn in the center tightly.  Cut the two ends of the yarn so that each piece is no longer looped around. The pom pom may seem a bit floppy because it it large, so take a brush and brush the yarn gently.  This will fluff the pom pom and add more volume.  Alternatively you can put the pom pom in the dryer (but you have to be careful that you tied the pom pom tight or else the yarn will come loose and there will be lots of cleaning up!).  To attach the pom pom onto the headband I used a hot glue gun.  You could also add felt on the underside to give it more stability.

Instead of using a plastic headband you could crochet a headband like this.

Wrap cardboard with yarn around 200 times.  This large pom pom is 4 inches in diameter.  

Slide out yarn carefully.  I bent the cardboardso it will slip right off.

Tie the center and trim the ends

The pom pom may look floppy.

Use a hair brush and brush the pom pom to fluff.

Wrap yarn around headband securing with hot glue.

Make two pom poms and attach to headband.

My little munchkin with her headband.

Crochet Minnie Mouse Inspired Headband

I have so many hobbies and not enough time.  I love picking up new hobbies, but with each new hobby comes new supplies.  Crocheting has always been a love of mine, but because projects take so long I rarely start a project.  Avery has been watching a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV lately.  She loves the short skits of "Minnie's Bowtique"  This Minnie Mouse inspired crocheted headband was a simple project and only took me an hour to complete.  I didn't use a pattern I just started crocheting in rounds using a stitch my aunt taught me.   I have written up the pattern below, but bear with me this is the first time I'm writing a crochet pattern.

hook: H-8 US

Approximate head size chart for babies to adult:

0-3 mo   13-15 inches
3-6 mo   15-17 inches
6-12 mo 17-19 inches
1-3 yrs   18-20 inches
4+ yrs    19-22 inches
Adult      21-23 inches

Stitches:
ch = chain
ch-1 sp = chain-1 space, the space formed when you crocheted a chain stitch in the previous row
sc = single crochet
st = stitch

hdc = half double crochet

Headband:

Chain to length specified above.  (For mine I did chain 75 for a 3 month headband)
Join with sl st, ch 2 (be sure your chain is not twisted) 
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook. [ch 1, skip next ch, sc in next ch.] Repeat across entire row. Join with a sl st.
Row 2: ch1, [sc in the next ch-1 sp, ch 1.] Repeat the sequence in across the rest of the row. Join with sl st.

Repeat Row 2 until desired width.

Bow:

Chain 18

Row 1: Hdc in third chain from hook, and in each chain across. Turn.

Rows 2-6 Chain 2, half double crochet in closest stitch and in each all the way across, turn.

Take finished rectangle and pinch in the middle. Spin yarn around center to form bow.  Double knot, leave extra yarn to attach bow onto headband. Attach bow or flower using embroidery needle.

For flower I used a variation of the pattern below:

http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet/Flower-Embellishment-Crochet-Pattern#