If there is one make that never leaves my project basket, it is the humble crochet scrunchie. It uses a handful of leftover yarn, it takes less time than an episode of my favourite show, and it is genuinely kinder to your hair than a bare elastic — no snagging, no snapped strands, just soft handmade ruffles holding your ponytail. On a messy bun, around a braid, even stacked on your wrist as a bracelet, a crocheted scrunchie is the little pop of colour every outfit quietly wants.
So here are twenty of my favourite scrunchie designs for you, and every single one is genuinely free: plush velvet classics, a cloud-soft chenille, cool cotton tubes for summer, delicate lace for dressier days, two bows, a beaded boho beauty and even one that glows in the dark. I have noted the yarn, the hook and the honest little details for each one as we go. Raid the yarn stash, pick up a pack of plain hair elastics, and let's fill a whole jar with scrunchies.
1. The Classic Ruffle, Straight From the Nineties
We are starting with the scrunchie that started it all: Skip To My Lou's gloriously ruffly classic. You work 35 half doubles around a plain hair tie, then a second round alternating two doubles and three doubles in each stitch, and that simple maths gives you 87 stitches of pure swish. It is written for ordinary worsted yarn, so whatever acrylic or cotton is sitting in your stash will work beautifully. This is the one that looks like the scrunchies we all wore the first time round — full, bouncy and unapologetic. Make it in a bright retro colour and try not to smile when you wear it.
Pattern: Crochet Scrunchie by Skip To My Lou — Get the free pattern
2. A Beginner's First Scrunchie, With Videos for Both Hands
If you have never crocheted around an elastic before, Sarah-Jayne Fragola at Bella Coco Crochet will hold your hand through the whole thing — left or right handed, because she films both versions. The pattern is one joyful round: a double crochet to anchor the yarn, then 65 trebles worked around the hair tie until it disappears under soft ruffles. It is written in UK terms, but the page has a switcher that converts everything to US terms with one tap, which is such a thoughtful touch. Her sample uses Bernat Velvet for extra softness against the hair. The written pattern is free on the blog; the page asks you to join her free Grow mailing list to unlock her pattern library, and that is the honest deal.
Pattern: Crochet Scrunchie by Sarah-Jayne Fragola at Bella Coco Crochet — Get the free pattern
3. Velvet in Just Two Rounds
Sarah Maker's velvet scrunchie is the one I recommend when a friend says "I want it to look bought, not homemade." Round one is about 45 doubles worked around the elastic until it is completely covered, even stretched; round two simply puts two doubles in every stitch, and you are done — 90 stitches of plush, even ruffle. She is honest that the count flexes with your elastic and your gauge, which makes this a very forgiving first velvet project. In velvet yarn the finished scrunchie has that soft matte sheen you see in the shops. One skein makes a whole stack of them for gifts.
Pattern: DIY Velvet Scrunchie by Sarah Maker — Get the free pattern
4. The Softest Velvet, Worked in Half Doubles
Marching North's version is for the velvet purists: Lion Brand Vel-Luxe yarn and a 5 mm hook, starting with single crochet packed tightly around the ponytail holder until not a speck of elastic peeks through. The magic round is all half doubles — two in every single crochet — which makes the fabric ripple into those soft waves as you go. She reminds you to stretch the elastic as you work, so the stitches stay snug instead of gappy, and that one tip is worth the whole tutorial. The result sits a little flatter and neater than the double-crochet versions, which some hair types will love. There is a video tutorial on the page too, if you like to crochet along.
Pattern: Crochet Velvet Scrunchie by Marching North — Get the free pattern
5. Summer Velvet, Standard or Luxury
Carroway Crochet gives you two scrunchies in one pattern, and I admire the honesty of the labelling: the standard version works a round of single crochet around the hair tie, then two half doubles in every stitch; swap the half doubles for doubles and the same pattern becomes, in her words, the luxury scrunchie — taller, fuller, more ruffle per inch. She writes in both US and UK terms, which is always welcome. Her best tip is pure velvet wisdom: leave an extra-long tail for weaving in, because velvet yarn loves to wriggle loose if you give it half a chance. Worked in a pale summer shade, this one is softness you can wear in your hair all season.
