Demogorgon Hair Tie Free Crochet Pattern: Make Your Own Stranger Things Inspired Accessory

If you’ve ever watched Stranger Things and found yourself equal parts terrified and obsessed with the Demogorgon, you’re definitely not alone. That iconic flower-petal face with its rows of jagged teeth has inspired fan art, costumes, tattoos, and now — crochet hair accessories. Whether you’re heading to a Halloween party, a convention, or you just want to add a little Upside Down energy to your everyday look, this free crochet pattern for a Demogorgon hair tie is exactly what you’ve been searching for.

This pattern is beginner-friendly with a few intermediate techniques woven in, making it a satisfying project whether you’re just learning to crochet or you’ve been hooking for years. The finished piece works beautifully as a hair tie topper, a brooch, a bag charm, or even a chunky ring. The possibilities are as endless as the tunnels under Hawkins, Indiana.

Let’s dive in.

What You’ll Need

Before you pick up your hook, gather your materials. Having everything ready before you start makes the process smooth and enjoyable.

Yarn: You’ll need a small amount of worsted weight yarn (Category 4) in dark brown or black for the main petal sections. You’ll also want a contrasting color — off-white, pale pink, or a fleshy beige — for the inner mouth area. Optionally, pick up a tiny bit of dark red or burgundy for the throat detail if you want extra drama.

Hook: A 4.0mm to 5.0mm crochet hook works well with worsted weight yarn. If you tend to crochet tightly, go up a size to keep the work from becoming too stiff.

Other Supplies:
A hair tie or elastic band (the thicker, fabric-covered kind works best), a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, small googly eyes or black glass-headed pins if you want to add eyes to the petals (optional but incredibly fun), and a bit of felt or stiff interfacing to back the finished piece if you want it to hold its shape firmly.

Gauge: Gauge isn’t critical for this project since it’s a decorative accessory, but working to approximately 14 stitches and 16 rows per 4 inches in single crochet will give you a finished flower that’s roughly 3 to 4 inches in diameter — a great size for a hair tie topper.

Understanding the Demogorgon Design

The Demogorgon’s face is essentially a radial design: a central opening surrounded by elongated, petal-like flaps that open outward. Those flaps are textured and slightly irregular, giving them an organic, fleshy quality. When you look at a Demogorgon, you see roughly six to eight petals arranged like a gruesome flower, with ridged detail running lengthwise along each one.

In crochet terms, this translates to a central ring, an inner “mouth” section worked in a lighter color, and individual petals worked outward from that ring. The ridges are achieved through simple surface slip stitches or by alternating front post and back post stitches. Even without those extra details, the basic shape is immediately recognizable.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
hdc — half double crochet
dc — double crochet
tr — treble crochet
FO — fasten off
MR — magic ring (also called a magic circle)
BLO — back loop only
FLO — front loop only
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
Rep — repeat
Sk — skip
Sp — space
St(s) — stitch(es)
Rnd — round

The Pattern

Part One: The Inner Mouth (Pale/Flesh Color)

This section forms the center of the Demogorgon’s face — the gaping opening from which the petals will radiate outward.

Round 1: Using your pale or flesh-colored yarn, make a magic ring. Ch 1, work 6 sc into the ring, sl st to join to the first sc. Pull the ring tail snug. (6 sts)

Round 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around, sl st to join. (12 sts)

Round 3: Ch 1, sc in the next st, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from to around, sl st to join. (18 sts)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in the next 2 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from to around, sl st to join. (24 sts)

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in the next 3 sts, 2 sc in the next st, repeat from to around, sl st to join. (30 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. This circle will sit at the center of your finished piece. If you want to add the red or burgundy throat detail, use a yarn needle and that color to work a few straight stitches or a small spiral in the very center of the circle before attaching it.

Part Two: The Petals (Dark Brown or Black)

The Demogorgon has between six and eight petals in most depictions. This pattern gives you eight petals for a fuller, more dramatic look, but you can easily reduce to six if you prefer a slightly more open, splayed appearance.

Each petal is worked individually and then joined.

To make one petal:

Foundation: With your dark yarn, ch 10.

Row 1 (RS): Starting in the second ch from the hook, sc in each ch across. Turn. (9 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first st, hdc in the next st, dc in the next 5 sts, hdc in the next st, sc in the last st. Turn. (9 sts — this shaping begins to give the petal a slight curve)

Row 3: Ch 1, sc in the first st, hdc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next 3 sts, hdc in the next 2 sts, sc in the last st. Turn. (9 sts)

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (9 sts)

Row 5: Ch 1, sc2tog over the first 2 sts, sc in the next 5 sts, sc2tog over the last 2 sts. Turn. (7 sts)

Row 6: Ch 1, sc2tog over the first 2 sts, sc in the next 3 sts, sc2tog over the last 2 sts. Turn. (5 sts)

Row 7: Ch 1, sc2tog over the first 2 sts, sc in the next st, sc2tog over the last 2 sts. Turn. (3 sts)

Row 8: Ch 1, sc3tog over all 3 sts. FO, leaving a tail. (1 st — this is the tip of the petal)

Now work the edging. With the right side facing, attach your dark yarn to the bottom right corner of the petal. Work a row of sc evenly along the right side, 3 sc in the tip, and sc evenly back down the left side. Sl st to join at the bottom. FO.

Make eight petals in total. The edging gives each petal a clean, defined edge and also slightly stiffens it.

Adding Ridge Detail (Optional but Recommended):
Once your petals are complete and you’ve woven in the main ends, cut a length of slightly lighter or slightly darker yarn (or even the same color if you have no contrast). Thread it onto your yarn needle and work long straight stitches from the base of each petal to the tip, running down the center. This mimics the ridged texture of the actual creature’s petals and adds a satisfying amount of texture and depth. You can add one center ridge per petal, or three parallel ridges for extra realism.

