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HOW TO MAKE

Princess Leia CROCHETED hair hat/wig

*for personal use only*

I received a commission to make a hat a friend saw with a knitting pattern. Well, I don't know how to knit. I decided I could create a crochet pattern to accomplish the task. I share it here with you and the link to the original website where the idea came from, for all you knitters out there. Knit pattern HERE.

First, choose a skull cap pattern you like to make. There are dozens of free skull cap patterns available and I would simply be posting someone else's pattern. You can also search for chemo crocheted caps and find patterns as well. I've donated work to this cause before and you might like to find one of those sites for your pattern and contribute to someone who needs a CHEMO CAP.

Use TWO skeins of medium/dark brown yarn holding strands together(double strand crochet) I have broken this down into a number of photographed steps but many of the steps just take a minute to complete.

STEP ONE: Crochet skull cap, finish off and set aside.

Again, work from the same TWO skeins of medium/dark brown yarn holding strands together, for the BUNS.

STEP TWO: Begin creating your Leia Bun rolls using a size "I" hook or hook that gives you a gauge of 4 inches across, working 10 DC (double crochet) stitches for each ROW.

START PATTERN: Chain 10, *turn, DC in first chain and 9 more DC's across* for first ROW. Measure: should be 4 inches long. Turn and repeat * until you have completed 30 ROWS.(Do not tie off) You will make TWO strips but do them one at a time unless you like to tie off your work and rejoin yarn. note: you may be tempted to make about 5 ROWS of 50 DC's to approximate the long narrow ROW; however, it will not naturally curve as nicely for the bun and make the following steps more difficult.

Strip complete. 30 Rows.

Fold Strip.

Cut yarn at 7 times length of strip.

Knot off end with yarn length attached.

Fold strip and begin slip stitching

Use double stranded yarn to slip stitch length of strip.

Join more yarn if necessary and leave tails. Stuff them when done stitching length of strip.

Use smooth blunt end of hook to stuff tails and ends in.

Use larger smooth object to stuff tube with yarn.

Work in small bunches, repeating until the tube is stuffed to within last inch.

Stuffed tube completed.

Completed tube rolled into a bun coil.

STEP THREE: With the yarn still attached pull about 7-8 times the length of the strip loose from the skeins (still attached). In the photo, I only pulled 3 lengths the first try and had to join more yarn (this is not a problem if you must join but easier to do it all in one piece). I'll show 'joining' photos, in the even this happens for you.

STEP FOUR: Cut the yarn from the skeins and pull the ends through the last stitch you made on the strip and knot off, leaving long yarn dangling.

STEP FIVE/SIX: To create a tube, fold the strip with the right sides OUT. It looks more like braided hair on the right side. You'll be able to tell by looking but if not, it should be

the side where your beginning tail is hanging on the right. Holding folded strip together, begin working a SL ST (slip stich) across that end and all the way down the length of the strip. Do not SL ST the end pieces together at the beginning of the strip.

STEP SEVEN: Tuck the tail from that end into the hole and SL ST this end closed. Tie off and tuck any loose ends inside with the round end of your hook or any other smooth object that will not widen your stitches or snag the yarn.

STEP EIGHT: If you had to join yarn along the strip, go back now and tuck the ends in where they meet the SL ST edge.

STEP NINE: Wrap single strand of yarn around your hand approximately a dozen times, cut, bunch up and stuff into open end of tube. Find an object that is smooth and long to help with stuffing. I chose to stuff the tubes with the same color yarn so no white fuzzy stuffing poked through. You must stuff it in small handfuls though and will need something like the large plastic crochet hook shown. As you stuff squeeze tube to be sure you have no gaps in stuffing and that the tube isn't too full. Do not stretch the stitches out. Leave approximately one inch (one DC row) empty at the open end.

STEP TEN: Your tube should have a natural curl to it now with the seam in the center.

Start with the closed end and tightly coil the tube, keeping the seam on the inside of the coil, hold the open end flat against the coiled bun. This will be the size of your finished bun. You may wish to wait to sew the coil together until you complete the second strip/tube to be sure you have equal sized stuffing. Then hold the closed end and wrap the tube one rotation and begin stitiching on the 'inside' of the coil that will be sewn to the hat. Use double stranded yarn and a yarn needle. Keeping the coil held tight, keep wrapping and sewing until you reach the open end of the coil. Finish it off by sewing across the open end of the coil, joining it to the bun under it. I checked the 'outside' visable side of the coil/bun as I sewed it together, pushing the coil out just a bit as I sewed to give it dimension, instead of making it flat.

FINISH: To finish the Leia hair hat, place it on your head and hold one coil/bun on the side to gauge placement. Hold your finger in place or mark it carefully and remove. Use double stranded yarn and yarn needle and begin on the inside of the hat, sewing through to the outside attaching the bun all the way around. I went around the bun twice. Repeat for the other bun, making sure you use the same tension sewing to give the buns a uniform look. ENJOY! And May the FORCE BE WITH YOU!