A Crochet Applique Resistor Headband

Heidi Arjes designed an awesome Resistor Knit Hat and Headband for the March for Science.  We both are knitters, and didn't have a real option for crocheters to create our fun science designs.  When I released Spliced, a crochet chain applique GENEie headband I offered to create a resistor version to Heidi.  With her blessing, I filmed a video where I appliqued a crochet chain to form a resistor headband.

The headband base is 20" long and I created it following the Spliced instructions. I used KnitPicks Comfy Worsted Yarn in Marina (19 g, 42 yards) and Light Blue (3 g, 7 yards) on a size H (5.0 mm) crochet hook for this project. The beauty with these applique techniques is that you could do them on any knit or crochet hat, headband, bag, or really anything at all.  I created a 40" long chain in a contrasting cotton color for the applique.  This was such a great way to do some craftivism and stash bust at the same time.  

The right side pinned

The wrong side pinned

You could achieve a similar look if you used some short crochet pieces and then one really long chain, but I thought it was worth threading the crochet chain in and out of the piece to create the vertical lines.

When I secured the ends of the headband together, you almost can't tell where the join happened!

Here is the join in the top center of my head.  Would you have noticed if I didn't point it out?

At the March for Science, a dear friend of mine (who was a physics major) picked this headband out of my extras to wear.  I was very happy to send this off to someone who would appreciate it.  

Are you ready to make your own applique resistor headband?  Watch the video to find out exactly how I did this.  

Here is a list of the video contents in case you need to skip ahead to a particular part.  

• [0:00] Introduction 
• [1:13] Materials
• [2:03] Pulling the chain through the fabric to make the "Battery" graphic.
• [7:22] Laying out the rest of the resistor design
• [11:41] All pinned
• [11:58] Sewing down the crochet chain
• [15:22] Preparing to sew the headband edges togther
• [16:47] Conclusions

I'm getting into embroidery and applique for March for Science wear because I can make the base with little attention.  It is a bit faster and easier to construct for more crafters who are intimidated by colorwork and cables.  I LOVED the way the DNA from the crochet chain applique popped in Spliced.  I want to add this applique to things that aren't crochet or a knit base now!  I decided that I would also film a video of the DNA applique from the Spliced GENEie Headband.  Enjoy!

Here is the table of contents for the Spliced GENEie applique:

• [0:00] Introduction
• [0:51] Materials
• [3:04] Arranging the double helix backbone and pinning it down
• [11:03] Sewing down the crochet chain
• [16:52] Embroidering the base pairs
• [20:48] Joining the flat headband together and finishing the embroidery design at the seam.  
• [26:47] Conclusions