Puff Stitch Ear Warmer – Free Crochet Pattern

The Puff Stitch Ear Warmer works up quite quickly and has such fun, puffy texture! It also looks great in all different color combinations so you might be tempted to make them in every color, like I have been! Making ear warmers is so much fun because they can be so much quicker than other projects for more instant gratification! I hope you enjoy this crochet pattern and love making these ear warmers!

I have created a few video tutorials that might help you with this pattern, including how to make the puff stitches and the long single crochet stitches in this pattern, along with how to foundation double crochet and how to front post and back post double crochet. Be sure to check them out to help you along the way! The links are all in the important pattern notes below!

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The Puff Stitch Ear Warmer pattern is available for FREE on this website. If you’d like an ad-free, printable PDF version, you may purchase it for a small fee from my Etsy or Ravelry shops. Thank you so much for supporting Loops & Love Crochet!

Materials:

• Worsted-weight yarn – You can use any worsted-weight yarn for this project. For my ear warmers, I used a combination of Caron Simply Soft and Red Heart Soft yarn. The sparkle yarn is Caron Simply Soft Party. If you are substituting with another worsted-weight yarn, try to pick one comparable. If you go with a “thicker” worsted-weight (like Red Heart Super Saver and similar), you may need to change hook size or start with a longer chain/foundation to ensure it will fit properly. See the pattern notes below.
• 5.5 mm crochet hook – I love my Clover Amour hooks! (Note: I crochet a little on the tighter side and I used a 5.5 hook. If you crochet loosely, it might be a good idea to go down to a 5.0mm hook so your ear warmer isn’t too big. See important notes and foundation measurements for each size below).
• Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)

Stitches Used:

• Ch – chain
• Sl St – slip stitch
• SC – single crochet
• DC – double crochet
• FPDC – front post double crochet
• BPDC – back post double crochet
• FDC – foundation double crochet
• Long SC – long single crochet – this is the same as a normal SC stitch, but instead it is worked into the top of the stitch in the round below.
• Puff Stitch – Yarn over, insert hook into next stitch, pull up a loop, repeat this 3 more times (9 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Finish with a chain 1.

Gauge

• 7 DC stitches = 2 inches
• Finished ear warmer measures approx. 3 inches tall.

Important Notes:

• Unless otherwise noted in the pattern, the first stitch of the row/round will be worked in the same space as the chain 1 after the join.
• Chain stitches at the start of each round do not count towards stitch count.
• After the starting chain/foundation, this pattern is worked in joining rounds. When you finish the stitches of one round, you will join to the first stitch of the round with a slip stitch, chain 1 (or 2) and then start the next round of the pattern, beginning in the same stitch as the chain.
• Each size of this pattern includes the number of stitches in the starting chain or foundation, as well as how long (in inches) that starting chain or foundation should be.  If your gauge is different than the one listed in the pattern, use the measurement information instead of the stitches to help with sizes. In order for the stitches to work in this pattern, your starting chain or foundation needs to be an EVEN number of stitches.
• Color changes – I have outlined in this pattern when to make the color changes. I used two colors of yarn (one main color and one accent color) and left them attached to the project for the whole ear warmer. This makes color changes nice and easy because you can just pull up the new color when you need to join it in and you won’t have to weave in many ends as you go. If you’d prefer, you can always cut your yarn and weave in the ends as you go, joining in a new piece each time. For the color changes instructions, you’ll either see change color before joining or join at the end of the round in the new color.  If you are changing color at the end of the round before joining, this means that the last part of your last stitch is where the color change is made. You will complete the last stitch right up to the last yarn over and then yarn over in the new color and pull through the last part of the stitch. If you are joining in the new color at the end of the round, this means that when you work the joining slip stitch at the end of the round, you’ll insert your hook into the top of the first stitch as usual, but you will be pulling up the yarn in the new color and completing your slip stitch in the new color.
• Video Tutorials:
  • Foundation Double Crochet (photo and written tutorial HERE)
  • Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC) and Back Post Double Crochet (BPDC)
  • Puff Stitch Ear Warmer Video Tutorial (for the puff stitches and long SC stitches that make up the body of this pattern).