Pattern: Summer Velvet Scrunchie by Carroway Crochet — Get the free pattern
6. One Row, One Stitch, Pure Velvet Waves
The Waves and Wares designer tried every scrunchie pattern going — including paid ones — and concluded that the best is the simplest: one row, one stitch, that is the entire pattern. You work half doubles around the elastic with a small 3.5 mm hook and Bernat Velvet yarn, scrunching the stitches together as you go so more and more of them squeeze on; the more stitches you pack in, the wavier the scrunchie. The tiny hook is her secret — it keeps the stitches firm, so the scrunchie holds its shape wash after wash instead of going limp. There are no counts to keep and nothing to memorise, which makes it perfect telly crochet. A free PDF of the instructions is linked on the page if you like a paper copy.
Pattern: My Favourite Scrunchie by Waves and Wares — Get the free pattern
7. Plush Chenille, Big and Cloud-Soft
If your taste runs to extra, Okey Dokeys has your scrunchie: theirs is worked in super bulky chenille yarn with a nice big hook, the kind of yarn that makes everything it touches look like a marshmallow. You chain two around the elastic and then simply work 55 double crochets around it — one round, no increases to count, and the yarn's own plushness does all the ruffling for you. The finished scrunchie is properly chunky, the sort that holds a thick ponytail with confidence and looks adorable on a wrist. Because the stitches are huge, you can genuinely finish one in minutes. Try it in cream or blush for that soft, cloud-like look.
Pattern: How to Crochet a Scrunchie by Okey Dokeys — Get the free pattern
8. The Summertime Tube in a Cotton-Linen Blend
KT and the Squid does scrunchies differently: no crocheting around the elastic at all to start with. You chain 75 and work ten rounds of extended single crochet — a stitch with a lovely smooth, almost woven finish — to make a soft tube, then slip the hair tie inside and seam the tube closed around it. Her yarn is a DK cotton, viscose and linen blend, which gives the scrunchie a cool, breathable feel and a gentle sheen that is perfect for hot days and silky hair. Work more rounds for a fuller scrunchie or fewer for a sleeker one; the pattern tells you exactly how. The full pattern is free on the blog, and there is an optional paid PDF in her Etsy shop if you prefer print.
Pattern: Summertime Scrunchie by KT and the Squid — Get the free pattern
9. The Ribbed Spiral Tube for True Beginners
Stitchberry's beginner scrunchie is the most forgiving pattern on this whole list, and it hides a genuinely clever idea: she crochets around two thin hair elastics instead of one, so if one ever snaps, the second keeps your scrunchie alive. You start with a chain of ten looped around the elastics, then spiral round and round in back-loop-only single crochet — about 85 rounds of pure, meditative stitching — and seam the tube shut. The back-loop ribbing gives it a neat, almost knitted look that suits smooth yarns like the bamboo-blend Truboo she uses, about 80 yards of DK in total. No counting rounds precisely, no gauge, no stress. This is the one to teach a brand-new crocheter with.
Pattern: Beginner Scrunchie Crochet Pattern by Stitchberry — Get the free pattern
10. Two Scrunchies in One Pattern: Ruffly and Thick
Winding Road Crochet generously gives you two complete scrunchies on one page. The Ruffly one is 35 single crochets on the band, three singles in every stitch for a big ruffle, then a few plain rounds — and she includes her exact colour sequences for striped versions, which is the perfect excuse to use up scraps. The Thick one is worked flat as a simple single-crochet rectangle, sewn into a wide tube and joined around the band with a contrasting yarn, for a chunkier, more structured scrunchie. Both use only single crochet and slip stitches, with a 6 mm hook and about 52 yards of worsted yarn. Two techniques, one page, endless colour combinations.
