Today is International Women’s Day, and to celebrate I am publishing a free pattern for a headband, named for a remarkable Victorian-era woman, Fanny Kemble. NOTE: the fingerless mitts in some of the photos are a separate, paid pattern.

The headband, as well as other designs in the Fanny Kemble Series, use a stitch I encountered in a Victorian-era pattern for a doll’s dress. When worked in the round--as the original pattern used it--this simple stitch creates a lovely lace that resembles the knitted “faggot stitch” which is used so extensively in knit lace scarves, shawls, etc.

The only stitches you need to know are chain, slip stitch, single crochet! The headband was made using vintage Patons 4-ply Purple Heather wool yarn, but you can use any light fingering/sock weight yarn with approximately 200 m per 50g ball. I used a 6mm hook to make the beginning chain, to make sure it was loose enough; a 4.25mm hook for the main part of the crochet headband; and a 3.5mm hook for the edging. NOTE: You can easily make the headband larger or smaller by adding or subtracting to the starting chain in multiples of 2 stitches.

Please contact me if you find any errors, need any help, or wish to comment. You’re welcome to post photos of your finished headbands on my Facebook page, and I’d appreciate linking to my design here on Ravelry, as well as adding it to your Favourites if you like and appreciate this free design. I hope you’ll read a little more about Fanny Kemble too--there are many articles and photos about her online that are interesting to read, and many more historic photos.