Part Three: Assembling the Demogorgon

Lay your eight petals out on a flat surface, arranging them in a circle with their wide bases pointing inward and their tips pointing outward, like the petals of a flower. Adjust the spacing until you’re happy with the arrangement — aim for even gaps between petals.

Step 1: Using a yarn needle and a length of dark yarn, sew the base of each petal to the adjacent petals with a few firm whip stitches where they overlap slightly at the center. This creates the joined base.

Step 2: Place your pale inner mouth circle on top of the joined petal bases, positioning it so that it covers the raw center area and overlaps each petal base slightly. Using your yarn needle and the pale yarn, sew the inner circle down firmly around its entire circumference. Use a whip stitch or a hidden ladder stitch for a clean finish.

Step 3: Cut a small circle of felt or stiff interfacing slightly smaller than your inner circle. Optionally, slip your hair elastic between the felt backing and the crochet piece before sewing the felt on. This will anchor the elastic and give the whole piece structure. Sew the felt to the wrong side of the assembled piece, enclosing the elastic as you go.

If you are not attaching an elastic and want to use this as a brooch or charm instead, simply sew the felt backing on without the elastic, and then hand-sew or glue a brooch pin or lobster clasp to the felt.

Teeth Detail (Optional but Incredible)

What makes the Demogorgon so recognizable is not just the petals — it’s those rows of small, pointed teeth lining the inside edge of each one. Adding teeth takes a bit more patience but makes an enormous difference in the finished piece.

To add teeth: With off-white or pale yarn, work a row of small picots or pointed single crochet spikes along the inner edge of each petal, right where it meets the central circle. To make a simple picot tooth, join yarn at the petal edge, ch 3, sl st back into the base of the chain. That’s one tooth. Repeat every few stitches along the inner edge of each petal. Depending on the size of your petals, you’ll get two to four little teeth per petal, which is exactly the right amount of unsettling.

Finishing Touches and Styling Tips

Once your Demogorgon hair tie is fully assembled and all ends are woven in, give the petals a gentle steam block if needed to help them lie flat and hold their shape. Hold a steam iron a few inches above the piece without pressing directly onto it, then smooth the petals into position and let them cool flat.

For the most polished result, back each petal individually with a tiny piece of iron-on interfacing before assembly. This keeps them from curling over time, especially if you’re wearing the piece frequently.

If you want your Demogorgon to look extra menacing, use a fabric stiffener spray lightly over the finished piece. This gives it a slightly firmer, more sculptural quality that photographs beautifully.

Wearing it as a hair tie: Gather your hair into a ponytail or bun using the elastic as normal, and position the crochet piece so the Demogorgon face sits on top. The thicker the elastic you used as your base, the more securely the piece will stay in place.

Wearing it as a scrunchie topper: If you have a fabric scrunchie in a coordinating color — something in the black, dark brown, or deep plum family — you can stitch your Demogorgon piece directly onto it for a fuller, more dramatic look.

Ideas for Variations

Once you’ve made the basic pattern, there’s so much room to play.

Color variations: Try a deep teal or forest green version for a more fantastical creature look. A pale gray with black teeth reads more skeletal. An all-black version with metallic gray ridge stitching looks fantastic for formal or goth occasions.

Scale: Work the pattern in fingering weight yarn with a 2.5mm hook for a dainty, miniature version that would work beautifully as a charm on a bracelet or keychain. Use bulky weight yarn for an oversized statement piece.

Mixed media: Glue tiny clear or red rhinestones to the inner circle for a bioluminescent glow effect, as if the Demogorgon is lit from within. You can also use glow-in-the-dark yarn for the inner mouth for a genuinely eerie effect.

Hat accent: Stitch your finished Demogorgon to a beanie or the brim of a bucket hat for a wearable costume element that works any time of year.

Bag charm: Attach a keyring or lobster clip to the backing and clip it to a zipper pull, tote bag handle, or backpack strap.

Tips for Crochet Beginners

If this is one of your earlier projects, a few quick tips will help you get the best results.

Work slowly through the petal construction, especially the shaping rows. The decrease stitches (sc2tog and sc3tog) can feel fiddly at first, but they’re just inserting your hook through two or three stitches before pulling through. Take your time.

Don’t skip weaving in your ends, especially on the petals. Because this piece will be handled and worn, loose ends have a way of coming undone. Use your yarn needle to weave through at least three different directions on the wrong side.

If your magic ring keeps slipping open, you can substitute a ch 4, sl st to join into a ring instead. It leaves a slightly larger center hole, but it’s very secure.

Block the finished piece. Even a very light damp blocking — simply misting the piece with water, shaping it with your fingers, and letting it dry flat — makes a significant difference in the final appearance.

Why This Project Is Worth Making

Fandom crochet is one of the most joyful corners of the crafting world, and there’s something particularly satisfying about turning a terrifying creature from one of the most beloved horror shows in recent memory into something you can wear in your hair. This Demogorgon hair tie is a conversation starter, a show of creative devotion to the source material, and a genuinely wearable piece of fan art.

It’s also a fast project. With the materials gathered and the pattern in hand, most crocheters can complete all the pieces and assemble them in an afternoon. That makes it a great last-minute option for Halloween, a cosplay event, or simply a Friday when you want your hair accessory to do a little more.

Share your finished makes on social media with hashtags like #crochetdemogorgon, #strangerthingscrochet, and #fandomcrochet to connect with a whole community of makers who share your enthusiasm for the Upside Down. And if you modify the pattern or come up with brilliant variations, sharing your notes helps the whole community grow.

The Demogorgon might have caused chaos in Hawkins, but in your craft room, it’s just a very satisfying crochet project. Happy hooking.