Pattern: Crochet Scrunchies for Beginners by Winding Road Crochet — Get the free pattern
11. A Trio of Three Styles on One Page
Evelyn and Peter's page is a mini scrunchie wardrobe: three complete patterns, all starting the same way with single crochet worked around the band until it is fully covered. The purple one, in sport weight yarn, goes big with four doubles in every stitch for maximum ruffle; the pink swaps to worsted yarn and three doubles for a slightly calmer frill; and the white one skips doubles altogether and finishes with sweet chain-six loops all the way round. All three use a 3.5 mm hook, so the stitches stay neat and small. It is a lovely page to bookmark when you want to experiment with how yarn weight and stitch count change the same basic idea. One elastic pack, three personalities.
Pattern: Hair Scrunchies by Evelyn and Peter — Get the free pattern
12. Four Ways to Make a Scrunchie
Hands That Bless may have written the only scrunchie pattern you technically ever need, because it contains four complete styles. There is a velvet version worked over two rounds of half doubles, a ruffled cotton one that builds from doubles into triple-double shells for serious swish, a fluffy one made of chain-15 loops that looks like a little cloud, and a lacey one to finish. Each style starts by covering the band with about 50 single crochets, so once you have the base memorised, the variations are pure play. It is a wonderful pattern for using a different scrap for every style. Make all four on a Sunday afternoon and you have gifts sorted for the month.
Pattern: Easy Crochet Hair Scrunchie Patterns in 4 Ways by Hands That Bless — Get the free pattern
13. Colour-Blocked in Two Tones of Cotton
Nourish and Nestle's clever pattern makes three different-looking scrunchies from one set of instructions, just by changing where the colour changes fall. Worked in two colours of Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton with a 3.5 mm hook, the rounds alternate single crochet and back-loop doubles — a plain colour version, an alternating-colour version and a blocked version that shows off the stripes — each round bound off neatly before the next colour joins. Cotton makes these scrunchies crisp, washable and a little grippy, which is brilliant for fine hair that sheds silkier scrunchies by lunchtime. The pattern is written out in full in the post; a PDF version is free to subscribers in her pattern library. Coordinate the two colours with your favourite outfit and thank me later.
Pattern: Crochet Scrunchie Pattern by Nourish and Nestle — Get the free pattern
14. The Bow Scrunchie With Crossed Stitches
Fosbas Designs gives the scrunchie a proper statement bow, and the whole thing is worked in her crossed half double crochet — a pretty X-shaped stitch with real texture. The band itself is a slim tube of twelve stitches worked around the hair elastic for about forty rounds; then you crochet a separate bow the same way, shape a flat tapered tail piece to wrap its centre, and assemble. She even includes a smaller bow variation, so you can make a big sister and little sister set. It is rated advanced beginner, and the crossed stitch is one of those techniques that looks impressive while being secretly simple. In a solid colour, the bow silhouette does all the talking.
Pattern: Crochet Scrunchie by Fosbas Designs — Get the free pattern
15. A Sedge-Stitch Bow for Your Ponytail
The Mother Lode's Hair Bow Scrunchie is the romantic of the collection: a scrunchie finished with a real, tie-it-yourself bow, worked in sedge stitch — a cosy little cluster of single, half double and double crochet that gives the fabric a soft, nubby texture. She designed it to rescue a beautiful scrap of hand-dyed sock yarn, and you only need about 75 yards of fingering weight yarn and a chunky ponytail holder, which makes it the most elegant stash-buster on this list. The bow unties, so it works over a bun, a ponytail or even threaded onto a headband. The written pattern is free on her blog, and a photo-tutorial PDF version is also available from her Ravelry and LoveCrafts shops. Make the tiny red version she mentions for the holidays.
Pattern: Hair Bow Scrunchie by The Mother Lode — Get the free pattern
16. Picot Points and Lace Loops
Now for the dressy end of the scrunchie drawer. Sandra Stitches keeps her design to just single crochet and slip stitches across three rounds, but the result is pure lace: a covered band, then a round of single crochet with chain-three picot-like points in every stitch, then a final round of chain-four loops caught into each point. The openwork edge looks delicate and expensive, like something from a vintage dressing table, especially in cream or white. Because it only uses two basic stitches, a confident beginner can absolutely make it — slowly, with a cup of tea. This is the scrunchie for weddings, christenings and every outfit that deserves a softer touch.