The Pattern

Below are the number of starting foundation/chain stitches needed for each size of Puff Stitch Ear Warmer. Each round should have the same number of stitches as your starting stitch count.

Toddler (ages 1-3): 54 stitches (approx. 16”)

Child (ages 4-12): 56 stitches (approx. 16.5”)

Teen/Small Adult: 60 stitches (approx. 17.5”)

Adult: 62 stitches (approx. 18-18.5”)

Row/Round 1: FDC the number of stitches needed for the size you are making (see above). Join with a slip stitch to the top of the first FDC stitch. Make sure you keep the correct (front) side of the work facing out. Chain 2.  There will be a gap at the bottom where the band is not connected (see photo tutorial). You can use your yarn needle to sew it together now or leave it until the end.

*If you prefer to start with a chain rather than the foundation stitches, the instructions are:

Chain to your desired number of stitches (see size guide or my gauge). Chain 2 more, DC in 3^rd chain from hook and in each stitch across. Join to top of first DC with a slip stitch. Chain 2. Continue with pattern below.

Round 2: FPDC around first stitch (around first DC from previous round, not the chain), BPDC around next stitch. Continue alternating FPDC and BPDC around. Change to accent color before joining. Join to top of first FPDC stitch, chain 2.

Round 3: Puff stitch in first stitch, skip a stitch, *puff stitch in next, skip a stitch. Repeat from * around. Change to main color by completing the join at the end of the round in the new color. Join, chain 1.

Round 4: SC in NEXT stitch (this will be in the top of the first puff stitch of the round), long SC in to stitches of the round below). Continue alternating SC, long SC, SC, long SC until you are at the end of the round. *Note – The last long SC of the round might be a little tricky to place. It will be very close to the chain 2 from the first puff stitch below. Change to the accent color before joining. Join to first stitch (do not chain 2).

Round 5: Slip stitch over to next stitch (to the first long SC of the previous round), chain 2, puff stitch in same stitch, skip a stitch, *puff stitch in next, skip a stitch. Repeat from * around. Change to main color by completing the join at the end of the round in the new color.  Join, chain 1.

**Note: if you are making this for a toddler, especially a 1 or 2 year old, you might want to skip to round 8 here so that your ear warmer is not too wide for their cute little head.

Round 6: SC in NEXT stitch (this will be in the top of the first puff stitch of the round), long SC in to next stitch one round below (the long SC stitches will be worked into the stitches between the puff stitches of the round below). Continue alternating SC, long SC, SC, long SC until you are at the end of the round. The last long SC of the round might be a little tricky to place. It will be very close to the chain 2 from the first puff stitch below. Change to the accent color before joining. Join to first stitch (do not chain 2).

Round 7: Slip stitch over to next stitch (to the first long SC of the previous round), chain 2, puff stitch in same stitch, skip a stitch, *puff stitch in next, skip a stitch. Repeat from * around. Change to main color by completing the join at the end of the round in the new color. Join, chain 2.

Round 8: SC in NEXT stitch (this will be in the top of the first puff stitch of the round), long SC in to next stitch one round below (the long SC stitches will be worked into the stitches between the puff stitches of the round below). Continue alternating SC, long SC, SC, long SC until you are at the end of the round. *Note – The last long SC of the round might be a little tricky to place. It will be very close to the chain 2 from the first puff stitch below. Join, chain 2.

Round 9: DC in each stitch around. Join, chain 2.

Round 10: FPDC around first stitch (around first DC from previous round, not the chain), BPDC around next stitch. Continue alternating FPDC and BPDC around. Join to top of first FPDC stitch.

Fasten off, weave in ends, and cut yarn. If you did not sew together the bottom of the ear warmer, you can use your yarn needle to do that now. Weave in those ends and cut your yarn.

That’s it! You’re all done!  Enjoy your new Puff Stitch Ear Warmer!

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*You may make and sell any items made from my patterns, but please link back to my blog or Loops & Love Crochet as the designer. Please do not copy this pattern or photos and share as your own, in part or in whole.  Instead, link back to the Loops and Love Crochet blog (especially when selling items you make from my patterns). Thank you!