Pattern: Easy Crochet Hair Scrunchie by Sandra Stitches — Get the free pattern
17. The Lacey Tube in Fine, Silky Yarn
Savlabot's Lacey Scrunchie takes the tube method somewhere new: she works half doubles into the back two loops of each stitch, and that tiny change opens the fabric into a soft, lacy mesh as the tube grows. It is made with fine, silky size-1 yarn — she uses wool-blend sock yarns like Loops & Threads Woolike — and a small 2.75 mm hook, starting from a foundation chain of 17 looped through the elastic. The finished scrunchie is light and drapey rather than puffy, so it suits finer hair and dressier styles beautifully. In the spirit of honesty, she says the stitch is easier to show than to describe, so the written steps come with her video tutorial on the same page. Fine yarn, small hook, very pretty payoff.
Pattern: The Lacey Crochet Scrunchies by Savlabot — Get the free pattern
18. The One-Round Wonder From 2009
Some patterns earn their place by being first. Craft Passion published this scrunchie back in 2009 — practically the dawn of crochet blogging — and it is still one of the neatest one-round designs anywhere: chain six, then repeat double crochet around the band with three chains between stitches until the band is full, and fasten off. That is genuinely it, and the chain arches make a pretty openwork ruffle that uses barely any yarn at all. She uses a 3.5 mm hook and whatever is in the stash, which is exactly the spirit scrunchies were invented for. If you want a scrunchie in the next ten minutes, this is your pattern. A little piece of crochet history, still holding ponytails today.
Pattern: Free Crochet Scrunchie Pattern by Craft Passion — Get the free pattern
19. Beaded Boho Loops
Tidzhen Gyuldzhu at Passionate Crafter adds jewellery to the scrunchie, and the effect is pure festival boho. You cover the band with 50 to 60 single crochets, then work a round of tall chain loops — chain nine, slip stitch, chain four, place a bead, chain five, slip stitch — so every loop carries a bead that catches the light as your hair moves. Wooden beads give it an earthy feel, metallic ones dress it up, and mixing bead colours is half the fun. It only uses basic stitches, so a complete beginner can make it and still end up with something that looks boutique-bought. Wear it loose around a low ponytail and let the beads do the sparkle.
Pattern: Beaded Boho Scrunchie by Tidzhen Gyuldzhu at Passionate Crafter — Get the free pattern
20. The One That Glows in the Dark
We are finishing with pure fun: Lion Brand's Glow in the Dark Scrunchies, pattern M24052, worked in their DIY Glow Cozy yarn — a polyester yarn that charges in daylight and glows after dark. The pattern includes both a crochet and a knit version; for the crochet one you make an 18-inch tube of single crochet, fold and seam it around your elastic, and the glow does the rest. It is rated easy, uses one ball per scrunchie, and the pattern is a $0.00 download on the Lion Brand site — you may need a free Lion Brand account to download it, and that is the only catch. For evening walks, festivals, concerts and keeping track of your hair tie at a sleepover, nothing else on this list comes close. Charge it by the window and enjoy the magic.
Pattern: Glow in the Dark Scrunchies (M24052) by Lion Brand — Get the free pattern
Conclusion
And that is twenty scrunchies, my friend — velvet clouds and chenille puffs, cool cotton tubes, lace edges, bows, beads and one that glows after dark, every single one free and every single one small enough to finish today. If you are brand new, start with the Stitchberry spiral tube or the Craft Passion one-round classic; if your stash is full of velvet scraps, the Sarah Maker and Marching North versions will empty it happily. My favourite trick is to make them in threes — one for your hair, one for your wrist, one for a friend — because a jar of handmade scrunchies on the dresser is a very good problem to have.
Now tell me — are you team plush velvet scrunchie or team delicate lace scrunchie, and which of these twenty is going on your hook first? I read every comment, and I cannot wait to see your makes!
